John 11:50

11:50-51 it’s better . . . that one man should die: Caiaphas’s words were ironic. He meant that it was better for a revolutionary to die than to have the Romans crush the entire Jewish nation. But Caiaphas was correct in a way that he could not perceive. The salvation that Judaism needed had little to do with Rome; it would come through the cross of Christ. John notes that Caiaphas’s inspiration was not his own but came from God.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Joh 11:50. Συμφέρει, it is expedient) Caiaphas is thinking of mere political expediency; but the Spirit of prophecy so directs him, as that he uses words suited to express what was spiritually expedient. Caiaphas and Pilate condemned Jesus; yet both gave a testimony foreign to their own personal feeling: Caiaphas, in this passage, gives testimony as to the sacerdotal character of the death of Christ; Pilate, in the inscription on the cross, gave testimony as to His kingly character.—εἷς, one) 2Co 5:14-15, “One died for all,—He died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves.”—καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ ἔθνος ἀπόληται, and not that the whole nation perish) He refers to their words in the close of Joh 11:48, “The Romans shall take away both our place and nation.”

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Verse 50. Nor consider] Ye talk more at random than according to reason, and the exigencies of the case. There is a various reading here in some MSS. that should be noticed. Instead of ουδε διαλογιζεσθε, which we translate, ye do not consider, and which properly conveys the idea of conferring, or talking together, ουδε λογιζεσθε, neither do ye reason or consider rightly, is the reading of ABDL, three others, and some of the primitive fathers. Griesbach, by placing it in his inner margin, shows that he thinks it bids fair to be the true reading. Dr. White thinks that this reading is equal, and probably preferable, to that in the text: Lectio aequalis, forsitan praeferenda receptae.

That one man should die for the people] In saying these remarkable words, Caiaphas had no other intention than merely to state that it was better to put Jesus to death than to expose the whole nation to ruin on his account. His maxim was, it is better to sacrifice one man than a whole nation. In politics nothing could be more just than this; but there are two words to be spoken to it: First, The religion of God says, we must not do evil that good may come: Ro 3:8. Secondly, It is not certain that Christ will be acknowledged as king by all the people; nor that he will make any insurrection against the Romans; nor that the Romans will, on his account, ruin the temple, the city, and the nation. This Caiaphas should have considered. A person should be always sure of his premises before he attempts to draw any conclusion from them. See Calmet. This saying was proverbial among the Jews: see several instances of it in Schoettgen.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(50) Nor consider that it is expedient for us . . .—This remarkable counsel has linked itself in St. John’s thoughts with the name of Caiaphas. He quotes it again in Joh_18:14.

Should die for the people, and that the whole nation . . .—Different words are used here in the Greek, as in the English. The former word represents the theocratic people, those who were united together as the servants of God; the latter word is that which is used in Joh_11:48, and represents the political nation as one of the nations of the earth.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

50. expedient for us] For us members of the Sanhedrin. But the better reading gives, for you half-hearted Pharisees.

that one man] Literally, in order that one man; S. John’s favourite particle pointing to the Divine purpose: comp. Joh_4:34; Joh_4:36, Joh_6:29; Joh_6:50, Joh_9:2-3; Joh_9:39, Joh_12:23, and especially Joh_16:7.

the people] The Jews as a theocratic community (laos).

the whole nation] The Jews as one of the nations of the earth (ethnos). Comp. Luk_7:5; Act_10:22. The same word in the plural, ‘the nations,’ means the Gentiles.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Nor consider that it is expedient for us,.... Priests, Levites, Pharisees, the sanhedrim, and ecclesiastical rulers of the people; who, as Caiaphas apprehended, must suffer in their characters and revenues, must quit their honourable and gainful posts and places, if Jesus went on and succeeded at this rate: wherefore it was most expedient and advantageous for them, which was the main thing to be considered in such a council, so he thought it was,

that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not; he proceeded entirely upon this political principle, that a public good ought to be preferred to a private one; that it was no matter what the man was, whether innocent or not; common prudence, and the public safety of the nation, required him to fall a sacrifice, rather than the Romans should be exasperated and provoked to such a degree, as to threaten the utter ruin and destruction of the whole nation.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

Ver. 50. That one man should die for the people] A brutish and bloody sentence; as if evil might be done that good may come thereof. So, when Farellus, that worthy reformer, came first to Geneva, and was convented there by the bishop, as a disturber of the public peace, one of the Popish assessors cried out, Away with this pestilent Lutheran; better he perish than the town be disquieted. To whom Farellus answered, Noli Caiaphae voces, sed Dei verba proferre, Speak not in the language of Caiaphas, but in the word of God. (Scultet. Annal.)

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It is expedient for us - It is better for us. Literally, “It is profitable for us.”

