The Youth’s Instructor

May 18, 1899

The Resurrection of Lazarus

Part 8.

EGW

Christ had encouraged all, however sinful, to go directly to God as their merciful Father. Neither by precept nor example had he directed the people to the priesthood. But the idea of repenting and receiving forgiveness for their sins was not for a moment to be entertained by the priests. They would not admit that through unbelief they had placed themselves where the blessing of God could not come to them. When Christ had opened the eyes of the man born blind, they had striven with all sophistry to change the truth into a lie, declaring that the man was not born blind, that sight could not be given to eyes that had never seen. The man told them the simple truth; but they could not see, they could not believe, because they would not. So it was that the raising of Lazarus hardened their hearts; for they returned from evidence to cavil and disbelief. YI May 18, 1899, par. 1

In the meeting called in haste, Pharisees and Sadducees were more nearly united than ever before. Divided hitherto, they became one in their opposition to the Spirit of God, and in their determination to adhere to the cause of the Prince of darkness, who brought sin into the world, and death through sin. What a council this was! The men who had been placed in positions of responsibility did not make investigation to see if these wonderful works bore the divine impress. They did not stop to question whether they were fighting against God. In their bigotry and prejudice they did not bow before God in humble prayer, with the Scriptures in their hands, asking God to show them if, in their opposition to Jesus, they were warring against heaven. So far had they separated from God, that they did not cast one glance heavenward. YI May 18, 1899, par. 2

But the members of the council were not all agreed. The Sanhedrin was no longer a legal assembly, but existed only by tolerance. Some of its number questioned the wisdom of putting Christ to death. They feared that this would cause an insurrection among the people, causing the Romans to withhold further favors from the priesthood, and to take from them the power they now held by sufferance. The Sadducees were united in their hatred of Christ, yet they were inclined to be cautious in their movements, fearing that the Romans would deprive them of their high standing. YI May 18, 1899, par. 3

In this Sanhedrin, assembled to plan the death of Christ, the Witness was present who heard the boastful words of Nebuchadnezzar, who witnessed the idolatrous feast of Belshazzar, who was present when Christ in Nazareth announced himself to be the Anointed One. This Witness was now impressing the rulers with the sinfulness of the work they were doing. Events in the life of Jesus rose up before them with a distinctness that alarmed them. They remembered the scene in the temple, when Jesus, a child of twelve, stood before the grave, learned doctors of the law, asking them questions at which they wondered. The miracle just performed appealed to their hearts, impressing them that Jesus was none other than the Son of God. Perplexed and troubled, the rulers asked, “What do we?” There was a division in the council. Under the impression of the Holy Spirit, the Pharisees could not banish from their minds the conviction that they were fighting against God. In their true significance, the Old Testament Scriptures regarding Christ flashed before their minds. YI May 18, 1899, par. 4

While the council was at the height of its perplexity, Caiaphas arose. He was high priest that year, and among his family connections were Sadducees, proud, bold, reckless, full of ambition and cruelty, which characteristics they hid under a cloak of pretended righteousness. With an assumption of knowledge, the high priest said, “Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” Can you not see that if you wish to retain your position in the nation, Jesus must die? YI May 18, 1899, par. 5

Caiaphas showed them that after this miracle the followers of Jesus would likely rise in revolt. The Romans will then come, he said, and will close our temple and abolish our laws, destroying us as a nation. What is the life of this Galilean worth, in comparison with the life of the nation? Whether innocent or guilty, if he stands in the way of the nation's well-being, is it not doing God a service to remove him? Better that one man perish than that the whole nation be destroyed. YI May 18, 1899, par. 6

This false idea had been taken from heathenism. Among the heathen, the dim consciousness that one was to die for the human race had led to the offering of human sacrifices. So Caiaphas thought to save the guilty nation, not from transgression, but in transgression, that they might continue in sin. Thus he thought to silence the remonstrances of those who dared say that as yet nothing worthy of death had been found in Jesus. YI May 18, 1899, par. 7

Mrs. E. G. White