1After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. 2But they said, "Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people."
I'm surprised that these guys who tried their best to trick Jesus two days ago in the temple with questions they thought would stump Jesus, still think they will be able to take Him with trickery. They are being so stubborn and determined in their efforts that you just feel like their hearts have been hardened. Though their plan to put Jesus to death is really part of God's plan. This must happen. It seems almost reminiscent of Old Testament stories where people's hearts were hardened by God so God's will would be done.
It almost makes me wonder if their claim that they shouldn't do it during the feast had more to do with God wanting to allow Jesus a few more days to do what He must do, more so than just their consideration for the people. I think God sometimes works that way, that even though I feel I make decisions for my own reasons, the decisions are really the ones God is leading me to for His own bigger reasons. I think God works that closely and personally with each of us.
It almost makes me feel sorry for these chief priests and scribes. They don't know what they are doing. I also have to be careful in judging what I see others doing. I don't know what God's plan is for me. So I certainly don't know what God's plan is for someone else. God even works through nonbelievers. Others' actions that I find objectionable may just be part of God's bigger plan.
Another thing that gets pointed out with this text is the influence of the people. The chief priests didn't want to risk an uproar of the people. A lot could be accomplished or curtailed by an uproar of the people. It will be that same uproar of the people to "crucify Him!" that they will use in their favor soon.
Can an uproar of the people today have the same impact of the people back then? Yes, that is why you see protesters, mass mailings, etc. There are those uproars that would be helpful for us to participate in. We just need to make sure we know who/what is leading the uproar. The uproar the chief priests and scribes feared would have been the one lead by Jesus' followers. The one that they wanted would be the one they were leading. A lot can be accomplished by an uproar. Just make sure you know who you are following.