John 11:48

48 If we let him go on, pretty soon everyone will be believing in him and the Romans will come and remove what little power and privilege we still have."

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 went back to the Pharisees and told on Jesus.

47 The high priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Jewish ruling body. "What do we do now?" they asked. "This man keeps on doing things, creating God-signs.

48 If we let him go on, pretty soon everyone will be believing in him and the Romans will come and remove what little power and privilege we still have."

49 Then one of them - it was Caiaphas, the designated Chief Priest that year - spoke up, "Don't you know anything?

50 Can't you see that it's to our advantage that one man dies for the people rather than the whole nation be destroyed?"