Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Must die
John 1:11
He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
The 1970’s rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, received terrible reviews and deservingly so. The liberties that the writers and producers took with the story might have made good theatre in the 70’s but demonstrated a total lack of understanding and appreciation of spiritual truth.
Some would even say that the opera was a deliberate attempt to rewrite the truth about Jesus disguised as theatre. Nevertheless, there are a few pieces in there that aggregate and simplify the context and conflict of many of the moments of the Holy Week. One such song is – This Jesus must die – written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.
Here is a version of the lyrics, with some repeated lines edited out for space.
PRIEST ONE
Good Caiaphas, the council waits for you. / The Pharisees and priests are here for you.
CAIAPHAS
Ah gentlemen, you know why we are here. / We’ve not much time, and quite a problem here
ANNAS
Listen to that howling mob of blockheads in the street! / A trick or two with lepers, and the whole town’s on its feet.
ALL (inside)
He is dangerous!
PRIEST TWO
The man is in town right now to whip up some support.
PRIEST THREE
A rabble-rousing mission that I think we must abort.
PRIEST TWO
Look Caiaphas, they’re right outside our yard.
PRIEST THREE
Quick Caiaphas, go call the Roman guard.
CAIAPHAS
No, wait! / We need a more permanent solution to our problem.
ANNAS
What then to do about Jesus of Nazareth? / Miracle wonderman, hero of fools.
PRIEST THREE
No riots, no army, no fighting, no slogans.
CAIAPHAS
One thing I’ll say for him — Jesus is cool.
ANNAS
We dare not leave him to his own devices. / His half-witted fans will get out of control.
PRIESTS
But how can we stop him? / His glamour increases / By leaps every moment; he’s top of the poll.
CAIAPHAS
I see bad things arising. / The crowd crown him king; which the Romans would ban. / I see blood and destruction, / Our elimination because of one man. / Blood and destruction because of one man.
ALL (inside)
Because, because, because of one man.
CAIAPHAS
Our elimination because of one man.
PRIEST THREE
What then to do about this Jesus-mania?
ANNAS
How do we deal with a carpenter king?
PRIESTS
Where do we start with a man who is bigger / Than John was when John did his baptism thing?
CAIAPHAS
Fools, you have no perception! / The stakes we are gambling are frighteningly high! / We must crush him completely, / So like John before him, this Jesus must die. / For the sake of the nation, this Jesus must die.
ALL (inside)
Must die, must die, this Jesus must, Jesus must, Jesus must die!
This Jesus Must Die lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
The source of this piece is, in part, John 11:49,50 where the Jews, led by their High Priest that year, Caiaphas, intensified the plot to kill Jesus ostensibly to save the nation from the Romans. Their argument was that if the people who were out in the streets shouting “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” were allowed to continue they might crown Jesus king. The Romans would certainly move in to crush that act of defiance and rebellion. The nation would suffer, and the Priests would certainly lose their operating space.
And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” John 11. 49,50.
Sometimes we forget to see the socio-political circumstances surrounding the death of Jesus. His death, which was of eternal spiritual significance, was brought about by the petty politics and jealousies of the Jewish priests and ruling class.
Very early in the account put together by the Apostle John we were told that Jesus “came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.” John 1:11.
Ironically, the Romans tried their best not to get involved, “Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.” Luke 23:4. Herod had a little fun and sent Him packing, “Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.” Luke 23:11.
Back in Pilate’s court, he summed up the Roman position, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him” Luke 23:14-16.
However, the Jewish Priests were determined. They subverted the crowed and shouted down the palace, “they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. Luke 23:23,24.
Death on the cross was now imminent. Sold out to the Romans by His own people. Caiaphas, using the authority of his godly office, said that the Jesus must die. His own did not receive Him, but by their rejection then He became all our own.
Think on these things:
- What do you think about the way the creative arts generally portray Jesus?
- Have any of the plays or movies affected your faith positively, or negatively?
- Can you explain to others how the death of Jesus was brought about in the natural realm?
Prayer focus:
Let us pray today that we would learn how to use the popular arts and culture to share the Gospel of Jesus with others
In His Grace
Pastor Alex