John 11

Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

Jesus wept.

Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?

Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.

What does John 11:49 mean?

Explanation

John 11:49 describes an event in which Caiaphas, the Jewish high priest, addresses the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, regarding the growing influence of Jesus of Nazareth.

The high priest dismisses the council's lack of understanding or strategy to deal with what he perceives as a threat to their social and religious order.

He implies that the council is not seeing the bigger picture and its potential impact on the Jewish nation.

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Historical Context

This event takes place shortly after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, as recounted in the earlier verses of John 11.

Caiaphas served as the high priest of the Temple in Jerusalem from approximately 18 to 36 AD.

During this time, Israel was under Roman occupation, and the high priesthood often required political shrewdness to maintain a balance between appeasing Roman authorities and managing the social and religious life of the Jewish people.

Theological Insights

Different theological traditions might interpret this verse differently.

In Christian theology, this verse can be read as a prophetic utterance.

Caiaphas, although adversarial to Jesus, is seen as unwittingly prophesying about Jesus' sacrificial death for the nation and not only for the nation, but to gather into one the children of God that are scattered abroad (John 11:52).

This interpretation is reinforced by John's gospel, which often contains a deeper, spiritual meaning beneath the surface narrative.

Practical Applications

A practical application of John 11:49 is the consideration of leadership and the weight of decisions that impact a community.

It serves as a reminder that leaders should seek wisdom and understanding before speaking or acting, recognizing the potential consequences of their words and decisions.

Cross-References

John 11:51-52: "And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad."
Matthew 26:3-4: "Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, And consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek text of John 11:49 include:

"High priest" (ἀρχιερεύς, archiereus): The highest-ranking religious leader in Judaism, responsible for major religious decisions and the maintenance of temple worship.
"That same year" (ἐνιαυτῷ, eniautō): Referring to the period in which Caiaphas was the high priest; this detail emphasizes the authority of his statement.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient religions, there are figures similar to high priests who would serve as intermediaries between the gods and the people, such as in Egyptian and Mesopotamian cultures.

However, unlike those cultures, the high priest in Judaism had a more pronounced role in community governance and legal proceedings.

Scientific Perspectives

The verse itself does not directly intersect with modern scientific understandings; however, the role of leadership and decision-making has been studied in the social sciences.

Psychological and sociological research has explored how leaders assess threats to their communities, and this verse could serve as a historical case study of such dynamics.

Commentaries

Commentaries offer various perspectives on this verse:

Some commentators focus on the political astuteness of Caiaphas, suggesting his statement was a calculated move to protect the interests of the Jewish nation under Roman rule.
Others interpret the verse as highlighting the providential role of God in history, where Caiaphas's words are seen through the lens of divine prophecy.
Another viewpoint is the ethical critique of Caiaphas, who prioritizes the preservation of the social and religious establishment over justice or truth.

John 11

John 11

What does John 11:49 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 11:49 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?