May 20

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1 Samuel 26:1-28:25

John 11:1-54 Matthew Henry comments on the political tactic & words of Caiphas, the high priest that year; tactics that remind me of a group of men who used a similar kind of rationale during a church split. That is, to use political expediency and backroom arrangements rather than trust God for trouble from men, "an imaginary mischief of men". Or as the evangelist states, "But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God" (Jn 3:21) & vs 20, "Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." Why not stand at a congregational meeting & let their accusers speak at them? Why hide? How could forgiveness & long-suffering patience work in Christ's Church if they wouldn't stand & talk face to face? Let it be shown that your works were godly. Expose them in the light for everyone to see! Let their accusations & "curses fly over your head like a bird that won't land" :

He insists upon a maxim in politics, That the welfare of communities is to be preferred before that of particular persons. It is expedient for us as priests, whose all lies at stake, that one man die for the people. Thus far it holds true, that it is expedient, and more than so, it is truly honourable, for a man to hazard his life in the service of his country (Phil. 2:17; 1 Jn. 3:16); but to put an innocent man to death under colour of consulting the public safety is the devil's policy. Caiaphas craftily insinuates that the greatest and best man, though major singulis—greater than any one individual, is minor universis—less than the collected mass, and ought to think his life well spent, nay well lost, to save his country from ruin. But what is this to the murdering of one that was evidently a great blessing under pretence of preventing an imaginary mischief to the country? The case ought to have been put thus: Was it expedient for them to bring upon themselves and upon their nation the guilt of blood, a prophet's blood, for the securing of their civil interests from a danger which they had no just reason to be afraid of? Was it expedient for them to drive God and their glory from them, rather than venture the Romans' displeasure, who could do them no harm if they had God on their side? Note, Carnal policy, which steers only by secular considerations, while it thinks to save all by sin, ruins all at last.

Psalm 117:1-2

Proverbs 15:22-23

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