Simeon
and Caiaphas -- On the Cross.
P.B [September 2019]
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Simeon's prophecy (Luke 2) and Caiaphas prophecy (John 11) -
both share the same common thread of subject i.e., they both have Christ' death
as the subject and theme. Besides, they were prophecies with an explicit
character, i.e. both of them were prophecies communicated when the Lord was
here on earth.
But there is a critical difference between Simeon and
Caiaphas, and this difference assumes a powerful imprint of thought and
contemplation.
When we consider the cross, we are basically considering the
duality of themes, i.e., of man's failure, vice, guilt and corruption on one
side, and that of divine grace, mercy, love and holy counsels.
In Simeon's prophecy, the main idea preponderant is that the
cross was set to disclose the full range of man's thoughts in its core element
of destitution and inner struggle. Simeon calls out to Mary that her trauma ('a
sword shall pierce through Thine own soul also' v35),
that she will suffer when she would experience, when her Son, (the Lord) would
die on the cross, would in fact, trigger the most eventful purpose in the
history of man's epistemological memory - that of man's own failure, of his
utter hopelessness in the flesh and pride of religion. Simeon communicates that
the cross would prompt the disclosure of human thoughts - 'that the thoughts of
many hearts may be revealed' (v35).
Its the cross that reveals man's
extreme toxic character. The law was given, and the knowledge of sin was
discovered. Law proved man was a failure on his own merit and strength. The
next test for humanity was Christ. But humanity had rejected the Lord - this
proved that humanity in its own merit and strength in the flesh, by its own
institutions will never reach out to divine invitation and kingdom proposals.
Responsibility in the flesh is sealed to find itself hitting rock bottom. The
crowd that had gathered at the cross, beat their
breasts - there was knowledge of guilt! Man discovered his own self in a way
that he never had done so in the past - he knew he had reached the climax of
sin, of transgression and wickedness. Simeon's prophecy of the cross speaks out
as a testament of man's frightening lapse and retardation. Though, Simeon's
prophecy was sentimentally Jewish in its immediate reference, but we can find
that there is more of a generic idea, in its entirety of description as regards
to man and his mind in the light of the cross.
Simeon speaks the terrible words: '...and for a sign that
shall be spoken against' (v34). The Lord is not spoken for
preference, but spoken against' - in humiliation and rejection. A solemn declaration of man's guilt in rejecting the Lord of glory.
Our next oracle - the prophecy of Caiaphas has a distinct
character. Yes. It is true that the high priest, was finding crooked logic in
deciding to annihilate Jesus, in order to safeguard his own self vested
interest and the religious conventions of his system - but still without his
awareness, without his conscious knowledge, he has spilled out the words that
would assume the most beautiful statement of Christian doctrine and knowledge -
the truth of substitutionary atonement!
Caiaphas considers that Jesus should die for the nation
(John 11:50,51). This sets him in league with darkness
and wickedness - but it also presents the ultimate reality of the cross, from
God's perspective - that of substitution! Christ died in place of others -
there has been vicarious love that had suffered immensely in the hands of
sinners and also, had paid the price of judicial wrath and condemnation for sin
and transgression of humanity.
Caiaphas statement enables us to discover God's mind just as
Simeon's statement enables us to discover man's thoughts. This is the cross -
the juxtaposition of man's guilt and divine goodness.
The objective of Caiaphas' prophecy was to showcase divine
power to restore what was lost to sin - 'that he should together in one the
children of God that were scattered abroad' (v52). Could this be ever thought
by man about Jesus on the cross? It was God's mind - to accomplish restoration,
restitution, redemption and resuscitation through the cross. These were not
man's thoughts but divine counsels.
The whole episode of the Lord's betrayal and rejection has
proven what was inside man - sin and corruption. We have Christ denied as
Jehovah, as King, and finally, not even given the worth a thief that Barabbas
had. But the Lord touches everything from His side. If the High Priest sent his
soldiers to arrest Jesus, it was Jesus the Lord who heals the ear of Malchus
(the high priest servant). If Pilate sends the Lord to be crucified, it is his servant,
the centurion who also bears testimony of who Jesus was. If a thief is sent to
the place of a skull (