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Caiaphas was the high priest and Caiaphas had a problem with Jesus because:

• Everywhere Jesus went, there were hundreds and often thousands of people and that was a problem for Caiaphas. Crowds were a threat to his power, influence, and a threat to the Jewish system, because crowds were a threat to Rome.

• Caiaphas and his group never drew a crowd except on festival days.

• When Jesus spoke, He spoke with such authority. Again Caiaphas felt his power and pride questioned.

When Jesus was turning tables over in the temple, Caiaphas sent the religious leaders to question Jesus. They did not say, “What do you think you’re doing?”* They asked, “Who do you think you are?”

Once Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, Caiaphas realized he had lost control.

¹⁷Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. ¹⁸Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. ¹⁹So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” —John 12:17-19 NIV

⁴⁷Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. ⁴⁸If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” —John 11:47-48 NIV

Following Jesus will

⁴⁹Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

⁵¹He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, ⁵²and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. ⁵³So from that day on they plotted to take his life. —John 11:49-53 NIV

¹⁷The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” —John 10:17-18 NIV

Following Jesus will