John 11:47–48

The second consequent of the miracle, is the carriage of the Rulers: being exasperated upon this information. It contains foure particulars, The first whereof (in these verses) is their conveening in council, and consulting upon the matter; Wherein, they propound the case; that Christ did many miracles; and the danger that would ensue, if they took no course with him; that Christ being so popular, by reason of his miracles, will draw the people after him, and hereby will incense the Romans, and make them destroy the Temple and their Nation, seeing the people will be ready to move sedition, and to cry up Christ as a King of Davids progeny. And therefore they wonder at one another that they do nothing in the matter, and enquire at one another what to do.

From ver. 47. Learn, 1. Christs enemies are very ready to receive delations against him, and the more they see or hear that his glory shines, they grow the worse; for, when this is delated, they are in a rage. 2. It is no strange thing to see authority and power against Christ; And to see even Churchmen in the judicatories appointed by him, plotting the ruine of him and his Kingdome; for, the chiefe Priests and the Pharisees gathered a counsel, (the Sanhedrim of old appointed by God) that they may devise means to destroy him. By this the Lord would discover, that there is no infallibility in men or judicatories; and would teach, that he can carry on his work, albeit authority and judicatories be against him; and that he oft-times doth so, that he alone may have the glory; whereas, otherwise, too much would be given to men. These who met, or, at least, gathered and conveened the council, are called the chiefe Priests, not only the High Priest and his deputy, or possibly also these who by courses succeeded in the High-Priesthood in that time of corruption, wherein that office was exposed to sale, as Histories do record. But it comprehends also the heads of the twenty four orders of Priests institute by David, 1 Chr. 24. To these are joined the Pharisees, which was the name of a Sect among them; And they are named, not because none of these Preists were of that Sect, but to shew that other Pharisees who had place in the council did most frequently conveene, as being most bitter enemies to Christ. 3. Wicked persecutors are ordinarily so far from repenting their cruelty, that they are angry they are so slow, and not more violent; for, notwithstanding all their former violence against Christ, yet, what do we? say they, or, are we sleeping? 4 The Lords power and wisdome are so eminently employed about Christ, his truth and people, that when persecutors have done their utmost, they will finde they have made small progresse, as to gaining of their purpose; for, this, what do we? imports also, that however they had opposed him all along, had traduced him and his Ministry, banished him, endeavoured to ensnare him, sought to take him &c. yet in effect they had promoved nothing, as to hindering of him in his Ministry, or the successe thereof. And it will be thus still, even when they go a further length. See Exod. 1.12. 5. Albeit the wits of men may justle one against another, yet all their wit shall have enough to do, when they employ it against Christ. And persecution shall be a task to perplexe them, were they never so wise; for what do we? imports also an anxious perplexity and irresolution what to do for the future, as may appear from Caiaphas his taxing their Ignorance, ver. 49.50. See 1 Cor 1.5. Prov. 21.30. And albeit the Saints may be also perplexed in Gods way, for their humiliation, and that they may depend on God, 2 Chron. 20.12. Yet it is a judgment on wicked men in evil courses. 6. Whatever the enemies of Christ and his people do say, and give out to the world; yet many of them may be, and are inwardly convinced in their consciences, that these whom they persecute, are innocent and doets of good; for, notwithstanding their many cavillations in publike, against Christ and his miracles, yet here in their Cabin-council they are forced to acknowledge, he doth many miracles, and they have no evil to say of him. So also Act. 4 16. Christ was indeed thus innocent, and all Christians ought to study it, as being a great advantage to have such a testimony in the bosome of enemies, whatever effect it take. 7. Whatever be the innocency of Christ and his followers, or the convictions of bloody persecutors; Yet ordinarily they take little effect, they neither heighten their estimation of the innocent, nor abate their rage against them; for, though they acknowledge this, yet he is but this man, by way of contempt, and they go on in their bloody resolutions against him.

From ver 48. Learn, 1. When Christs Kingdome begins to flourish in any measure, it is to be expected, that carnal men, and especially corrupt Church men will raise a fire of persecution, as the only remedy they know to blast it; for, say they, If we let him thus alone all will go to ruine, and therefore they must persecute. 2 When Christs enemies are pleased to speak out their mindes plainly, it will be found that their interests and worldly state is their great Idol, and that which drives them to persecute Christ; for, this is their fear it substance, that they will lose their reputation, by the peoples leaving them, and following of him, and that if their Nation ruine, their power will be gone. 3. Persecutors do look on Christs successe with an envious eye, and in a multiplying glasse, that so it may whet their malice against him; for, when some few have beleeved, they take them up as so many, that if he continue a while, all men will beleeve on him, in which, experience proved there was but too little truth. 4. Whatever be the real Idols and Interests of Persecutors; Yet they will labour to cover them with pretences of publike good and safety; for, albeit their own reputation and places sweyed most with them, yet they give out this for their colour, The Romans shall take away bath our place, (the Temple that is dear to us, as what is our own) and Nation. 5. It is the usual policy of Persecutors, to decline, by all means, to oppose Christ in his Kingdome as Christ, and truth as truth; But they labour to colour the quarrel with some specious pretences, that so they may hide the odiousnesse of their course from others, and blinde their own eyes, that they may not see they are fighting against God; for, they will persecute Christ, not as the Messiah, but as one who would bring ruine upon them by the Romans. As Christ was called a Samaritane, a blasphemer, and one that had a devil, and then they did persecute him as such a one; And as of old Christians were covered with the skins of wilde-beasts, that dogs and Lions might teare them more greedily: So is it still with Christians and truth, they suffer under odious imputations, that it may seem more just to persecute them: They are called hypocrites, and under that cloake, pittie is hated, truth is called errour, treason, and what not? and then suppressed. 6. It is the unjust prejudice and erronious principle of many, (and especially of Statesmen and Rulers) against Christ and his Kingdome, that it is inconsistent with the safety of the Nation and State where it is admitted; And the pretence of a necessity and interest of State, is an old engine for bearing down of Christ and Religion: for, this in particular, is their pretence of not letting Christ alone. All men will beleeve on him, and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and Nation. 7. It is hellish injustice against Christ, and his Kingdome, to father any miseries of a Nation where he is received, on him or it: or to cut and carve upon Religion and his Kingdome, so as men think may best contribute to the safetie of their worldly interests; for, in both these they enjure him. His doctrine allowed of no sedition, nor did he claime to a worldly Kingdome; the receiving of him, by whom Kings reign, is the way to uphold States and Nations; and, any calamities that follow upon the Gospel, are not the fruits of the Gospel, but of mens own sins, who make not use of such a jewel. And on the other hand, it is their unjustice, that they will not consult what is right or wrong, dutie or sinne, in this matter, but what is profitable or hurtful; and, that they will not admit of Christ, if he contribute not to their standing. Whereas, though the Romans should have destroyed them upon that account, yet what was that, if it were their duty, and they were in the way of God? 8. Such as bend their wits to finde out indirect and sinful courses, whereby they may avoid feared trouble, and establish themselves, it is righteous with God, to make these same courses bring their fear upon them; And particularly, they who seek to establish their own estate and power by the overthrow of Christs Kingdome, do take the compendious way to establish his Kingdome, and overthrow their own; for, they know no way to suppresse Christ, and save themselves from the Romans, but to persecute him; and in the issue this advanced Christs interest, and in Gods righteousnesse, drew the Romans upon them some few years thereafter.