Expository Thoughts On John - JOHN 11:47-57
J.C. Ryle expounds on John 11:47-57 to reveal the tragic rejection of Christ by Jewish leaders and the divine necessity of His sacrificial death for the salvation of humanity.
In this expository sermon, J.C. Ryle carefully unpacks John 11:47-57, highlighting the tragic rejection of Jesus by the Jewish leaders and the divine purpose behind His sacrificial death. Ryle emphasizes the spiritual blindness and wickedness of man contrasted with God's sovereign plan to save His scattered children. This message challenges believers to recognize the cost of salvation and the necessity of Christ's atonement.
Text
Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called the council together and said, "What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs. If we allow him to go on in this way, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary and our nation."
Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, "You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is more to your advantage to have one man die for the people than for the whole nation to perish." (Now he did not say this on his own, but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish nation, and not for the Jewish nation only, but to gather together into one the children of God who are scattered.) So from that day they planned together to kill him.
Thus Jesus no longer walked about publicly among the Jewish people of Jerusalem, but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples. Now the Jewish feast of Passover was near, and many people went up to Jerusalem from the rural areas before the Passover to cleanse themselves ritually. Thus they were looking for Jesus, and saying to one another as they stood in the temple courts, "What do you think? That he won’t come to the feast?" (Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should report it, so that they could arrest him.)
These concluding verses of the eleventh chapter of John contain a melancholy picture of human nature. As we turn away from Jesus Christ and the grave at Bethany, and look at Jerusalem and the rulers of the Jews, we may well say, "Lord, what is man?"
We should observe, for one thing, in these verses, the desperate wickedness of man\
Sermon Outline
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I. The Fear of the Jewish Leaders
- Concern over Jesus’ growing influence
- Fear of Roman intervention and loss of nation
- The council’s urgent meeting
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II. Caiaphas’ Prophetic Statement
- His ignorance of the spiritual truth
- Unwitting prophecy of Christ’s death
- The purpose of Jesus’ sacrifice
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III. The Plot to Kill Jesus
- The council’s decision to act
- Jesus’ withdrawal from public view
- The anticipation of the Passover
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IV. The Human Condition Revealed
- The wickedness of man in rejecting Christ
- The spiritual blindness of the rulers
- The fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan
Key Quotes
“You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is more to your advantage to have one man die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.” — J.C. Ryle
“He prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish nation, and not for the Jewish nation only, but to gather together into one the children of God who are scattered.” — J.C. Ryle
“These concluding verses of the eleventh chapter of John contain a melancholy picture of human nature.” — J.C. Ryle
Application Points
- Recognize the seriousness of rejecting Christ and the consequences of spiritual blindness.
- Trust in the sovereign plan of God even when human actions seem hostile.
- Prepare your heart to appreciate the full significance of Jesus’ sacrificial death.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Jewish leaders want to kill Jesus?
They feared His growing influence would provoke Roman intervention and threaten their religious and national authority.
What was significant about Caiaphas’ statement?
Though he spoke ignorantly, Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation and gather God’s scattered children.
How does this passage reveal human nature?
It shows the desperate wickedness and spiritual blindness of man in rejecting the Savior.
Why did Jesus withdraw from public view after this?
To avoid premature arrest and to fulfill the appointed time for His death.
What is the importance of the Passover in this context?
It foreshadows Jesus as the ultimate Passover Lamb whose sacrifice brings salvation.