John 11:54

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

This is more of the story of the raising of Lazarus, this Sunday's Gospel. It might seem such an act would produce only awe and wonder, not plans for death. We must, however, not be too hard on the leadership in Jerusalem. They're trying to survive in an occupied land, and they're afraid the Romans will see crowds following Jesus as insurrection, and will destroy the Temple and the Nation. It's in this context Caiaphas suggests it better one person die instead of a Nation. It's no wonder Jesus, on the Cross, said, "Forgive them, Father, for they don't know what they're doing."

The punch line of this story, howevr, is in verses 51-52, [Caiaphas] did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God.

As we walk to Jerusalem, it may be well to remember three things:

1. God expects us to walk as rightly as we can;
2. Often people, being human, do very bad things for very good reasons; and,
3. God understands, and can take our mistakes and turn them into good.