John 11:47-48
So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Their urgent question, "What are we to do?" isn't just about a lack of action; it's a stark admission that Jesus' powerful signs are causing a crisis they can't ignore. They are forced to confront the undeniable reality of His miracles, yet their immediate fear isn't about God's power, but their own loss of influence.
Fresh off the astonishing resurrection of Lazarus, the religious leaders are in a panic. Witnessing Jesus' power firsthand, many Jews are starting to believe, prompting the chief priests and Pharisees to convene an emergency council. Faced with this growing movement and Jesus' undeniable "many signs," they desperately ask, "What are we going to do?" because if they allow him to continue, their authority and nation are at stake.
The religious leaders are stunned, not by the miracle itself, but by its impact. Their question, 'What do we?' reveals a deep-seated fear and a crisis of authority.
When Jesus raised Lazarus, the chief priests and Pharisees felt the ground shake beneath them. Their immediate reaction wasn't awe or repentance, but panic. Notice the urgency in their council meeting: 'What do we?' This isn't a question seeking God's will, but a desperate attempt to regain control. They recognized Jesus' power ('this man performs many signs'), yet their response was to strategize against Him, not embrace Him. This highlights a crucial spiritual truth: undeniable evidence doesn't guarantee a changed heart. Sometimes, the more powerful God's actions are, the more fiercely opposition arises from those whose power or position is threatened.
Their fear wasn't about losing their souls, but about losing their 'place and nation.' What does this political anxiety reveal about their priorities?
The council's ultimate fear, as expressed by Caiaphas later, was that Jesus' growing following would provoke the Romans to intervene and destroy their 'place and nation.' This reveals a profound disconnect between their religious position and their spiritual reality. They were more concerned with preserving their political and social standing—their 'place' (their authority, temple, and way of life) and their 'nation'—than with embracing the truth of God's Son. Their actions were driven by self-preservation and a fear of losing worldly power, rather than a genuine desire for righteousness or the salvation of the people. This is a stark warning: prioritizing our comfort, status, or perceived security over obedience to God can lead us to actively oppose Him.
Understand the original words
archiereis · Greek Noun
The leading priests in Jerusalem, often members of the Sadducean party, who oversaw the Temple and held significant political power within the Sanhedrin.
synedrion · Greek Noun
The supreme Jewish judicial and religious council, composed of 71 members including the high priest, elders, and chief priests. It held authority over local religious and some civil matters under Roman oversight.
semeia · Greek Noun
Miraculous events or wonders performed by Jesus intended to serve as authentication of his divine identity and messianic mission. They are 'signs' that point beyond themselves to a greater reality concerning Christ.
topos · Greek Noun
This verse captures a pivotal moment where the undeniable reality of Jesus' signs, particularly the resurrection of Lazarus, forces the religious establishment into a crisis meeting. Their fear isn't primarily theological doubt, but political and social anxiety: the growing popularity of Jesus threatens their authority and risks provoking Roman intervention.
c. 4 BC - 30 AD
Jesus' Ministry and Growing Popularity
Jesus travels throughout Judea and Galilee, performing numerous miracles and teaching about the Kingdom of God, attracting large crowds and gaining many followers.
c. 30 AD— this verse
Raising of Lazarus
Jesus miraculously raises Lazarus from the dead in Bethany, a highly public event that deeply impressed many witnesses and intensified the opposition from the religious leaders.
c. 30 AD
Sanhedrin Convenes Emergency Meeting
Alarmed by the growing crowds believing in Jesus after the Lazarus miracle, the chief priests and Pharisees convene the Sanhedrin (the Jewish high court) to decide how to deal with Jesus.
c. 30 AD
Caiaphas Proposes Jesus' Death
During the Sanhedrin meeting, High Priest Caiaphas controversially declares that it is better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to perish, effectively deciding to plot Jesus' execution.
This passage shows a similar council of religious leaders confronting Peter and John, acknowledging the undeniable miracle that had occurred and struggling with what to do about it, mirroring the dilemma faced by the chief priests and Pharisees in John 11.
John 12:19This verse describes the Pharisees' panicked reaction, stating 'The world has gone after him!' which directly echoes the fear and urgency expressed in John 11:47 about Jesus' growing influence due to his signs.
Deuteronomy 13:1-3This Old Testament passage warns the Israelites about false prophets who perform signs and wonders, providing a potential theological framework for how the Jewish leaders might have rationalized their disbelief despite Jesus' miracles, as hinted at in commentaries.
Matthew 27:18Matthew's Gospel reveals that the chief priests handed Jesus over 'because of envy,' offering insight into the deeper, underlying motive behind their official concern about Jesus' signs and influence.
vincentJohn 11:47: "Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles."
The chief priestsOf the Sadducean party. This should be constantly kept in mind in reading both John's narrative and that of the Synoptists. The Sadducees, represented by the chief priests, are the leaders in the more decisive measures against Christ. Throughout this Gospel the form of expression is either the chief priests alone, or the chief priests and the Pharis…
calvinJohn 11:45-52: "Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him."
- Many therefore of the Jews, who had come to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 46. But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them what Jesus had done. 47. Then the chief priests and Pharisees assembled the council, and said, What do we? for this man doth many miracles. 48. If we let him go on thus, all will believe on him; and the Roma…
Their urgent question, "What are we to do?" isn't just about a lack of action; it's a stark admission that Jesus' powerful signs are causing a crisis they can't ignore. They are forced to confront the undeniable reality of His miracles, yet their immediate fear isn't about God's power, but their own loss of influence.
Fresh off the astonishing resurrection of Lazarus, the religious leaders are in a panic. Witnessing Jesus' power firsthand, many Jews are starting to believe, prompting the chief priests and Pharisees to convene an emergency council. Faced with this growing movement and Jesus' undeniable "many signs," they desperately ask, "What are we going to do?" because if they allow him to continue, their authority and nation are at stake.
Fresh off the astonishing resurrection of Lazarus, the religious leaders are in a panic. Witnessing Jesus' power firsthand, many Jews are starting to believe, prompting the chief priests and Pharisees to convene an emergency council. Faced with this growing movement and Jesus' undeniable "many signs," they desperately ask, "What are we going to do?" because if they allow him to continue, their authority and nation are at stake.
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A term often used in the New Testament to denote the physical Temple in Jerusalem or the holy city itself as the center of Jewish national and religious identity.
ethnos · Greek Noun
A distinct group of people bound by common history, law, and covenant relationship with God. In this context, it refers to the Jewish people as a political and spiritual entity.
c. 30 AD
Jesus Withdraws to Ephraim
Following the Sanhedrin's decision and sensing danger, Jesus withdraws with His disciples to a town called Ephraim, outside of Jerusalem, for a period.
c. 30 AD
The Plot Against Jesus Solidifies
The chief priests and Pharisees continue to conspire against Jesus, seeking a way to arrest and execute Him, ultimately leading to Judas Iscariot's betrayal.
"So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place…" — Their urgent question, "What are we to do?" isn't just about a lack of action; it's a stark admission that Jesus' powerful signs are causing a crisis they can't ignore. They are forced to confront th…
