45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” 49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. 53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. 54 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. 55 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?” 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.
Commentary
Vs. 45-46 45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.
Jesus then accomplished the effect on the people He wanted, for in performing this miracle many Jews who had come to mourn with Mary and saw the things that Jesus did believed in Him (vs. 45). However, that was only part of the effect Jesus wanted to have on people, for there were some there who having also seen what Jesus did immediately went away to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had just done, and so in them we that there are people in every generation who no matter what you do or say will not believe, but will only see the Lord Jesus Christ and His Gospel as a threat to their person and nation. Ironically then it will be through them, that Jesus Christ will fulfill the Word and Will of God by suffering Crucifixion death for us all at their hands.
Vs. 47-48 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”
With Jesus now raising Lazarus from the dead in the presence of so many people it was utterly undeniable, and the chief priests and Pharisees new it. And so they were deeply afraid because no longer could they dismiss Jesus by their insults and defamation of Him, and thus turn people away from Him by their doing so, nor could they continue to threaten to put people out of the synagogues if they confessed Jesus as the Christ, for clearly, He had just demonstrated that He is. And so, they were scared, scared that not only would everyone believe in Him, and thus declare Him their King, their Messiah, but if they did then the Romans themselves would come and remove them from their privileged places and take away their nation.
Vs. 49-53 49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. 53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.
Now Caiaphas was the then officiating high priest, and he would be the one who would later oversee Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin who would condemn Jesus to death. And so, his prophecy here was not born out of a personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but rather as the officiating high priest, God through him chose to bring this truth to light to them all. And not only that Jesus would die for the nation of Israel (Ezek. 16:60-63), but also that Jesus would be the One who would gather the children of God together spread across the nations, and thus make one people from both believing Jews and Gentiles (vs. 49-52). Verse fifty-three then reveals how they felt about all of this, and thus to preserve themselves and “the nation”, from that day forward they plotted to put Jesus to death. Previous plots to take and kill Jesus had never been orchestrated from the highest positions of power, and so now with Caiaphas the high priest prophesying then signing off on it, Jesus’ fate was sealed.
Vs. 54 “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.”
From that day forward then, Jesus no longer walked openly amongst the Jews, instead went to the country, near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim and dwelt there with the disciples. And so far, removed from the Jews and their leaders who wanted to kill Him at Jerusalem, Jesus would have a short reprieve with the disciples whom He loved before He would return to face His destiny with the Cross.
Vs. 55-57 55 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?” 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.
Now as Jesus had withdrawn to the country with His disciples, many Jews from the country (according to their law and custom) were now going up to Jerusalem to purify themselves, as the Passover was drawing near (vs. 55). Now it will be this Passover that Jesus will fulfill the Scripture and provide the Atonement by suffering and dying on the Cross for us all. And so, it was that while they were there that they sought Jesus, and spoke amongst themselves about Him in the Temple saying, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?” (vs. 56). Now both their seeking Him, and speaking about Him, was not their searching for Him in faith, but rather it was their wanting to see some sort of spectacle, like onlookers who find excitement and pleasure during a fist fight, so they too wanted to see what would happen to Jesus if He showed Himself there. This then was mixed in or being fueled by the chief priests and Pharisees who had given a command that if anyone knew where Jesus was, they were to report it, so that they might seize Him. And so it was that all of Jerusalem was waiting on Jesus’ Arrival.
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
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