Be On the Lookout

Lesson #186

With this lesson we will cover the last section of chapter 11, defined by John 11:54 – 57. Now that the Jewish leaders have decided to make plans to put Jesus to death; “Thus Jesus no longer went around publicly among the Judeans, but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and stayed there with his disciples” (John 11:54 NET). Now that the Jews had already determined to put Jesus to death, they only needed to determine how and when they would do it. As a result, Jesus kept a lower public profile by leaving the area and going to a region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim. It is not clear where Ephraim was located at that time. The important point is that Jesus went there with his disciples to get away from the public, particularly the Jews.

“Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves” (John 11:55 ESV). This is the third and final Passover mentioned by John; the first was at John 2:13 and the second was at John 6:4. It seems that many people voluntarily went up to Jerusalem to purify themselves to prepare themselves for the Passover celebration. They went up to Jerusalem, not simply to Jerusalem because Jerusalem was higher in elevation than the country side around it.

As people arrived; “They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?”” (John 11:56 ESV). Because of the miracles Jesus has performed and the things he has said, he had become a famous person among the people and as a result they are always on the lookout for him. This time is no exception as John says the people were looking for Jesus there in Jerusalem and since they didn’t find him they were wondering whether he would come or not since the Jews had determined to kill him.

“Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him” (John 11:57 ESV). The chief priest and the Pharisees had formulated a plan to arrest Jesus when he arrives. They had given orders for people to be on the outlook and if anyone sees him they are to notify them. What they plan to charge him with is not yet clear.

Prayer

Father, we have kind of come to a break in the drama, to an intermission, waiting for the stage to be reset and the curtain to be drawn back and the drama to press on in intensity as we draw closer and closer to the cross. Jesus had come to die, not to live so that through his death and resurrection we could have eternal life. You called us out of darkness into your marvelous light to receive mercy; to go forth as your chosen people to proclaim your excellencies to those around us. Lord, show me mercy as I endeavor to do this with a surrendered life.