That one man should die - Jesus they regarded as promoting sedition, and as exposing the nation, if he was successful, to the vengeance of the Romans, Joh 11:48. If he was put to death they supposed the people would be safe. This is all, doubtless, that he meant by his dying for the people. He did not himself intend to speak of his dying as an atonement or a sacrifice; but his words might also express that, and, though he was unconscious of it, he was expressing a real truth. In the sense in which he intended it there was no truth in the observation, nor occasion for it, but in the sense which the words might convey there was real and most important truth. It was expedient, it was infinitely desirable, that Jesus should die for that people, and for all others, to save them from perishing.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

How great is the power of the Holy Ghost? From a wicked mind he brings forth the words of prophecy. And how great is the power attached to the pontifical dignity! For Caiphas having becoming high priest, though unworthy of that dignity, prophesies, not knowing indeed what he says. The Holy Ghost makes use of his tongue only, but touches not his sinful heart. (St. John Chrysostom, hom. lxiv. in Joan.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Never was any thing spoken more diabolically: he regards not what was their duty, nor what was lawful for them to do; whether they might upon any pretence shed innocent blood, much more the blood of one whose life was spent in nothing but a going up and down in doing good; only, like a wretched politician, who was concerned for nothing but the people’s safety, he saith not, it is lawful, but,

it is expedient for us that one man, be he never so good, never so innocent and just,

should die for the people, that is, to save the whole nation from destruction.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

50. It is expedient—The good of the whole, the preservation of our nationality, as you confess, from Roman despotism, requires the death of one, innocent or not. So let all pleas in behalf of his piety and goodness be silenced.

For us—If he gains the people we know that neither he nor the people would be friends to us.

Whole nation perish not—By the Roman sword; as you see it will if this man prevails.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Norconsider; or, nor do ye take account. Hengstenberg shows that where this verb (logizesye) elsewhere occurs, it is used intransitively, and with this Godet agrees; then they take oti , as "because" or for it is expedient for you (the text umin is preferred by Meyer, Godet, Westcott and Herr, and the Revised. The chief difference in thought is that it makes the language somewhat more dogmatic, Caiaphas hardly classing himself for the moment with such irresolute companions) that one man should die for ("on behalf of" amounting to "instead of") the people i.e. for the theocratic organization, whose were the promises, to whom was given the dominion and not that the entire nation (the political aggregation) perish. Some have supposed (like Lange) Divine purpose lurking in the ina ; but it was rather the maxim of worldly expediency of half-paganized superstition allied in this form to the sacrifice of Codrus, or of Iphigenia, viz. that the extinction of guiltless and innocent victims may be demanded by political necessity, and must be determined upon at once, by the chief court of equity and criminal judicature in the nation. If, thought he, the multitudes accept this Sabbath-breaker, this Worker of miracles, this religious Enthusiast, this moral Reformer, for their Messiah, the Romans will crush the movement, will stamp out the entire religious order; "we" shall be annihilated as a power, the "nation" will be abolished as such. It is more expedient that this one man should suffer than that the whole of our position should be sacrificed.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

It is expedient that one man should die for the people - So God overruled his tongue, for he spake not of himself, by his own spirit only, but by the spirit of prophecy. And thus he gave unawares as clear a testimony to the priestly, as Pilate did to the kingly office of Christ.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

50. That one man should die. His proposition is to slay one man, Jesus, rather than have the Romans come and destroy the whole nation for making Jesus King.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

50. λογίζεσθε (אABDL) for διαλογίζεσθε. The compound is very frequent in the Synoptists.

50. συμφέρει ὑμῖν. It is expedient for you half-hearted Pharisees: ὑμῖν corresponds with the contemptuous ὑμεῖς, a point which is spoiled by the inferior reading ἡμῖν.

ἵνα εἶς ἄνθ. ἀποθ. Literally, in order that one man should die; S. John’s favourite construction pointing to the Divine purpose: see on Joh 1:8, Joh 4:34; Joh 4:47, and comp. Joh 16:7, Joh 6:29; Joh 6:40; Joh 6:50, Joh 9:2-3, Joh 12:23, Joh 13:34. The high-priest thus singles out the Scapegoat.

τοῦ λαοῦ. The Jews as a theocratic community; whereas τὸ ἔθνος (Joh 11:48, Joh 18:35) is the Jews as one of the nations of the earth (Luk 7:5; Act 10:22. Τὰ ἔθνη of course means the Gentiles (Act 10:45; Rom 11:13, Gal 2:12, &c.).

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

50. οὐδὲ λογίζεσθε. So אABDLW, as against the rec. διαλογίζεσθε. Neither verb occurs again in Jn.; the simple verb being customary in Paul, and the compound in the Synoptists.

ὅτι συμφέρει ὑμῖν (cf. 16:7 for the constr.; and cf. 18:14 for ἵνα … ἀποθάνῃ), “that it is expedient for you,” perhaps spoken contemptuously.

BDLΓ, with some Latin and Coptic vss., have ὑμῖν. ἡμῖν is read by AΔΘW, with Latin, Syriac (including Syr. sin. and Syr. cur.), and Coptic support (including Q).

ἵνα εἷς ἄνθρωπος ἀποθάνῃ ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ κτλ.: a fine sentiment in its proper setting, and one which could be copiously illustrated from history. Caiaphas, from his point of view, was giving politic if cynical advice. Better that one man die than that the nation perish.

λαός is used by Jn. only in this saying of Caiaphas (repeated 18:14); ἔθνος is used by him only 1n this passage and at 18:35. ἔθνος has reference to the Jews as a political unit, organised for civic and social life; λαός is used when their relation to God, as His peculiar people, is in view. But it is as impossible to provide exact and exclusive definitions of these two Greek words as of the English words “nation” and “people.” It is doubtful if in this verse any stress should be laid on the difference between ἔθνος and λαός. ἔθνος is used of the Jewish nation at Luk 7:5, Luk 23:2 and elsewhere; while ἔθνη in the plural is always in sharp contrast to λαός.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

People - nation [του λαου - το εθνος] . The former the theocratic nation, the people of God : the latter, the body politic. See on 1Pe 2:9.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.