Jno. 12:42-43 ... "Many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God."
When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the news caused a great deal of talk among the Jews of Judea. It generated faith in the hearts of the common people, for it says in Jno. 11:45 that "many of the Jews, who had come to Mary and beheld what He had done, therefore believed in Him. Afterward they eagerly sought for Jesus to show up wherever they went, (v.56). But the Pharisees, the hardened enemies of Jesus, reacted differently. Together with the chief priests they soon held a council and determined that it was in their best interests to find some way to put Jesus to death, (vs. 47-53). They also decided it would be a good idea to execute Lazarus also, since it was he who testified to Jesus' unique power, (Jno. 12:10-11). Not long thereafter, Jesus made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem and was enthusiastically supported by the multitudes, who remembered specifically that He had raised Lazarus, (vs. 17-18). In their consternation the Pharisees looked upon the scene and remarked, "The world has gone after Him!" (v.10).
The truth and power in Jesus simply could not be denied. One either had to attribute His authority to God or to the devil, and the Pharisees did the latter, (Mat. 12:24). In that society this party of Jews, though not politically the ruling class, were nevertheless the most influential force. If they wished, they could disenfranchise a person and make him an outcast. So, when the chief rulers found they were unable to do other than believe in Jesus, they realized they were caught in a dilemma. If they confessed their faith, the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. This meant they would become social pariahs. To go from being a ruler to the lowly level of a leper was quite a demotion! On the other hand, if they held on to their position and status by keeping their faith locked in their hearts in silence, they could not become disciples of Jesus and inherit the wonderful blessings He had promised. But because "they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God," they chose the second horn of the dilemma. In doing so, they preserved their privileges as chief rulers but were impaled by the curse upon all who reject the Son of God.
The society of ancient Judea, dominated by Pharisees and their ideology, has long been a thing of the past. But in every age there exists its counterpart in some segment of the people who are hostile to Christ. Usually, this segment is possessed of popularity, status, and some kind of power (political, economic, social, ideological, or whatever). Most people are anxious to identify with the dominant group in order to partake of its apparent advantages. But what will they do when they realize they cannot identify with the "in crowd" and with Jesus at the same time? One must assess the alternatives and make a decision. If the "approval of men" is more important. the person must deny Jesus and settle for the reward of what the here and now offers. If the "approval of God" is more important, the person will withdraw from the thinking and behavior of the world and look for his reward after this life has ended. This latter choice will likely bring about varying degrees of disapproval and ridicule from the prevailing segment of society, but those who want to serve Christ must be ready to endure all this. As we present Christ and His gospel to the people about us, we must make this situation known beforehand so that they may take it into consideration as they make their decision. Many disciples are lost because they do not fully realize that to accept Christ often means to deny the way of life and thinking of many, if not most, of the people who share this earth with them.
