Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”
Those in authority often are threatened by other authority. At the time of Christ, the chief priest and elders were the reigning aristocrats in the Jewish system. The minute anyone came on the scene that might threaten their state of ruling over the people they became curious and then combative. When John the Baptist first arrived, notice what the Jewish leaders did:
John 1:19-23 (ESV)
And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
As Matthew conveys this plot to kill Jesus he is revealing the hearts of these very religious leaders. They were supposed to be the examples of God in the midst of the people. They were supposed to teach the Scriptures to the people and lead them in praise and worship toward God. They were NOT to be plotting how to kill someone, no matter who that someone was. Jesus had first taught them that they were not to kill and that even being angry at someone was the same as killing them:
Matthew 5:21-22 (ESV)
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.
These leaders, some of them, would have been there at Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount teaching. Some would have been there when He taught them to love one another. Yet, they still plotted evil in their hearts toward Him. They would say it was because He was teaching He was God (and He was). But the real cause of their contention was the possible loss of their power. They could not see the fact that Jesus held the position of the Messiah for the people because they were so focused on their own positions of monarches over the people. This is what happens when leadership is threatened by other leaders, especially when those leaders are better leaders. It is hard for leadership to surround themselves with people better than themselves. Yet, that is the mark of a great leader. John the Baptist was a great leader because he was able to recognize he was unworthy to even untie the sandals of Jesus. Great leadership is first submissive to the God of the universe. That is what makes a great leader. Those who submit to Christ, not those who attempt to diminish, or even destroy Christ.
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