耶穌使拉撒路從死裡復活，使得猶太人的宗教領袖再也無法忍受；他們愈來愈害怕：「若這樣由著他……羅馬人也要來奪我們的地土和我們的百姓。」（48節）祭司們尤其感到恐慌。只要沒有什麼彌賽亞運動吸引羅馬官府的注意，大祭司和他的「同僚」幾乎就是耶穌撒冷的負責人，可以坐收聖殿豐厚的獻金。但若有任何政治叛亂的跡象，他們無憂無慮的生涯也將隨之告終。現在，耶穌就是這麼一個政治上的威脅。祂是一個群眾運動者──是對現狀最大的威脅。所以，大祭司該亞法認定是採取行動的時候了。他所說的話無異於煽動謀殺，但似乎沒有別的辦法。耶穌必須死。

        該亞法告訴公會的人：「你們不瞭解，一個人替百姓死，免得通國滅亡，這於你們是有好處的。」作者約翰在這裡加了自己的「編按」：「他這話不是出於自己，是因他本年作大祭司，所以預言耶穌將要替這一國死。也不但替這一國死，並要將上帝四散的子民都聚集歸一。」（51~52節）該亞法不自覺的預言了耶穌將要為猶太人和外邦人死的事。他不知道自己挑唆眾人謀殺耶穌的話反成了實現上帝計畫的大膽宣告。

        至於約翰，他在另一處用另一個方式宣佈了上帝的計畫：「上帝愛世人，甚至將祂的獨生子賜給他們，叫一切信祂的不致滅亡，反得永生。」（約3：16）

        天父上帝，謝謝您甚至使用該亞法來宣告您的計畫。我們求您也使用我們向他人傳講您的計畫。我們樂意這麼做，聖經告訴我們您願意使用我們。所以我們期待您今天就使用我們。奉主耶穌基督聖名，阿們！

English

        The raising of Lazarus from deal was the final straw. The religious authorities were running scared. “If we let him go on like this… the Romans will come and take away our place (temple) and our nation”, they cried (v.48). Especially threatened was the high priestly clique. As long as there was no messianic movement attracting the attention of Rome, the high priest and his “court” were virtually in charge of Jerusalem and the rich temple income, but any hint of political insurrection would end this comfortable situation. Jesus was now a political threat. He was a people mover and, indeed, a People Movement – a threat to the status quo. So Caiaphas, the high priest, decided the time to act had come. What he said was incitement to murder, but it seemed the only alternative. Jesus had to die.

        “You do not realize”, Caiaphas said to the Sanhedrin, “that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” John, the writer of this book, makes an editorial comment, “He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one” (vv.51, 52). Caiaphas was making an unconscious prophecy that Jesus would die for both Jew and Gentile. His incitement to murder was unknowingly a bold declaration of the purpose of God.

        John would put it another way in another place, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

        Lord God, our Father, thank You for using even Caiaphas to declare Your purpose. Now Lord, we ask that You’ll use us today to declare Your purpose to others. We’re willing and Your Word shows You’re willing too. Therefore we expect it to happen today.