Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 11:49

"But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all," — John 11:49 (ASV)

Caiaphas, the high priest, was the son-in-law of Annas, who is mentioned later in the account of Jesus’ trial (18:12–14). Annas had been high priest from A. D. 7 to 14 and was succeeded by three of his sons and finally by Caiaphas from A. D. 18 to 36. The utterance of Caiaphas reveals his cynicism and duplicity. He was contemptuous of the indecisive attitude of the Pharisees and recommended the elimination of Jesus rather than risking the possibility of a long contest with Rome. 51–52 John takes Caiaphas’s statement as a kind of double entendre, an unconscious and involuntary prophecy that Jesus would become the sacrifice for the nation so that it might not perish. The irony of the statement is paralleled by the record of the rulers’ mockery of Jesus at the Crucifixion . In both instances a sneering remark expressed an unintended truth. The statement of Caiaphas is applied by the author not only to the nation of Israel, but also to the “children of God” who have been scattered throughout the world. These words might apply to the Jews of the Dispersion. But in the light of the universalism of this gospel, they probably refer to the future ingathering of the Gentiles, who become the children of God when they acknowledge Jesus as Savior (1:12; 10:16). 53 The growing hostility of the Pharisaic party and of the Sadducean priesthood had developed into a settled decision to do away with Jesus. Although the hierarchy feared a popular uprising in his support, they were resolute that he should die. 54 For this reason Jesus left Bethany, where danger threatened him, and removed to Ephraim, a village north of Jerusalem. This town was on the edge of the Judean desert, into which Jesus could flee if necessary. 55–56 Just before the Passover, pilgrims from distant parts of the country began to assemble in Jerusalem. Ceremonial cleansing would take considerable time when a large crowd was involved, and the people wanted to be ready to participate in the sacred feast. Jesus had been present in Jerusalem at the Feasts of Tabernacles and Dedication and had been regularly engaged in teaching. Since the Passover would bring an even larger crowd to Jerusalem, the populace expected that Jesus would be there also. His previous visits had been accompanied by much controversy, and there had been several futile attempts to arrest or stone him (cf. 5:18; 7:30, 44; 8:20, 59; 10:38). On each occasion, however, he had eluded his enemies, for “his time had not come.” 57 The high council of Judaism had issued a warrant for Jesus’ arrest and had ordered that anyone who knew of his whereabouts should declare it. In the light of this situation, one can conclude that Judas was a messianist loyal to his nation and that his loyalty to the ruling priesthood took precedence over his personal loyalty to Jesus.