Rumblings from the Sanhedrin

By Steve Leininger

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/040922.cfm
Ezekiel 37:21-28
John 11:45-56

I was at a second hand store the other day. It was part archeology museum and a bit like someplace the “American Pickers” would visit looking for treasures. I knew I had a reflection to do this week and was hoping to find an interesting prop to use in my presentation.

“What’s this?” I asked, pointing to a pile of what looked like old tabloids. “That’s a pile of old tabloids,” said the shopkeeper. “We use those to wrap up fragile purchases so they will survive shipping.”

“They look REALLY old,” I said. “Will you sell me one?” The shopkeeper laughed. “Just take a couple off the top. Help yourself!”

On my way home, I stopped for lunch. I was thinking I didn’t do a very good job of finding something to shed some light on today’s Gospel reading from John 11:45-56. I took my printed out copy of the reading and the first of my “free papers” from the shop. I started to read . . .

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Man Comes Back from the Dead!!

In the town of Bethany, Lazarus, a man who became ill and died, was brought back to life. Mary, the “previously dead man’s” sister, reached out to family friend Jesus of Nazerath to see if he could help. This is the same Jesus we have reported on in previous editions, famed storyteller, friend of the down-trodden, and occasional miracle worker. 

“I didn’t want him to open the tomb” said Lazarus’ other sister Martha. “I was sure that my brother had started to stink because he had been dead and buried for four days.” 

Jesus prayed publicly to “his Father in heaven” before he cried out in a loud voice,* “Lazarus, come out!”

Lazarus, still bound in burial cloth emerged from the tomb and is now recovering at home with his sisters Mary and Martha.

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That story sounded familiar . . . even Biblical! I googled “raising of Lazarus” and, yes, the story of the death and resurrection of Lazarus immediately proceeds today’s Gospel reading.

This helped provide some context to the opening:

Many of the Jews who had come to Mary
and seen what Jesus had done began to believe in him.
But some of them went to the Pharisees
and told them what Jesus had done. 
[John 11:45-46]

We know which Mary we are referring to, and what Jesus had done. Mary, of “Martha and Mary fame”, was the sister of Lazarus, the man Jesus just raised from the dead.

I wondered if there was anything else in my “almost packing material” tabloid? This next article caught my eye:

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Rumblings from the Sanhedrin

In a rare unscheduled convening of the Sanhedrin, the topic of the day was what do we do about success? It seems that the growing popularity of prophet and healer Jesus (see related story from Bethany) has caused a bit of a problem for the chief priests, the Pharisees, and their ilk. One side recognizes the growing popularity of Jesus “This man is performing many signs. If we leave him alone, all will believe in him,” declared an unnamed source from within the Sanhedrin. That should be good news for the people of Israel.

But as usual, the Pharisees seem to be worried about their own job security. “If this guy Jesus becomes our leader of our people, we will have to answer to him,” said one in dismay. The spin continued: “Oh, yeah, and if he becomes the one over all of us, the Romans will shut us down, take away our land and wealth and wipe out the Jewish nation.”

Just when it appeared that the whole Sanhedrin was headed towards another grumble-fest, the always opinionated high priest Caiaphas shot everyone down. “You know nothing,” he started. “We only have a problem with one guy – this Jesus fellow – and you are worried about losing the whole nation? The solution is obvious – it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation will not perish.”

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I looked back at my Gospel reading for today. Holy Smokes!! That’s almost exactly what it says!!

Both the ancient newspaper that I happened on accidentally and the Gospel readings nailed the point at which the decision was made that, “one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation will not perish.” 

I flipped through the pages of the tabloid for more insight. This might be the “Holy Grail” of newspapers!! But I am disappointed. Advertisements for Passover supplies and venues. A weather report (hot & dry, mostly sunny). The Stock Report (Sheep and doves are both up). 

The tabloid did not have the full story. The Gospel reading continued:

He (Caiaphas) did not say this on his own,
but since he was high priest for that year,
he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation,
and not only for the nation,
but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God.
[John 11:51-52]

I’m sure that made most of the Sanhedrin feel pretty good about the decision they were about to agree upon in the very next verse:

So from that day on they planned to kill him.
[John 11:53]

While they have “saved themselves” and made a decision that they could rationalize as being for the greater good, Jesus goes into hiding, with people wondering whether he will show up in time for the annual Passover feast.

Caiaphas will be proven to be mostly correct in his prophecy: Jesus will die for the world and will gather into one the dispersed children of God.