two murders not enough

A large crowd of the Judeans therefore knew that he was there and they came, not only on account of Jesus but also so that they might see Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead. (John’s first century eyewitness biography of Jesus: Chapter 12: 9-19)

Where are we in the above extract? Actually, we’re in Bethany, a village about two miles east of Jerusalem in AD 30 in Judea. The “large crowd of Judeans” were there to see – alive – this man Lazarus who had been dead, had been four days in the tomb and had been raised to life by Jesus. This unprecedented event drew this "large crowd” out of their capital city despite the religious festival going on there. We’ll call this “large crowd LA (for Lazarus Alive)” In fact, the chief priests resolved that they would also kill Lazarus, because, through him, many of the Judeans were going away and were believing into Jesus. For some time, the Jerusalem religious community leaders had resolved to kill Jesus. They could see that his popularity would soon result in their losing not only their worthy positions but also, even, the nation itself. "Large crowd LA" convinced them. Therefore, “the chief priests resolved” to get rid of the living evidence that Jesus had raided Lazarus from the dead. They must “also” kill Lazarus. Desperate problems require desperate remedies. In their silent desperation, human beings today are also resolved.
The next day the large crowd coming into the feast, hearing that Jesus comes into Jerusalem, took the palm branches and came out into unison with him and were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one coming in the name of the Lord and King of Israel!”	.
This is a different “large crowd” – “large crowd F (for Feastgoers)”. This “large crowd F” was also determined – determined to go out to meet and greet this Jesus who was coming into the “feast”. They loudly identified him, greeted him, and glorified him. In fact, Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat down upon it, just as it is written, “Fear not, daughter of Zion! Look! Your king comes, sitting down upon a donkey’s colt.” His disciples did not understand these things - at the first – but, when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written - before him - and these things were done to him. John the biographer records for his readers that, as recorded in their national archives and historic literature, around BC 500 their priest Zechariah had prophesied, , “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The crowd therefore was testifying: the one being with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead. This is a different “crowd”. This is the crowd which had actually seen Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead. John the biographer is diligently recording that this crowd of eye-witnesses - “crowd LRT (for Lazarus Raised Testifiers)”. It “was testifying”.
And, through this, the crowd went to meet him because they heard he himself had done this sign.	.
The testimony of “crowd LRT” had brought about the welcome given to Jesus by “large crowd F” and its public open declaration of his identity. Therefore, the Pharisees said to themselves, “You see that you are gaining nothing. Look! The world has gone after him.” “The Pharisees” rightly conclude that two murders, now, won’t be enough. But they did continue with one of the murders. As one does.

Sinner Syvret

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