A wag once observed, a cynic is someone who knows the price of everything but the value of nothing. The truth of that aphorism can be seen in the high priest’s cynical comment about Jesus. “It is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” The priest believed that Jesus was threatening their cosy relationship with the Roman occupying force and so threatened him with violence. (As St. John points out this statement was ironically true since Jesus did “die for the people.”) The value that Jesus offered them was a new way of relating to the Romans — with love instead of hate — but the priests were not willing to pay that price.
APRIL92022
By Church Staff
