We have discussed the poetic justice God wrought against the nations behind the tower of Babel in Genesis 11. In seeking to climb up to heaven by their own works, they were brought down and scattered abroad, the exact thing they were trying to avoid with their frenetic laboring.
Something similar happens in John chapter 11. When many Jews believe on the Lord when they witness him raise Lazarus from the dead the Pharisees assemble themselves to decide what is to be done about it.
“[47] Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? For this man doeth many miracles. [48] If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. [49] And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, [50] Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. [51] And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; [52] And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.” — John 11:47-52
Verses 51 and 52 reveal that the Pharisees knew the truth about Jesus, but suppressed that truth in unrighteousness. Caiaphas suggests letting Jesus be killed so that their nation, which is in subjection to the Roman Empire, would be preserved.
Sure enough the thing they feared the most — the Romans coming and taking away their status and nationhood, came to pass in 70 A.D.
The Destruction of the Temple at Jerusalem — Nicolas Poussin, Public Domain Image
We see that Jesus' mission as Redeemer and his blood atonement is not universal to all humanity nor is it specific to one ethnic lineage of Abraham. Jesus did not die for the Pharisees that rejected him. He died and rose again for the salvation of his own peculiar people. Salvation is of the LORD (Jonah 2:9)
Selah.
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