John 11:45-57 NRSVue

⁴⁵Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did believed in him. ⁴⁶But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. ⁴⁸If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” ⁴⁹But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” ⁵¹He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, ⁵²and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. ⁵³So from that day on they planned to put him to death.

⁵⁴Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the Jews but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the wilderness, and he remained there with the disciples.

⁵⁵Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. ⁵⁶They were looking for Jesus and were asking one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? Surely he will not come to the festival, will he?” ⁵⁷Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who knew where Jesus was should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

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Some thoughts on this scripture

Reflection
Numerous men and women has been the one victim for many. Even in school a teacher can punish one boy or girl to 'teach the class a lesson.' Jesus' death was well and long planned by religious people who now wanted to kill him to let Rome know they were on the side of Rome. Jesus however was killed by religious people of the time because of his claim to be God. He signed his death warrant the day he said to a paralysed man, 'Your sins are forgiven'. We simply accompany him these days as he approaches death and torture.

Reflection
We remember people in our world today who still suffer torture.  

Reflection
As we approach Holy Week, we consider how Jesus faced the prospect of arrest and condemnation. I pray that I may always do as Jesus did, considering how he took time in quiet, was with his friends and chose the times in which to speak and those in which to stay silent.

Reflection
As I realise that there were many complex issues to be considered by the people in this story, I pray that I may find the proper balance, neither complicating issues nor thinking everything simple.

Reflection
The leaders saw that believing in Jesus would threaten much of the security that they knew. It may be so with me; I might have to correct comfortable habits or give up patterns that I have settled into. I ask Jesus to show them to me and to help me to leave them behind.

Reflection
It is not possible to believe in Jesus and to let life be unchanged. I acknowledge that my way of living shows the signs of my following Jesus and ask for the strength and courage I need to be a calm and confident disciple.