Exposition of John, Chapter 11 · Verse 31
Verſe 49. And one of them named Cajaphas, 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.
Secondly, in the carriage of theſe Rulers, we have recorded what was Cajaphas his over ture for preventing this danger. He propounds, very imperiouſly, a common rule of policy, that in a caſe of danger, it is expedient one ſhould be cut off for the good of a Nation, rather then the whole Nation periſh. And that therefore Chriſt was to be cut off, that ſo the Nation might be freed of that hazard. This counſel and principle (beſide what God intended in it, of which afterward) may have it's own truth in it; That in the caſe of danger to a Nation or ſociety, one is bound to preferre the ſafety of the whole to his own particular ſafety; or, That juſtice is to be executed on a particular malefactour, leſt the neglect thereof make his ſin National, and bring judgements on a Land: But this doth not at all juſtifie the putting of an innocent to death, for the ſafety of any; for that were to ſinne to avoid trouble. Far leſſe doth it juſtifie it, when men do hereby not only cut off the innocent, but do not avoid, but, in effect, draw on ruine on the Nation. He who gave the counſel is deſcribed from his office, that he was high Prieſt, of which uſe is to be made in the following purpoſe. Only what is added (that he was the high Prieſt that ſame year) points at the corruption crept in among them (as is recorded in Hiſtory) in theſe latter times, in that the office which by Gods appointment was aſtricted to the family of Aaron, and to continue during life, was either uſurped by theſe who had moſt power, extending the poſſeſſours, and held ſo long as they could: Or was purchaſed by favour, or money, of their conquerours, for ſo long time as pleaſed them, or they did agree upon. Their own ambition begot theſe practices under the Grecians, and that, together with Herods policies, and afterward the avarice of the Romans, did continue them. And he is ſaid to have been only for that ſame year, becauſe it had been the cuſtome of the Romans, immediately before his election, to change them yearly; and however ſome might continue longer, yet it ſeems the paction was but from year to year. As to what further may be ſaid concerning his office, and Annas being joyned with him before, Luk. 3.2 it may be ſpoken to, if need be, on Chap 18.13. Doctrine 1. As the moſt pure Ordinances of God are eaſily corrupted by lewd men. So, in particular, the ambition of men, taking advantage of times of publike confuſion and oppreſſion, doth oft-times overturn the precious Government and order of his houſe; while either they do what they liſt and is in the power of their hand, or employ their power with oppreſſours, to make merchandize of the things of God; for, thus and upon theſe grounds, was the Ordinance of the Prieſthood corrupted, while men either uſurped it, or did ſerve the intereſts of, or gave money to their conquerours, to obtain it. 2. As mens wiſdome, or their conceit of it, doth ordinarily fill them with pride and contempt of others; So ſuch wit will readily never do well, nor lead men on right courſes; for, he gives his opinion inſulting over the reſt, as knowing nothing at all, nor conſidering, when yet his wit led him only to crucifie Chriſt. 3. Such as corrupt the Ordinances of God, and take ſinful courſes to put themſelves in power in Gods houſe, will prove but ſmall friends to Chriſt and his Kingdome, whatever they ſeem otherwiſe to be; for, it was he who procured himſelfe to be the High Prieſt that ſame year, that gave this pernicious counſel againſt Chriſt. 4. Albeit it be the duty of all, to preferre the publike welfare of a Church or Nation to their own ſafety or intereſts; Yet it is unlawful to promote, never ſo publike a good, by ſinful means; for, herein did his opinion prove unſound, in ſeeking to prevent the periſhing of the Nation. 5. It is a ſinful principle in worldly policy, to ſtudy to preſerve the peace of a Nation by cutting off theſe who promote the Kingdome of Chriſt; for, this, in particular, was the ſin of his counſel, that albeit they had nothing to ſay againſt Chriſt, yet better he periſh, were he never ſo good or right, then things ſhould be in hazard. Whereas, albeit this might have indeed preſerved them, yet it was not a lawful mean. 6. Mens wit will never lead them right, ſo long as they ſeparate profit and expedience, from lawfulneſſe and right, and do preferre the one before the other; for, in all this he looks only to what is expedient for us. 7. The rareſt wits of men, when they are left of God, and do make no conſcience of ſin to compaſſe their deſignes, will but miſcarry, and run upon the dangers they labour moſt carefully to avoid; for, though this ſeemed moſt expedient, and a ſhort cut to be rid of Chriſt and ſecure the Nation, yet neither ſucceeded with them; Chriſt and his doctrine prevailed ſtill among them, and their Nation did periſh.