Why did the chief priests seek to avoid arresting Jesus during the festival? Setting the Scene in Jerusalem - Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to the city. - Nationalistic hopes ran high as Israel remembered God’s deliverance from Egypt. - Roman soldiers stood ready to crush any hint of revolt, and religious leaders balanced between preserving their authority with the people and maintaining peace with Rome. Mark 14:2 “ ‘Not during the feast,’ they said, ‘or there may be a riot among the people.’ ” Why the Chief Priests Wanted to Wait • Crowd size: Jerusalem’s population swelled far beyond normal capacity. Any disturbance could ignite quickly. • Popular opinion: Many regarded Jesus as a prophet (Mark 11:18; Luke 20:19). Public arrest risked turning the masses against the leaders. • Roman scrutiny: A riot would draw Rome’s swift intervention (John 11:48). The leaders feared losing both position and national stability. • Religious optics: A bloody confrontation during a sacred festival would appear irreverent and undermine the leaders’ claim to uphold God’s law. Scripture’s Cohesive Testimony • Matthew 26:3-5 confirms the same calculation: “ ‘Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.’ ” • Luke 22:2 echoes, “They feared the people.” • John 11:47-53 records their earlier strategy session: better for one man to die than for the nation to perish—highlighting political, not spiritual, motives. God’s Sovereign Timing - Though leaders plotted delay, Judas’s offer (Mark 14:10-11) moved events precisely into Passover, fulfilling prophecy that the true Lamb would die when the lambs were slain (Exodus 12; 1 Corinthians 5:7). - Human schemes bowed to divine decree; Scripture’s accuracy shines as each detail unfolds under God’s control. Takeaway Truths to Embrace - Fear of man drives compromise; fear of God leads to obedience. - Religious titles do not guarantee spiritual discernment; hearts must submit to God’s revealed Word. - God’s redemptive plan is unstoppable, weaving even hostile intentions into the tapestry of salvation history. |
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