A.T. Robertson Commentary John 11:50

"nor do ye take account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." — John 11:50 (ASV)

That it is expedient for you (οτ συμφερε υμιν). Indirect discourse with present active indicative of συμφερω used with the ινα clause as subject. It means to bear together, to be profitable, with the dative case as here (υμιν, for you). It is to your interest and that is what they cared most for.

That one man die (ινα εις ανθρωπος αποθανη). Sub-final use of ινα with second aorist active subjunctive of αποθνησκω as subject clause with συμφερε. See 16:7; 18:7 for the same construction.

For the people (υπερ του λαου). Hυπερ simply means over, but can be in behalf of as often, and in proper context the resultant idea is "instead of" as the succeeding clause shows and as is clearly so in Ga 3:13 of the death of Christ and naturally so in 2 Corinthians 5:14f.; Romans 5:6. In the papyri υπερ is the usual preposition used of one who writes a letter for one unable to write.

And that the whole nation perish not (κα μη ολον το εθνος απολητα). Continuation of the ινα construction with μη and the second aorist subjunctive of απολλυμ. What Caiaphas has in mind is the giving of Jesus to death to keep the nation from perishing at the hands of the Romans. Politicians are often willing to make a sacrifice of the other fellow.