John 11:47

47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council. They asked, "What are we doing? This man is performing a lot of miracles.

John 11:47 Meaning and Commentary

John 11:47

Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a
council
They convened the sanhedrim, the great council of the nation together, of which they were some of the principal members:

and said, what do we?
that is, why is nothing done? why are we so dilatory? why do we sit still, and do nothing? or what is to be done? this now lies before us, this is to be considered and deliberated on:

for this man doth many miracles;
this is owned, and could not be denied by them; and should have been a reason why they should have acknowledged him to have been the Messiah, and embraced him; whereas they used it as a reason, why they should think of, and concert some measures, to hinder and put a stop to the belief of him as such.

John 11:47 In-Context

45 Many Jews who had visited Mary and had seen what Jesus had done believed in him.

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

47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council. They asked, "What are we doing? This man is performing a lot of miracles.

48 If we let him continue what he's doing, everyone will believe in him. Then the Romans will take away our position and our nation."

49 One of them, Caiaphas, who was chief priest that year, told them, "You people don't know anything.