Such Irony

Isn't it ironic? The very people who were instrumental in the execution of Jesus were also centrally involved in bringing about the very thing they tried to stop. The Romans tried to stop the uprising they feared might be taking place in Jerusalem. The Jews tried to stop the one they feared would attract many away from their religious order and practices and jeopardize their desire for political freedom.

Listen to what it says in John 11,

⁴⁵Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. ⁴⁶But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin.

“What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. ⁴⁸If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

⁴⁹Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! ⁵⁰You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

⁵¹He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, ⁵²and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. ⁵³So from that day on they plotted to take his life.

 - John 11

A Jewish high priest prophesied that Jesus would die for the all the "children of God." Yes, they managed to kill Jesus, but his death (and his resurrection) brought about freedom and life that they could not stop.

And I find it ironic that Rome, who desired to conquer and rule the world, was eventually conquered by the Christian faith and became the centre of Christianity for centuries.

Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it."