John 18:14

14 Now it was Kayafa who gave counsel to the Yehudim, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

John 18:14 Meaning and Commentary

John 18:14

Now Caiaphas was he which gave council to the Jews
The chief priests and Pharisees, who met in council about Jesus, ( John 11:47-52 ) , the counsel he gave was,

that it was expedient that one man should die for the people;
and which advice was given out of ill will and malice to Christ, and to prevent, as he thought, the people of the Jews being destroyed by the Romans; though the words have a very good sense which he did not understand. The people Christ was to die for, was not all the, people of the world, nor only the people of the Jews, nor all of them; but all the elect of God, whom God has chosen for his special and peculiar people, and has given to Christ as such: these Christ were to die for, and did, not merely as a martyr, to confirm his doctrine to them, or as an example to teach them meekness, patience, and courage, but in the room and stead of them, as a surety for them; and it was expedient that he should, in such sense, die for them, because of his suretyship engagements, that he might make satisfaction to the law and justice of God, and procure the salvation of his people, and send forth the Spirit to make application of it to them.

John 18:14 In-Context

12 So the detachment, the commanding officer, and the officers of the Yehudim, seized Yeshua and bound him,

13 and led him to Anan first, for he was father-in-law to Kayafa, who was Kohen Gadol that year.

14 Now it was Kayafa who gave counsel to the Yehudim, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

15 Shim`on Kefa followed Yeshua, as did another talmid. Now that talmid was known to the Kohen Gadol, and entered in with Yeshua into the court of the Kohen Gadol;

16 but Kefa was standing at the door outside. So the other talmid, who was known to the Kohen Gadol, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought in Kefa.