Dead Man Walking
Thoughts on John 11:45–57
There’s a scene near the end of John 11 that reads like the moment in a novel. The tension has risen. The plot has thickened. A miracle has occurred. Lazarus has just shuffled out of his tomb (which, you’d think, would settle the matter: Messiah found, everybody rejoices). We expect that this is where it all gets resolved. Instead? Division, plotting, and the ancient equivalent of a Wanted poster.
“Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.” (John 11:57)
If this were a musical piece, it feels like we have gone through Do, Ra, Mi - all the way to Ti and we are waiting for the chord to resolve. But John just leaves us there. Unresolved.
Which is exactly the point. John has spent eleven chapters developing the plotlines. Three years of Jesus’ life have been lived out in front of us. All seven signs pointing to Jesus as Messiah have all been woven into the story (Lazarus return is the seventh) and now, he keeps us waiting one more time in what seems like a very dark moment in the story.
And his point? God is still the Sovereign Author of the story - even when things seem at their darkest. And not just of this book or of this part of the story – but of the Drama of Redemption that began in a garden long ago. The people in power think they are in control, improvising, plotting. But, as they will soon discover, the Author has not lost His pen.
Faith, Fear, and Footnotes
The miracle of Lazarus divides the crowd like the parting of the Red Sea. Some believe. Others run to the Pharisees, not to say, “Hallelujah!” but “Do you know what He just did? Someone should stop Him.”
Miracles don’t always produce faith. Light shines, and some step into it. Others scuttle for the shadows. (Cue John 3:19–21: people love darkness when light gets too revealing).
Fear in the Council Chamber
The Sanhedrin meets. They sound less like priests and more like nervous middle managers. “If this man keeps performing signs, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
Translation: “If He keeps raising the dead, we’ll be out of a job.”
Fear does that. It shrinks your field of vision until you can’t see the Author’s hand on the page. All you can see are the risks of losing control.
Caiaphas the Accidental Prophet
And then, in strides Caiaphas. High priest, political operator, professional survivor. He says: “You know nothing at all! It’s better that one man should die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
Cold. Calculated. Pragmatic. And—without realizing it—prophetic.
Because here’s the twist: John tells us Caiaphas was speaking about more than politics. He was, unwillingly, reading out loud a line straight from God’s script. Jesus would die for the people—only not in the way Caiaphas intended.
The Plot Thickens
“So, from that day on they made plans to put him to death.” The stage is set, the characters eager. But Jesus? He slips away. Not out of fear, but because His “hour” had not yet come (see John 2:4; 7:30; 8:20 and five paragraphs on, John12:23).
That little phrase— “His hour”—is John’s reminder that timing belongs to the Author. Swords may flash, plots may scheme, Judas may bargain, but the scene doesn’t move forward until God turns the page.
Passover Paradox
Passover approaches. Crowds whisper: “Will He show up?” The leaders issue their order: “Report Him if you see Him.”
And here’s another great irony. While they sharpen their knives to slay the Passover lamb, the true Passover Lamb quietly prepares Himself for sacrifice. They think they’re protecting the nation. Really, they’re simply rehearsing their parts in God’s great drama of redemption.
Lessons from the Script
God always has the last word. And when people think they’re outsmarting God, they’re usually just helping Him finish the script.
There’s a scene near the end of John 11 that reads like the moment in a novel. The tension has risen. The plot has thickened. A miracle has occurred. Lazarus has just shuffled out of his tomb (which, you’d think, would settle the matter: Messiah found, everybody rejoices). We expect that this is where it all gets resolved. Instead? Division, plotting, and the ancient equivalent of a Wanted poster.
“Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.” (John 11:57)
If this were a musical piece, it feels like we have gone through Do, Ra, Mi - all the way to Ti and we are waiting for the chord to resolve. But John just leaves us there. Unresolved.
Which is exactly the point. John has spent eleven chapters developing the plotlines. Three years of Jesus’ life have been lived out in front of us. All seven signs pointing to Jesus as Messiah have all been woven into the story (Lazarus return is the seventh) and now, he keeps us waiting one more time in what seems like a very dark moment in the story.
And his point? God is still the Sovereign Author of the story - even when things seem at their darkest. And not just of this book or of this part of the story – but of the Drama of Redemption that began in a garden long ago. The people in power think they are in control, improvising, plotting. But, as they will soon discover, the Author has not lost His pen.
Faith, Fear, and Footnotes
The miracle of Lazarus divides the crowd like the parting of the Red Sea. Some believe. Others run to the Pharisees, not to say, “Hallelujah!” but “Do you know what He just did? Someone should stop Him.”
Miracles don’t always produce faith. Light shines, and some step into it. Others scuttle for the shadows. (Cue John 3:19–21: people love darkness when light gets too revealing).
Fear in the Council Chamber
The Sanhedrin meets. They sound less like priests and more like nervous middle managers. “If this man keeps performing signs, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
Translation: “If He keeps raising the dead, we’ll be out of a job.”
Fear does that. It shrinks your field of vision until you can’t see the Author’s hand on the page. All you can see are the risks of losing control.
Caiaphas the Accidental Prophet
And then, in strides Caiaphas. High priest, political operator, professional survivor. He says: “You know nothing at all! It’s better that one man should die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
Cold. Calculated. Pragmatic. And—without realizing it—prophetic.
Because here’s the twist: John tells us Caiaphas was speaking about more than politics. He was, unwillingly, reading out loud a line straight from God’s script. Jesus would die for the people—only not in the way Caiaphas intended.
The Plot Thickens
“So, from that day on they made plans to put him to death.” The stage is set, the characters eager. But Jesus? He slips away. Not out of fear, but because His “hour” had not yet come (see John 2:4; 7:30; 8:20 and five paragraphs on, John12:23).
That little phrase— “His hour”—is John’s reminder that timing belongs to the Author. Swords may flash, plots may scheme, Judas may bargain, but the scene doesn’t move forward until God turns the page.
Passover Paradox
Passover approaches. Crowds whisper: “Will He show up?” The leaders issue their order: “Report Him if you see Him.”
And here’s another great irony. While they sharpen their knives to slay the Passover lamb, the true Passover Lamb quietly prepares Himself for sacrifice. They think they’re protecting the nation. Really, they’re simply rehearsing their parts in God’s great drama of redemption.
Lessons from the Script
- Miracles don’t always change hearts. They reveal hearts.
- Fear makes bad decisions. The Sanhedrin feared losing their nation and their place. In the end, they lost both – and they missed the Messiah standing right in front of them.
- God can speak through the most unlikely mouths. Even Caiaphas can end up delivering gospel truth by accident.
- Timing is everything – and it belongs to God. Our impatience does not speed Him up. Our panic doesn’t slow Him down.
- God is the Author of the story. He is not afraid to turn what appears to be human control of the pen into the very things that accomplish His purpose.
God always has the last word. And when people think they’re outsmarting God, they’re usually just helping Him finish the script.
Recent
Archive
Categories
no categories
No Comments