Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Caiaphas said, ‘You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.’ He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God.”
NL Daily Devotion for Monday, February 23, 2026
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Caiaphas was looking for a scapegoat. Some things never change. We all experience obstacles to getting what we want, and when we’re frustrated, we want to blame someone for it. We seldom want to see what the actual problem is (ourselves and our desires for more than we have or deserve) preferring instead to throw others under the bus in our pursuit of wealth or security or the comfort of believing everyone who matters agrees with us. So we create a false narrative about our neighbors and then try to convince others that they ought to be dispensed with for the good of everyone. “If we just deport all the immigrants, we’ll all have good jobs and a good economy again!” some say, even though this has been thoroughly proven to be absolutely false.
So Caiaphas will kill Jesus in an attempt to convince Rome that he was the only real problem with the world, rather than dealing with the deeper, fundamental flaws in Jewish and Roman society of the time.
But Jesus goes to his death without complaint. He knows that his death, however unjust, is the sacrifice by which the entire world can be transformed so that we, looking back on his example, might be moved to follow in his way of justice and peace. Or not.
Who do I blame for my unhappiness? How might I change my perspective for the good of myself and others?
