John 11:51, commentary and pictures

After the raising of Lazarus, Christ's crowning public miracle with power over death before many witnesses that should have convinced every reasonable mind, the hardened rulers met to stop Him and put Him to death. Caiaphas, being high priest that year, did not speak of himself but prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation, saying more than he understood or knew. From his own political purpose he meant only that one man's death would protect the nation and preserve the rulers' power and place from Rome and from the people. Unwittingly his words acknowledged Jesus as the innocent Redeemer whose death fulfilled what the sacrifices and offerings pointed to, bringing the types to an end and closing the Aaronic priesthood. The prophecy reached beyond the nation to the gathering of God's scattered children, for God overruled the murderous counsel to accomplish Christ's death as Savior and Ruler of the world, yet that overruling did not lessen the rulers' guilt.

Council Response After Lazarus

John 11:51 belongs to what followed the raising of Lazarus, Christ's crowning miracle by which many were led to believe in Jesus and glorified God. That raising was unquestionable public proof that He was the Son of God with power over death and the grave, done in full light of day before a crowd of witnesses so no artifice could explain it away, and it should have convinced any mind under reason and enlightened conscience. Those who had again and again rejected light would not yield even to this overwhelming evidence but were hardened in unbelief and went away immediately to tell the priests and rulers what Jesus had done. The miracle only enraged the Pharisees, increased their jealousy at every act of mercy, intensified their hatred and made it deadlier, and fixed them in their secret purpose to destroy Him as murderers in heart, watching for every opportunity.

The miracle led the Sanhedrin to meet and strengthened their determination to stop Jesus' work, silence Him, stop His denunciations, condemn Him and stop His influence. The Pharisees persisted despite seeing the evidence of His works, sought allies, and decreed that anyone professing faith in Jesus should be expelled from the synagogue.

The council's calculations were political and driven by self-preservation, not justice. It met only by Roman tolerance, and some members feared that killing Jesus would provoke an uprising and lead Rome to strip the priesthood of its remaining power. The leaders feared losing the people's confidence and with it their national power. The rulers feared that the people would believe in Jesus and that they would lose their position and influence, and they feared the testimony of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised. They planned to kill Lazarus as well in order to stop the people's interest in Jesus and regain their influence.

The raising of Lazarus helped seal the priests' resolve to rid the world of Jesus and put Him to death for the nation. That resolve belongs to a conflict whose opposition to truth recurs through religious leaders who resist light from God. Yet His death did not stop miracles in His name or the proclamation of His teaching.

Caiaphas Prophesied Death For Nation

Caiaphas, being high priest that year, spake not of himself but prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation, speaking more than he understood and without knowing the full meaning of his words. His words about Jesus' death for the nation were a prophecy, though he did not speak them knowingly. In arguing that Jesus should die, he spoke from his own political purpose and self-interest, with only limited understanding of the prophecies. He meant that Jesus' death would protect the nation and its rulers and preserve their power. The leaders' decision to put Jesus to death was driven by self-preservation and fear of losing the people's confidence and with it their national power, not by justice.

His counsel was also a prophecy that foretold Jesus' death for the people. Though meant as political expedient, his words unwittingly acknowledged Jesus' mission as Redeemer. For Jesus was innocent, and his death was not merely a political expedient but fulfilled that mission. His words meant more than he intended, bearing witness that Christ's death would fulfill the purpose represented by the Jewish sacrifices and offerings and fulfill what they had pointed forward to. That death would bring the need for those types and shadows to an end, close the Aaronic priesthood, and make Christ the reality to which they pointed.

The prophecy extended beyond the nation, as the next verse explains, to the gathering together of God's scattered children. He regarded Jesus' death as necessary for the fulfillment of prophecy and had publicly acknowledged Jesus as a prophet. The rulers' effort to prevent Jesus from becoming king instead brought about his death as Redeemer and Savior and his rule over the world. God overruled their murderous plot for the good of humanity, but that outcome did not lessen their guilt for the crime.