There is a theme that can be traced in the Gospel of John that is very sobering. Today I want to supply a little food for thought as we approach Good Friday and Easter. We will be tracking the theme of seeking human approval instead of God’s approval. I will read selected passages from John that describe the relationship between Jesus, the crowd, and the leaders of the people. These relationships are complex, but understanding them will help us understand our present moment in history as well.
John 2:23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
In this early passage in John, we see the crowd enthralled with the signs Jesus was doing. They were excited about the possibilities of this miracle-working prophet showing up at that time in their history. But Jesus knew the human heart better than anyone in the crowd that day. He knew better than to mistake their initial excitement with true commitment. He understood what was really motivating the crowd: it was not undying commitment; it was witnessing and being part of the next big thing. This leads us to the ideas in the next passage.
John 5:41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
They were not trying to please God; they were trying to please each other. They wanted the acceptance of their peers, the people that they could see and touch. The people who could help them and improve their social standing. Jesus was talking to the leadership in this passage, and as the story progresses, the leadership becomes more and more entrenched against Jesus. But the crowd continues to be impressed and, as a result, continues to grow. Which threatens the leadership even more, as we will see in the next passage.
John 12:9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. 12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”
The Jewish leadership was getting desperate now. Jesus was at the peak of his popularity and was riding into Jerusalem itself. This backwoods preacher/healer was now becoming a very real threat to their safety and their future as leaders. Let’s continue on.
John 12:17 The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. 18 The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.”
The leadership had been working to discredit him ever since they first perceived him as a threat. But they were getting desperate now because nothing they were doing was having any effect. Yet even among the leaders, there were those who were beginning to see beyond the politics. However, they were not willing to pay the price of discipleship—yet. Consider the next passage.
John 12:42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
The barrier to following Jesus was still the fear of losing their position in society. This desire for approval and the corresponding fear of losing their social standing ultimately led them to a murderous conclusion: Jesus must die. So they took Jesus to their enemy, Rome. To seek help from the Roman governor Pilate, who on any other day they hated.
John 18:28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover.
Even while plotting murder, they continued to pretend that they cared about God and righteousness. They wanted to maintain the illusion that they were religious and national leaders committed to God. Even while plotting murder, they would not go into a Gentile’s house and defile themselves before Passover. They needed to maintain appearances. They were willing to say or do anything to maintain their position. As we will see in this final passage.
John 19:14b He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.
If you read this story in its entirety, you will see that Pilate was not buying any of this story the Jewish leaders were selling. But for the sake of peace and maintaining his own position, Pilate gave the crowd what they wanted. With one final dig. “Shall I crucify your king?” With this insult, the hearts of those in that crowd were revealed. Those religious leaders responded with the most outrageous denial imaginable. “We have no king but Caesar!” Ironically, at that moment, that was true. They were not following God; they were following their earthly leaders. To get what they wanted, they would even pretend to follow the wicked human government that was oppressing them.
That leads us to our meditation for this week. Who or what are we following? The approval of the crowd? The approval of our friends? Are our loyalties based in worldly personal outcomes, or do we follow God? Do we follow God no matter which direction the winds of culture, family, and politics blow? Or do we cave under pressure?
These are the difficult questions today’s passages ask. And we can’t simply push all of this evil onto the leadership. The crowd was cheering on Palm Sunday and jeering on Good Friday. This issue cuts across all cultural lines. To each human heart. This is an uncomfortable topic to meditate on. But it is important; our motivation determines our actions on any given day. Passion Week is a time each year set aside to reflect on our true motivations along with the price Jesus paid to free us from the slavery of our own selfish desires.
This week as we approach Good Friday on our way to Easter. Let’s not skip over the reason Easter is such a miracle of God’s grace. We don’t deserve any of the love Jesus showed us, much less the price he paid to save us. We are all guilty, but Jesus paid the price for us all. The more we appreciate this, the more joy we will have on Easter.
Join me this week in pondering our failures and the unwavering love of Jesus as we prepare for Easter.
Have a Good Friday and a Great Easter!
