Commentary on the Four Gospel Books
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
G118 The Sanhedrin Wants to Kill the Lord Jesus
John 11:45–57

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All New Testament verses quoted in this article are from the English Majority Text Version, and Old Testament verses are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

John 11:45-57

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and seeing 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 Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What are we doing? For this Man works many signs.

48 If we leave Him alone in this way, all will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and will take away both our place and nation.”

49 But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You don’t know anything,

50 nor do you consider that it is advantageous 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, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was about to 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 Therefore from that day on they took counsel together, that they might kill Him.

54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but He went away from there into the country near the desert, to a city called Ephraim, and there He stayed with His disciples.

55 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, so that they might purify themselves.

56 Then they were seeking Jesus, and they were speaking with one another, standing in the temple, “What do you think–that He will definitely 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, so that they might seize Him.

The event in which the Sanhedrin of Judaism in Jerusalem convened and decided to kill the Lord Jesus took place more than about a week before the Passover of the year 27.

The timeline below estimates the time when the events occurred within less than two weeks before the day the Lord Jesus was arrested and crucified on the cross.

• About 10–12 days before the Passover, the Lord Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.

• About 8–10 days before the Passover, the Sanhedrin convened and decided to kill the Lord Jesus.

• About 8–10 days before the Passover, the Lord Jesus left Bethany, went into a place near the wilderness, and came to the city of Ephraim.

• On the 9th day of Nisan in the year 27, the Lord Jesus returned to the village of Bethany.

• On the Sabbath of that weekend, which was the 10th day of Nisan, the Lord Jesus rode a donkey into the city of Jerusalem.

The Lord Jesus had come from Galilee back to Judea and arrived at Bethany many days before the Passover. Although Bethany was only about 2.7 km from Jerusalem, He did not enter the city earlier than the 10th day of Nisan. That was also the day when the Passover lamb had to be examined for purity. His entry into the city on that day manifested that He was the ″Passover Lamb″ (1 Corinthians 5:7).

The event in which the Sanhedrin convened and decided to kill the Lord Jesus, recorded in John 11:47–53, was the first time they made such a decision. After the Lord Jesus rode a donkey into Jerusalem in glory, the Sanhedrin convened again to set forth a specific plan, as recorded in Matthew 26:3–5, Mark 14:1–2, and Luke 22:1–2.

John 11:45-46

45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and seeing the things Jesus did, believed in Him.

46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did.

The relatives and acquaintances of Lazarus’ family who came to attend his funeral stayed with Martha and Mary. Perhaps they remained during the seven days of mourning for the dead, according to the custom of the people of Israel. They had followed Mary to the tomb of Lazarus and witnessed the Lord Jesus call Lazarus back to life. In the face of that great miracle, they believed in Him; that is, they believed that He was the Christ promised in the Scriptures.

Among them, some went back to Jerusalem and reported to the Pharisees about the words and works of the Lord Jesus. Perhaps they reported that the Lord Jesus declared Himself to be the resurrection and the life and that He had called Lazarus back to life after he had been dead and buried in the tomb for four days.

We may understand that they reported this to the Pharisees not out of ill intent, but to share their faith that the Christ promised in the Scriptures is indeed the Lord Jesus.

We may also understand that they did not only report to the Pharisees but also spread the news to everyone in the city of Jerusalem. From them, the report spread widely among the residents and even among those who had come to Jerusalem from other places to prepare for participating in the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For this reason, a few days later, when the Lord Jesus rode into the city on a donkey, the crowds enthusiastically acclaimed Him.

John 11:47-48

47 Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What are we doing? For this Man works many signs.

48 If we leave Him alone in this way, all will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and will take away both our place and nation.”

These two verses clearly show that the Sanhedrin at that time did not care to examine whether the Lord Jesus was truly the Christ or not. They were only concerned that if the people believed in Him, political upheaval would occur, and the Roman authorities would intervene and oppress the people of Israel.

The fact that the Lord Jesus performed many miracles, yet instead of seeking to recognize Him as the Christ, the Sanhedrin decided to kill Him, makes it clear to us that they did not truly believe in or worship God. They used faith in God and the Old Testament Scriptures as a means to serve their own interests. They used these things to hold power over the people of Israel, to receive the people’s reverence, and to profit from the Temple taxes and the religious contributions of many.

