Some members of the Council were vexed by Caiaphas’ harsh prediction, as they felt for Jesus, but the majority were pleased, believing that God had spoken by Caiaphas to pass sentence on the deluder and save the nation. By a consensus, the Council accepted the sentence, and agreed Caiaphas’ suggestion to execute Jesus. No doubt, some of those present, the more upright, protested, but no one paid heed. The wily Caiaphas had misled them into a plan to destroy Jesus, and do this secretly; so as to avoid a disturbance among the people.
Jesus heard of this plot, and perhaps was aware of it by divine insight. He left the area of the Council’s jurisdiction, and went to the area of the Jordan valley east of Nablus, waiting there with his disciples the hour of his sacrificing and rising.
The battleground had become clear. His quarrel with the priests since the cleansing of the Temple, together with his dispute with the legalists, since he healed on a Sabbath, has now reached a climax with Lazarus’ raising. So the people’s leaders resolved to kill the benefactor right away.
Light shines in darkness, and darkness does not overcome it.
Dear brother, have you seen that Christ is the light? Has his Gospel illumined your mind and renewed your heart? Has his everlasting life come upon you, and has his Spirit led you to repentance and confession of your sins, and created faith in you to bless and make you holy? Open yourself to let the Spirit of Christ draw you, yielding your life and future to him, so that you may not consent unwillingly with Jesus’ enemies in their judgment of him. Rather, join with his disciples, and know the Holy One, so that you may confess, "We have seen his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."