Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and
came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from
the dead. So the chief
priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on
account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
(John 12:9-11)
“Houston, we have a problem…. It’s not just a little problem. It’s not that He healed some minor beggar from the slums that we can shut up with a glare or discredit with a word. He raised Lazarus from the dead. Yes, Lazarus, that guy from Bethany. Yes, the Bethany that is the next exit down the highway. Yes, Lazarus, the one who is a member of the country club. Oh wait, he’s the owner of the country club. Anyway, he’s not someone we can intimidate or ignore and hope he goes away. The only solution is to put Lazarus back in the ground. No, it wouldn’t be murder. He’s already dead, or he was. We’re just setting things right. Maybe we can say that he was a golem, and that his sisters are infected. Yes, we might have to get rid of them. They’re useless in the court of law, but Martha has a mouth, and Mary won’t let go. The rest of them will see reason.”
So, now we’re up to two men dying for the people rather than the whole nation perishing. Well, two men and two women, but the women didn’t count in that day. We have something of the same problem today. There are people who would like to get rid of Christianity (and all other religions, but very specifically Christianity.) Since they can’t physically kill Jesus, they seek to figuratively kill Him, to reduce Him to someone of little significance if they can’t make Him disappear altogether. Just as in the days when the Pharisees were plotting to kill both Jesus and Lazarus, those who want to get rid of Christianity have the problem of all the folks who have followed Jesus.
That creates a huge problem for those who want to make Christianity disappear. It requires that no one study history very deeply, because history is full of Christianity.
“Houston, we have a problem…. It’s not just a little problem. It’s not that He healed some minor beggar from the slums that we can shut up with a glare or discredit with a word. He raised Lazarus from the dead. Yes, Lazarus, that guy from Bethany. Yes, the Bethany that is the next exit down the highway. Yes, Lazarus, the one who is a member of the country club. Oh wait, he’s the owner of the country club. Anyway, he’s not someone we can intimidate or ignore and hope he goes away. The only solution is to put Lazarus back in the ground. No, it wouldn’t be murder. He’s already dead, or he was. We’re just setting things right. Maybe we can say that he was a golem, and that his sisters are infected. Yes, we might have to get rid of them. They’re useless in the court of law, but Martha has a mouth, and Mary won’t let go. The rest of them will see reason.”
So, now we’re up to two men dying for the people rather than the whole nation perishing. Well, two men and two women, but the women didn’t count in that day. We have something of the same problem today. There are people who would like to get rid of Christianity (and all other religions, but very specifically Christianity.) Since they can’t physically kill Jesus, they seek to figuratively kill Him, to reduce Him to someone of little significance if they can’t make Him disappear altogether. Just as in the days when the Pharisees were plotting to kill both Jesus and Lazarus, those who want to get rid of Christianity have the problem of all the folks who have followed Jesus.
That creates a huge problem for those who want to make Christianity disappear. It requires that no one study history very deeply, because history is full of Christianity.
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