WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
APRIL 03, 2026
TOPIC: DON’T CONSPIRE AGAINST ANYONE
BY T. O. BANSO
“Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But they said, ‘Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people’” (Matthew 26:3-5 New King James Version).
One of the events in the Easter story is the conspiracy against Jesus. Before the final plot that led to His arrest, the religious leaders and the Jewish elders had been plotting how to arrest Him and kill Him. It is baffling that some people will make conspiring to kill an innocent and harmless person their preoccupation. But that was what they did. They set traps for Him on diverse occasions, hoping to find something to use against Him, but they failed.
Matthew 12:14 says that the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him about how they might destroy Him. Mark 3:6 says a similar thing. That was after Jesus, on the Sabbath day, had healed the man with the withered hand. The Pharisees were self-righteous people who would boast that they fasted twice a week and gave the tithes of all that they possessed (Luke 18:12). Yet, they could plot or conspire to destroy another person.
In John 11:45-54, the chief priests and the Pharisees plotted how to kill Jesus, having heard of the things He did. Caiaphas, the high priest, said it was expedient for them that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish. Thus, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation; not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together into one the children of God who were scattered abroad (John 11:49-52).
John 11:53-54 says, “Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples” (New King James Version).
In Matthew 22:15, the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Jesus in His talk. They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians, and they asked Him whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar (verses 16-17). Jesus gave them the appropriate answer.
Although they failed, they didn’t give up. Matthew 26:3-5 says, “Then the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders of the people assembled at the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him. But they said, ‘Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people’” (New King James Version).
When Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ disciples, eventually joined the conspirators, they succeeded. “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?’ And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him” (Matthew 26:14-16 New King James Version). Note that the chief priests didn’t go to invite Judas, but he went to meet them. He joined the conspiracy against his Master, whom he had been following for about three and a half years.
On the D-day, Judas led a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus was. He had given them a sign that anyone he kissed was Jesus, and they should arrest Him. He greeted Jesus, referring to Him as “Rabbi!” and kissed Him. They arrested Jesus and led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled (Matthew 26:47-57).
Having arrested Him, the chief priests and elders continued their plot on how to kill Jesus. Matthew 27:1-2 says, “When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people plotted against Jesus to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor” (New King James Version). Eventually, Jesus was condemned and crucified.
What became of Judas, who joined the conspirators and betrayed his Master? When he saw that Jesus had been condemned, he became remorseful and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying that he had sinned by betraying an innocent man (Matthew 27:3-4a). But his accomplices were not remorseful. They said, “What is that to us? You see to it!” (Verse 4b New King James Version). Judas threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and went to hang himself. Judas couldn’t enjoy the money he made from betraying his Master. The chief priests used the money to purchase the potter’s field to bury strangers.
Don’t conspire against anyone; don’t join anyone or others in a conspiracy. Could you imagine that because of Jesus, the chief priests plotted against Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead? They plotted to kill Lazarus also, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus (John 12:10-11). Wickedness!
Conspiring against others is evil. The religious leaders, motivated by envy, conspired against Jesus and ensured that He was arrested, tried, and crucified. Even though they were his brothers, they conspired and killed Him.
Joseph’s brothers conspired against him and sold him into slavery (Genesis 37:25-28). Moreover, Absalom, David’s son, conspired with others, including Ahithophel, one of his father’s counsellors, against his father (2 Samuel 15:12). He dethroned his father, and David fled from Jerusalem. But he was later killed. The rebellion was defeated, and David returned to the throne.
In 2 Kings 12:20-21, the servants of King Joash of Judah conspired against him and killed him. Amaziah, his son, who succeeded him, fled from a conspiracy formed against him in Jerusalem after he had turned away from following the LORD. However, his enemies sent assassins after him, and they killed him there (2 Kings 14:17-20; 2 Chronicles 25:27-28).
Don’t conspire against anyone. Conspirators will reap what they sow. If you sow the wind, you will reap the whirlwind (Hosea 8:7). 2 Kings 15:30 records that King Hoshea of Israel, the son of Elah, led a conspiracy against Pekah, the son of Remaliah, killed him, and reigned in his place. However, later, the king of Assyria uncovered a conspiracy by Hoshea. He arrested Hoshea and imprisoned him (2 Kings 17:4).
Don’t join a rebellion. Don’t let anyone recruit you into it. A conspiracy against a child of God or God’s servant amounts to a conspiracy against God. Be careful. Nahum 1:9 says, “What do you conspire against the Lord? He will make an utter end of it. Affliction will not rise up a second time” (New King James Version). The New Living Translation renders the verse thus: “Why are you scheming against the Lord? He will destroy you with one blow; he won’t need to strike twice!”
Don’t let anyone draw you into a conspiracy to destroy or betray another person. Judas, who joined a conspiracy and betrayed Jesus to His enemies, committed suicide. Don’t plot evil against anyone. Love others as Christ has loved you (John 13:34). God, who delivered Nehemiah and Daniel from the plots against them, will deliver you, too (Nehemiah 6; Daniel 6).
If you have been betrayed, don’t lose hope, become bitter, or seek revenge. The God of justice will fight for you. This is not your end. There is resurrection after crucifixion and rising after falling. Have faith in God; He will work all things together for your good (Romans 8:28).
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you must give your heart to Jesus now. Please take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your heart. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There, they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me, and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I invite Jesus into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: I shall not join a conspiracy or conspire against anyone. Holy Spirit, help me to love others as Christ has loved me. Father, as you delivered Nehemiah and Daniel from the conspiracy against them, deliver me, too. Let every conspiracy against all Your children fail in Jesus’ name.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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