Why a Plot against Jesus?

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him.” Matthew 26:3-4

Scripture tells us that the plot against Jesus did not come from the common people but from the elders and the chief priests. They knew that the common people supported Jesus so they plotted to arrest Him at a time when there would not be many people around. That is why they chose not to arrest Him during the Feast. However, when the time came to arrest Him they had to compromise their decision so they arrested Him during the night when few people were around.

Why did they want to arrest and get rid of Jesus? Jesus was a threat to the status quo. They were afraid for their own positions. If Jesus was allowed to continue to teach then the people would realize that the elders and the chief priests were being deceitful and dishonest. They were making a profit out of their position as leaders of the people. Earlier Jesus had cleansed the temple by driving out those that were coming to the temple to make sacrifices.

Financially it would ruin their business if Jesus was allowed to continue teaching. He saw through their schemes and reacted angrily against them. The priests were making the people pay exorbitant amounts to exchange their common currency into the temple currency. They were not allowed to use the common Roman currency in the temple so the people had no choice but to pay the exorbitant exchange rate. The chief priests also examined all the animals that were brought to the temple for sacrifice declaring that most of them were not suitable. The Lord had instructed the people not to bring the weak, sickly, lame or blemished animals to the temple as a sacrifice. This was done so that the people would realize the high priority that God places upon our worship and devotion to Him. The chief priests took advantage of the situation by declaring that the sacrifices the people were bringing was not suitable and making them buy animals at their exorbitant prices. The people had no choice. They had come long distances with their sacrifices and could not go back to get another animal. The chief priest would buy the animal that they had declared unsuitable at a low price and sell them one at a much higher price. Later they would resale the animal that they had bought from the people.

Jesus had taught earlier that you cannot serve two masters, money and God. If you love one then you will despise the other. The elders and the chief priests had chosen money over God.

How do we react when we have to choose between money and God? We are willing to serve God if it doesn’t affect our comfortable life-style. Jesus called us to seek Him first and then everything else would fall into its rightful place. Greed and the love of money can destroy our relationship with God.