The Holy week story is full of bad guys – Judas, Pilate, Herod, the priests. Yet no doubt none of these people saw themselves as bad guys. They each justified their actions in terms of religious principles, political considerations, or at least self-interest. Perhaps they considered themselves the real heroes of the story.

This monologue by the high priest Caiaphas voices those sentiments and his words in John 11 that "It is better... that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish." How close to the truth and yet how far off base! Those chilling words should encourage us to listen more closely to God and less to our presuppositions.

Related scriptures: 1 Peter 3:18 Hebrews 9:27-28 John 11:45-50