^11:46But some of them went to the Pharisees⁹³ and reported to them⁹⁴ what Jesus had done. ^11:47So the chief priests and the Pharisees⁹⁵ called the council⁹⁶ together and said, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many miraculous signs. ^11:48If we allow him to go on in this way,⁹⁷ everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our sanctuary⁹⁸ and our nation.”

^11:49Then one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said,⁹⁹ “You know nothing at all! ^11:50You do not realize¹⁰⁰ that it is more to your advantage to have one man¹⁰¹ die for the people than for the whole nation to perish.”¹⁰²^11:51(Now he did not say this on his own,¹⁰³ but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the Jewish nation,¹⁰⁴^11:52and not for the Jewish nation¹⁰⁵ only,¹⁰⁶ but to gather together¹⁰⁷ into one the children of God who are scattered.)¹⁰⁸^11:53So from that day they planned together to kill him.

^11:54Thus Jesus no longer went¹⁰⁹ around publicly¹¹⁰ among the Judeans,¹¹¹ but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim,¹¹² and stayed there with his disciples.

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Footnotes

93 See the note on Pharisees in .
94 Grk “told them.”
95 The phrase “chief priests and Pharisees” is a comprehensive name for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26.
96 Or “Sanhedrin” (the Sanhedrin was the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews). The συνέδριον (sunedrion) which they gathered was probably an informal meeting rather than the official Sanhedrin. This is the only occurrence of the word συνέδριον in the Gospel of John, and the only anarthrous singular use in the NT. There are other plural anarthrous uses which have the general meaning “councils.” The fact that Caiaphas in 11:49 is referred to as “one of them” supports the unofficial nature of the meeting; in the official Sanhedrin he, being high priest that year, would have presided over the assembly. Thus it appears that an informal council was called to discuss what to do about Jesus and his activities.
97 Grk “If we let him do thus.”
98 Or “holy place”; Grk “our place” (a reference to the temple in Jerusalem).
99 Grk “said to them.” The indirect object αὐτοῖς (autois) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
100 Or “you are not considering.”
101 Although it is possible to argue that ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) should be translated “person” here since it is not necessarily masculinity that is in view in Caiaphas’ statement, “man” was retained in the translation because in 11:47 “this man” (οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος, outos ho anthrōpos) has as its referent a specific individual, Jesus, and it was felt this connection should be maintained.
102 In his own mind Caiaphas was no doubt giving voice to a common-sense statement of political expediency. Yet he was unconsciously echoing a saying of Jesus himself (cf. Mark 10:45). Caiaphas was right; the death of Jesus would save the nation from destruction. Yet Caiaphas could not suspect that Jesus would die, not in place of the political nation Israel, but on behalf of the true people of God; and he would save them, not from physical destruction, but from eternal destruction (cf. 3:16–17). The understanding of Caiaphas’ words in a sense that Caiaphas could not possibly have imagined at the time he uttered them serves as a clear example of the way in which the author understood that words and actions could be invested retrospectively with a meaning not consciously intended or understood by those present at the time.
103 Grk “say this from himself.”
104 The word “Jewish” is not in the Greek text, but is clearly implied by the context (so also ; “the Jewish people”).
105 See the note on the word “nation” in the previous verse.
106 The author in his comment expands the prophecy to include the Gentiles (not for the Jewish nation only), a confirmation that the Fourth Gospel was directed, at least partly, to a Gentile audience. There are echoes of Pauline concepts here (particularly Eph 2:11–22) in the stress on the unity of Jew and Gentile.
107 Grk “that he might gather together.”
108 This is a parenthetical note by the author.
109 Grk “walked.”
110 Or “openly.”
111 Grk “among the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Judea in general, who would be likely to report Jesus to the religious authorities. The vicinity around Jerusalem was no longer safe for Jesus and his disciples. On the translation “Judeans” cf. Ἰουδαῖος 2.e. See also the references in vv. 8, 19, 31, 33, 36, and 45.
112 There is no certain identification of the location to which Jesus withdrew in response to the decision of the Jewish authorities. Many have suggested the present town of Et-Taiyibeh, identified with ancient Ophrah (Josh 18:23) or Ephron (Josh 15:9). If so, this would be 12–15 mi (19–24 km) northeast of Jerusalem.