John 11:48

48 If we let him go on thus, every one will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation."

John 11:48 Meaning and Commentary

John 11:48

If we let him thus alone
Going about from place to place, teaching the people, and doing such miracles:

all men will believe on him;
the whole nation will receive him as the Messiah, and proclaim him their king, and yield a cheerful obedience to all his commands:

the Romans will come;
against us, with their powerful armies; interpreting the setting him up as Messiah, to be an instance of rebellion against Caesar, and his government:

and take away both our place and nation;
that is, will destroy the temple, their holy place, the place of their religion and worship; and their city, the place of their habitation, and lay waste their country; and take away from them that little share of power and government they had, and strip them both of their civil and religious privileges: the Persic version renders it, "they will take away our place, and make a decree against our religion".

John 11:48 In-Context

46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council, and said, "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.

48 If we let him go on thus, every one will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation."

49 But one of them, Ca'iaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all;

50 you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish."