War Cry - April, 2015 Page 20

The War Cry | APRIL 2015

rael and the Temple. Does he not appear awe-
some in the gleaming and flashing
accoutrements of his exalted position? Jesus,
God's champion, also steps forward. He is
God's ultimate choice for high priest--a simple
rabbi, bowed, yet filled with inexplicable
power. And so the prophesied clash between
the two high priests begins.

Consider Caiaphas: although he is indeed

high priest of Israel, he is surely a fallen man
who abandoned his faithfulness to God and
his church.

Perhaps he fell amidst a confrontation of

conscience; a tortuous night of struggle then
surrender. Or perhaps that fateful moment
was unexpected, disguised among a thousand

other tiny temptations, wherein his heart
finally succumbed to the greed that set him
on his evil path.

It is more likely, however, that from birth,

Caiaphas had been immersed in a distorted
morality in which holy men were permitted
to plunder those they were charged with pro-
tecting.

Caiaphas assumes the mask of piety, yet

is heartlessly indifferent to the groan of the
poor, the sigh of the sufferer, the lament of
the lost, the wail of the weary and the grief
of the oppressed.

This is the church of counterfeit ecclesiology

we find shepherding Israel that first Passion
week, a church designed for the stealthy domi-
nance of the powerful through extortion and
oppression. Caiaphas is its latest usurper, and
Satan uses him to denounce God's Son.

Jesus, for His part, takes notice of the high

priest's influence across the nation: "When He

saw the crowds, He had compassion on them,
because they were harassed and helpless, like
sheep without a shepherd" (Matthew 9:36).
For Jesus and Caiaphas, the clash is personal.

Envy mingles with fear in Caiaphas' heart

as Lazarus emerges living from the grave at
Jesus' command; Caiaphas covets such mag-
nificent power. His spirit broods in bitterness
as the crowds chant Jesus' name at the city
gates. Thousands urge an uprising, presenting
Jesus as the Messiah. Caiaphas panics at
the thought of the Temple falling to Roman
legions and losing his position. His brow
darkens in fury at Jesus' accusations of usury
and impiety.

He rages as Jesus physically violates his pre-

cious Temple to scatter coins and upend
counters, accusing him of robbing God.

Self-righteous Caiaphas schemes

with his fellow aristocrats; they bend
their heads together to plot their ad-

versary's assassination. How does Caiaphas
convince the Council of Sanhedrin of the des-
perate danger to its own dominion? He sends
his own message that Jesus must die.

And so the clash between the two high

priests culminates, following arrest, beatings
and trials. Over Jesus' simple affirmation
that He is the Son of God, we hear Caiaphas
claiming that if Jesus is indeed their King,
then their authority is threatened. Finally,
Satan's high priest has God's high priest
murdered, but not crushed,

Oh, blind Caiaphas! The serpent has de-

ceived you as he deceived our parents in Eden.
With this murder you are not empowered, for
God has prepared for your foreknown weak-
nesses. Perhaps, Caiaphas, you now under-
stand Jesus must die, but not for you, for us!

Captain August Pillsbury is the corps offi cer for
The Salvation Army in Lafayette, Louisiana.

CAIAPHAS

Envy mingles with fear in Caiaphas' heart

as Lazarus looms living from the grave at Jesus'
command; Caiaphas covets such magnificent power.