Lesson for August 31, 2025
The Book of John
Lesson 30
Chapter 11:45-57
A Plot to Kill Jesus
Verses 11:45-54
“Therefore, many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done. Therefore, the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council meeting, and they were saying, ‘What are we doing in regard to the fact that this Man is performing many signs? 48 If we let Him go on like this, all the people will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take over both our place and our nation.’ 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all, 50 nor are you taking into account that it is in your best interest that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish instead.’ 51 Now he did not say this on his own, but as he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation; 52 and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So, from that day on they planned together to kill Him. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.”
The chief priests were Sadducees. They were politicians; they were not interested in Scripture; they were interested in power. The Pharisees were religionists, legalists, theologians, and full of false doctrine. Both groups, for different reasons, were in opposition to Jesus Christ. The Sadducees, as politicians, saw the danger of having Christ as a potential ruler to overthrow them. The Pharisees, on the other hand, were arrogant, self-righteousness hypocrites who practiced a distorted form of the Mosaic Law, in opposition to grace. Since religion is the devil’s ace trump, and since both groups were satanic in their viewpoints, they were both in opposition to Jesus. This was an emergency session of the Sanhedrin, to deal with the crisis of hearing of the raising of the dead (Lazarus), a sure sign of Messiahship!
Therefore, the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council meeting, and they were saying, ‘What are we doing in regard to the fact that this Man is performing many signs? If we let Him go on like this, all the people will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take over both our place and our nation. The Jewish leaders were disturbed by the influence of miracles on the people they had been exploiting. The implication of these statements was that Jesus would “rally” those who believed in Him in some sort of rebellion against them. If this occurred, they thought the Roman Empire would squelch the attempt and take away the autonomy of the Jewish nation. The Sanhedrin was indeed in danger of losing control of the people. Jesus had challenged their power to the extent that they were afraid they were about to lose it. The other part of the dilemma had to do with what the Romans might do.
The Jews were enjoying a certain measure of autonomy under Roman protection. However, if the people continued to flock to Jesus and believe in Him, then the Romans might decide that the Sanhedrin could not handle their own people and would come and remove their autonomy.
But one of them, Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing at all, nor are you taking into account that it is in your best interest that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish instead.’ Caiaphas was the high priest of all the Jews and had great influence within the Sanhedrin. They believed the true issue was that Jesus must be eliminated or the Romans would eliminate the Sanhedrin. So, Caiaphas attempted to appeal to their logic by saying, if He is Messiah, then let Him die for the people. If He dies for the people, He is going to preserve the nation, which means we are going to stay in power. It would be a “win-win” for the Jewish leaders – they would get rid of Jesus and keep the Romans “at bay.”
Now he did not say this on his own, but as he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation; and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. In these verses, we have a parenthetical observation of John showing Caiaphas did not understand the implications of his prophetic remarks about Jesus. As an unbeliever, Caiaphas didn’t have a clue as to what he implied, he merely wanted to get rid of Christ.
Not for the nation only was a reference to the Gentiles who would believe in Christ. This was John’s comment based on what Caiaphas said regarding Jesus. Ephesians 2:11-16, “Therefore remember that previously you, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called “Uncircumcision” by the so-called “Circumcision” which is performed in the flesh by human hands— remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the people of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who previously were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the hostility, which is the Law composed of commandments expressed in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two one new person, in this way establishing peace; and that He might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the hostility.”
So, from that day on they planned together to kill Him. Therefore, Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples. After the speech of Caiaphas, the Sanhedrin’s policy became kill Jesus. On the other hand, Jesus’ “policy” was to stay alive until the right moment, in accordance with God the Father’s plan for Him.
Verses 55-57
“Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country prior to the Passover, in order to purify themselves. 56 So they were looking for Jesus, and saying to one another as they stood in the temple area, ‘What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?’ 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might arrest Him.”
The Jews from all over Israel and beyond went up early to Jerusalem for the Passover for a special purpose—in order to get purified. Therefore, before the Passover, the place was full of travelers trying to get purified. The Passover was one of the most significant Jewish festivals, memorializing Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage. This event was actually about Jesus as the Passover Lamb, Who would fulfill the rituals of the Mosaic Law regarding God’s plan of salvation.
Purification was a ritual of the Law of Moses a person would participate in before observing Passover. Ceremonial purification involved practices, such as washing and abstaining from certain activities, to ensure “spiritual cleanliness.” This practice was supposed to emphasize holiness and separation from impurity.
So, they were looking for Jesus, and saying to one another as they stood in the temple area, ‘What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?’ Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might arrest Him. The Jewish leaders assumed that Jesus would not come to Passover. All of these sacrifices spoke of Christ but that didn’t mean anything to these unbelievers. All of the purification rituals were being performed daily, and they all spoke of Jesus and His sacrifice for their sin. Their spiritual blindness was on full display, as they sought to find Jesus and arrest Him. People were standing around speculating about whether Jesus would attend the Passover. They assumed that Jesus would be afraid to come. Arresting Jesus was not the ultimate goal of the Sanhedrin. They wanted Jesus dead by any means necessary!!!