John 11:56

They sought therefore for Jesus (ezhtoun oun ton Ihsoun). Imperfect active of zhtew and common oun of which John is so fond. They were seeking Jesus six months before at the feast of tabernacles ( Matthew 7:11 ), but now they really mean to kill him. As they stood in the temple (en twi ierwi esthkote). Perfect active participle (intransitive) of isthmi, a graphic picture of the various groups of leaders in Jerusalem and from other lands, "the knots of people in the Temple precincts" (Bernard). They had done this at the tabernacles ( Matthew 7:11-13 ), but now there is new excitement due to the recent raising of Lazarus and to the public order for the arrest of Jesus. That he will not come to the feast? (oti ou mh elqh ei thn eorthn;). The form of the question (indirect discourse after dokeite) assumes strongly that Jesus will not (ou mh, double negative with second aorist active elqh from ercomai) dare to come this time for the reason given in verse Matthew 57 .