John 11:50

50 nor reason that it is good for us that one man may die for the people, and not the whole nation perish.'

John 11:50 Meaning and Commentary

John 11:50

Nor consider that it is expedient for us
Priests, Levites, Pharisees, the sanhedrim, and ecclesiastical rulers of the people; who, as Caiaphas apprehended, must suffer in their characters and revenues, must quit their honourable and gainful posts and places, if Jesus went on and succeeded at this rate: wherefore it was most expedient and advantageous for them, which was the main thing to be considered in such a council, so he thought it was,

that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation
perish not;
he proceeded entirely upon this political principle, that a public good ought to be preferred to a private one; that it was no matter what the man was, whether innocent or not; common prudence, and the public safety of the nation, required him to fall a sacrifice, rather than the Romans should be exasperated and provoked to such a degree, as to threaten the utter ruin and destruction of the whole nation.

John 11:50 In-Context

48 if we may let him alone thus, all will believe in him; and the Romans will come, and will take away both our place and nation.'

49 and a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being chief priest of that year, said to them, `Ye have not known anything,

50 nor reason that it is good for us that one man may die for the people, and not the whole nation perish.'

51 And this he said not of himself, but being chief priest of that year, he did prophesy that Jesus was about to die for the nation,

52 and not for the nation only, but that also the children of God, who have been scattered abroad, he may gather together into one.