″Our place″ means the Temple, where they were meeting, including the city of Jerusalem.

The noun ″nation″ implies the collective people of Israel dwelling in Canaan at that time.

The phrase ″the Romans will come and will take away both our place and nation” means that the Roman government would destroy both the land and the identity of the people of Israel.

“Sanhedrin” is the term translated from the Greek word ″συνέδριον″ (synedrion – G4892) /soon-ed’-ree-on/, a noun that literally means ″a sitting together,″ and figuratively means ″a council.″

It was the highest judicial and legislative body of the people of Israel during the time of the Second Temple (approximately from the 6th century BCE to 70 CE). This was an important council in Jerusalem, serving as the central authority in managing the religious, legal, and political affairs of the Israelite community under the domination of the Roman Empire.

The Sanhedrin is believed to have originated after the Babylonian exile (around 538 BCE), when the Israelites were permitted by King Cyrus to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. It is regarded as modeled after the council of elders in the Old Testament, as recorded in Numbers 11:16–17. During the Hellenistic period (3rd–2nd centuries BCE), it developed into a more formal institution. Under Roman rule (from 63 BCE onward), the Sanhedrin functioned as the highest court of the Israelites, though its power was restricted by Roman authorities.

The judicial functions of the Sanhedrin included resolving cases concerning the Mosaic Law, doctrine, and social order and passing death sentences on criminals. However, death sentences had to be submitted to the Roman authorities for approval. In terms of legislation, the Sanhedrin issued religious laws, interpreted the Scriptures, and managed the Jewish calendar, determining the dates of festivals. Politically, during periods of independence, the Sanhedrin appointed kings and high priests, managed the Temple, and declared war. Under Roman rule, however, their focus was limited to the internal affairs of the Israelite community. In fact, the Roman authorities even intervened in the appointment of the high priest.

The Sanhedrin was composed of 71 members, led by the high priest, who served as the president of the council. Members had to be Orthodox Jewish males with high levels of education. The council was made up of three groups: the priests (usually from the Sadducees), the scribes responsible for interpreting and defending the Mosaic Law (usually from the Pharisees), and the elders, who were respected leaders in the community. The elders could be heads of clans but were often wealthy individuals with significant political influence. The elders generally aligned themselves with the priests.

The Sanhedrin in Jerusalem convened in the ″Hall of Hewn Stone″ within the Temple compound. There were two types of Sanhedrins: the ″Great Sanhedrin″ with 71 members in Jerusalem and the ″Lesser Sanhedrins″ with 23 members in other localities. There was only one Great Sanhedrin, which handled national matters and appeals from the lower courts. The Lesser Sanhedrins included two courts in Jerusalem for smaller cases and one in each other city, serving as local courts.

John 11:49-50

49 But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You don’t know anything,

50 nor do you consider that it is advantageous for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.”

″High priest that year″ means the high priest who was holding office in that particular year. This term is used to distinguish him from high priests who had been deposed, such as Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas. The appointment and removal of high priests under Roman rule over the Israelites were carried out by the Roman authorities.

Ideally, the office of high priest was hereditary, passed from father to son, following the line of Aaron (Exodus 29:9). However, from 172 BCE onward, high priests were appointed at the discretion of foreign rulers who controlled the people of Israel. These authorities appointed those willing to serve them as high priests, including individuals not of Aaron’s lineage. When necessary, they could depose one high priest and appoint another. This is why, at the same time, there could be multiple individuals holding the title of ″high priest.″

Caiaphas’ perspective was that it was better to kill one person, even if innocent, to protect many. The person Caiaphas wanted to kill was the Lord Jesus, and the people he aimed to protect were the collective Israelites.

Caiaphas’ view is ethically wrong, because an innocent person cannot be killed to serve the interests of the majority. His perspective is similar to the pagan practice of offering a human life to the gods to secure peace or safety for many. This view is entirely contrary to God’s justice, except in the case where a person voluntarily sacrifices himself to save others or to bring benefit to many (John 15:13).

″Advantageous for us″ refers to the advantage for everyone present in the Sanhedrin meeting and for the people of Israel as a whole. Caiaphas wanted to protect the authority of the Sanhedrin and did not want that authority to be undermined if the people followed the Lord Jesus. He also did not want the people of Israel to be subjected to Roman military suppression because of their faith in the Lord Jesus, fearing potential rebellion.

″One man should die for the people″ means the Lord Jesus would die on behalf of all the people of Israel. According to Caiaphas, the death of the Lord Jesus would eliminate the prospect of political unrest and prevent the Roman authorities from persecuting the Israelites.

″Not that the whole nation should perish″ refers to the collective people of Israel not being destroyed by the Roman authorities, even if their faith in the Lord Jesus might otherwise cause political instability.

John 11:51-52

51 Now this he did not say on his own, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was about to 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.

However, Caiaphas’ words were actually a prophecy about the Lord Jesus dying for the people of Israel.

But the death of the Lord Jesus was not to keep the Israelites safe from Roman destruction, as Caiaphas thought. Rather, His death brought redemption to the people of Israel, a redemption promised by God in the Scriptures. This redemption delivers them from the power of sin and the consequences of transgression. Moreover, it also reunites the people of Israel as one. Physically, this unity is over the land of Canaan, which God promised to give them forever. Spiritually, it unites them as a people belonging exclusively to Him.

Of course, the death of the Lord Jesus also brought redemption to the nations beyond Israel. In this sense, the term ″nation″ should be understood as the Heavenly Kingdom. The Lord Jesus died for the establishment of the Heavenly Kingdom.

″The children of *God who were scattered abroad″ refers to all who believe in the Lord Jesus, who are included in the God’s salvation and granted the right to be His sons and daughters throughout all nations. They will be united in His Church.

″There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.″ (Galatians 3:28).

″Where there is not Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.″ (Colossians 3:11).

Caiaphas did not realize that he was speaking prophetically, yet the Spirit placed these words in his mouth. God used the high priest of the Lord Jesus’ time to prophesy about the atoning death for humanity and the establishment of His Heavenly Kingdom.

There is a mistaken view that the God only works through those who truly believe in Him and that God the Holy Spirit only inspires God’s own people. In reality, the God can use someone who does not sincerely believe in Him to accomplish His will. The Holy Spirit can inspire someone who is not a true believer to speak or act in accordance with God’s plan. When necessary, God can even enable an animal to speak, as with Balaam’s donkey (Numbers 22:28–30).

We must respect and accept any words that are in accordance with God’s Word, regardless of who speaks them. We must acknowledge any actions that align with God’s Word, regardless of who performs them. God’s Word is the ultimate authority by which we discern and evaluate everything in life. God exalts His Word above even His own name (Psalm 138:2).

John 11:53-54

53 Therefore from that day on they took counsel together, that they might kill Him.

54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but He went away from there into the country near the desert, to a city called Ephraim, and there He stayed with His disciples.

Verse 53 shows that the Sanhedrin condemned the Lord Jesus to death before conducting a trial, in violation of legal procedures. They were the highest council of the Israelites, responsible for both legislation and judicial matters. Yet they violated the principle of fair judgment. They made the law and were responsible for enforcing it, but they did not follow proper legal procedures.

Of course, the Lord Jesus was not present at the Sanhedrin meeting and did not know that they had decided to kill Him. However, the Spirit likely revealed their plot to Him. Therefore, even though He had returned near Jerusalem, He did not enter the city immediately but went to a place near the wilderness, to the town of Ephraim.

The town of Ephraim belonged to the tribe of Ephraim and was located about 15 km northeast of Jerusalem as the crow flies. By road, it was approximately 30–40 km. It was a small town in the hilly region of Judea, near the wilderness and the Jordan Valley, with rugged terrain that made access difficult.

From Bethany, the Lord Jesus and His disciples traveled a day’s journey to reach Ephraim. Previously, the Scriptures do not record any visit by the Lord Jesus to Ephraim. The Bible also does not detail what He did during the days He stayed there. It is likely that He used this time to rest, in preparation for His arrest and crucifixion to fulfill the mission of redeeming humanity.

