A Prophesy Of Little Worth

‘It is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people..’ (St.Jn 11:49-52)
In the previous post I had narrated an incident in the house of Simon the leper. Mary, the brother of Lazarus anointed Jesus with spikenard that must have cost her a fortune. She had foreknowledge of the passion and death of Jesus and took appropriate steps to prepare him for the event. He knew why she did it. One might say it was a woman’s intuition spiritually discerned and given expression. It became a perpetual memorial for her. Her visiting card to heaven one might say was embroidered on actions in consonance with her revelation.
We have an example of another who had a revelation of sorts.
Caiaphas, the son-in-law of Annas touched on the ministry of Jesus once again inspired by the Spirit of Christ. The office of the High Priest was not by any standards a mean one. In his day he might have been elevated to that office by the Roman procurator. Even so he stood in the line of great many worthies who ever guided the destinies of the Jewish nation. None could have exceeded in the excellence of that office than Aaron who was ordained by the Lord God to that post.(Ex 4:14-16 ) God also accorded him a special place alongside Moses to meet Him (Ex19:24). This being the case the prophetic utterance of Caiaphas was merely in the fitness of his office.
He would also have known the revelation concerning Messiah from the book of Daniel.(Dan 7:13) Teachings unlike that of any other rabbi before him and especially miracles attributed to Jesus (raising of Lazarus etc.,) ought to have given the High Priest an intimation as to the role of Jesus.
Be that as it may Caiaphas owed his office to the goodwill of Rome. Under the Roman aegis much of his energy went into safeguard his authority. We read from the gospel of Luke that behind his throne the one who held the clout was his father in-law Annas (St. Lu 3:2). In his day there existed backroom politics that we are well familiar with.
He had to make certain his religious administration did not cave in under the political repercussions that were bound to happen if the prophet from Nazareth was let to speak his mind. It was political expediency pure and simple when he prophesied the key verse. A latter day Balaam (Num: 22-24) whose prophesy was of little worth since his self-interest had rendered it null and void.
In the Jewish trial of Jesus (Jn 18:24) we read that he rent clothes publicly separating him from ‘the blasphemy’. He must have been quaking in his shoes at the prospect of being seen as a ‘sympathizer’ or fellow traveler by the powers that be. The Sanhedrin as a matter of immediate urgency delivered Jesus to the governor thereby distancing publicly from the fate the Son of man had invited on himself.
No man can serve two masters. The high priest presiding over the religious affairs of the Jewish nation was looking for the advent of Messiah. But there was before his Judgment seat and he didn’t know Messiah. Reason? As we read in the gospel of John ‘ he loved the praise of men (St.Jn 12:43)’ He served the interests of Rome too well to discern the only one who bore in him their blessed hope.
Note: By reliable historical accounts Caiaphas was deposed by Vitellius, the President of Syria.(Jos Ant xviii 2:2, 4:3)-ack Ralph Earle, Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia . Pub: Moody paperback edition-1983)
benny