Thomas Aquinas Commentary John 11:54-56

"Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed thence into the country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there he tarried with the disciples. Now the passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, to purify themselves. They sought therefore for Jesus, and spake one with another, as they stood in the temple, What think ye? That he will not come to the feast?" — John 11:54-56 (ASV)

And the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, so that they might apprehend Him.

1. Here the Evangelist records how Christ escaped from their malice. He describes:
   1. The way He escaped.
   2. The effect this had on the people, causing them to question, as the Pasch of the Jews was at hand.
2. The way He escaped was to hide Himself and leave the presence of the Jews. After their plan was made, He moved more cautiously; after this, Jesus did not walk openly among the Jews. He did not withdraw to a populated city, but into a remote region, a country near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and He remained there with His disciples.

3. But did He lack the power to live publicly among the Jews without them being able to harm Him, if He had wished? Of course not. He did not do this because He lacked the power, but to give an example to the disciples. This shows that it is not a sin for His faithful to withdraw from the sight of their persecutors, choosing to evade the fury of the wicked by hiding rather than kindling it further by showing themselves: when they persecute you in one town, flee to the next (Matthew 10:23).

   Moreover, Origen says that no one should place himself in danger. However, when dangers are immediately threatening, it is very praiseworthy not to run from professing Christ or refuse to suffer death for the sake of the truth. No one should place himself in danger for two reasons. First, because it is very presumptuous to do so, both due to a lack of experience with one’s own virtue (which can sometimes prove fragile) and due to the uncertainty of the outcome: let any one who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Corinthians 10:12). Second, so that by presenting ourselves to our persecutors, we do not give them an occasion to become more wicked and culpable: give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God (1 Corinthians 10:32).

4. The effect of His departure, which caused the people to question, is now described. This includes:
   1. The occasion for their questioning.
   2. Their questioning itself.
   3. The reason for their questioning.

5. Two occasions for their questioning and wondering are mentioned.

   The first was the nature of the time, because the Pasch of the Jews was at hand, when the flight of the Hebrews out of Egypt was recalled: it is the Lord’s Passover (Exodus 12:11). He adds the phrase of the Jews because they celebrated their Passover in an unholy and unbecoming way. For when one celebrates the Passover devoutly, it is called the Passover of God, but here God says, your assemblies I will not abide (Isaiah 1:13).

   The second occasion was the gathering of the people: and many from the country went up to Jerusalem. As we see from Exodus, the children of Israel were to present themselves to the Lord three times a year on the three festivals, and the foremost of these was the Passover (Exodus 23). And so a great number traveled to Jerusalem, where the temple was located.

   But because it was not yet the actual time of Passover when they were obliged to go, the Evangelist explains why they went then, adding, in order to purify themselves. For no one dared to eat the lamb if he was unclean. They went before the Passover so that, by purifying themselves in the meantime, they could eat the lamb in a fitting manner on the day of Passover. This gives us an example that we should purify ourselves during Lent with fasting and good works, so that on Passover we might worthily receive the body of our Lord.

6. The reason for their questioning is mentioned as being due to Christ’s absence: they were looking for Jesus—not to honor Him, but to kill Him—and they talked with one another standing in the temple: “What do you think? That He has not come to the festival day?”

   Note that when a festival day is celebrated in a holy manner, Christ is always present: for where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20). And so, when we gather in the house of God, let us seek Jesus by consoling each other and by praying that He come to our festival. But Jesus does not come when a feast is not celebrated in a holy manner: your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates (Isaiah 1:4).

7. He adds the reason for their questioning and for the absence of Jesus, saying, the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders, that if any man knew where he was—that is, Jesus—he should tell, that they might apprehend him, in order to kill Him. You will seek me, and you will die in your sin (John 8:21).

   As Augustine says, we who know where Christ is—at the right hand of the Father—should tell them, so that they may truly apprehend Him by faith.