John 11:55-56

55 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, so that they might purify themselves.

56 Then they were seeking Jesus, and they were speaking with one another, standing in the temple, “What do you think–that He will definitely not come to the feast?”

The phrase ″And the Passover of the Jews was near″ likely implies that the Passover, as observed by the Jewish tradition at that time, was being celebrated later than the timing prescribed in the Scriptures.

According to the Bible, after sunset on the 13th of Nisan, the 14th of Nisan—the day of the Passover—begins. The Passover lamb was to be slaughtered at that time, roasted, and then eaten at the evening meal, around 8:00 PM. Any leftovers had to be burned before dawn (Exodus 12:8–10).

However, the Israelites following Jewish tradition in the time of the Lord Jesus slaughtered the Passover lamb in the afternoon, roughly between 3:00 and 5:00 PM, before sunset on the 14th. They then ate it at the evening meal after sunset, which was already the beginning of the 15th.

″Many went from the country″ refers to Israelites living in the land of Canaan. According to the Old Testament, every year, Israelite men living in Canaan were required to go to the Temple to observe three major feasts: the Feast of Unleavened Bread (including Passover), the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 16:16). In practice, many Israelites from places outside Canaan also traveled to Jerusalem to participate in these feasts.

The population of Jerusalem in the time of the Lord Jesus ranged from 40,000 to 50,000. During major feasts, the number of attendees could reach as many as 500,000. The historian Josephus claimed that the number could be as high as 2–3 million, but most modern biblical scholars consider this an exaggeration for propaganda purposes. Contemporary estimates, based on the Temple’s capacity (which could hold around 400,000 people) and historical evidence, suggest that the actual number was likely around 400,000–500,000.

The purification before the Passover refers to the ritual described in Leviticus 7:20–21 and Numbers 9:6–13, specifically regarding defilement from contact with a corpse. The purification procedure follows the instructions in Numbers 19:11–22: using water mixed with the ashes of a red heifer to sprinkle on the person who is defiled on the first, third, and seventh days. On the seventh day, the person undergoing purification must bathe and wash their clothes in water to be completely clean.

Those who arrived in Jerusalem early to prepare for the Passover stood within the Temple precincts and asked one another whether the Lord Jesus would attend the feast. They likely asked because they had not seen Him, despite hearing the rumors about His miracle of raising a man who had been dead for four days. They eagerly anticipated seeing Him. Among them were probably some who had seen the Lord Jesus arrive early at the Temple during previous festivals. This time, not seeing Him caused them confusion and concern.

John 11:57

57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, so that they might seize Him.

While many people were anxiously searching for the Lord Jesus, the chief priests and the Pharisees issued orders that anyone who knew His whereabouts should report to them. Of course, they did not reveal that the purpose was to have Him arrested.

″Chief priests″ refers to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, and Caiaphas himself, the current high priest.

″Pharisees″ refers to those Pharisees who were members of the Sanhedrin.

″Given a command″ (in Greek: commands) implies that commands to report the whereabouts of the Lord Jesus were issued multiple times by the Sanhedrin to various groups in different locations. These locations ranged from within the Temple precincts to crowded gathering points on the streets, city gates, and entrances to the Temple. It is likely that these orders included warnings or accusations against anyone who knew and did not report.

We conclude this lesson here.

May the Holy Spirit guide us into all the truths of God’s Word (John 16:13). May the Word of God sanctify us (John 17:17). May the Faithful *God of Peace Himself sanctify our spirit, soul, and body entirely, without blame (1 Thessalonians 5:23), at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Beloved Savior. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
08/16/2025

Note:

About Using “*God”, “the God” and “holy spirit”

Wherever the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts of the Bible use a definite article with a noun to denote GOD, we translate it into English as *God or “the God” to refer to God the Father. We understand that “God,” without a definite article, was used as a collective noun for all and any of the three Persons of the Godhead. And “God,” with a definite article, was used to refer to God the Father.

In the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the term “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) without the definite article “the” (το) is used to denote the power of God, which is given by God the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit” (το πνευματι το αγιω) is God, and “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) is the power that comes from God.