John 11:55
Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This isn't just about people getting ready for a holiday; it highlights that many travelers needed to perform specific purification rituals, sometimes taking days, before they could officially participate in the Passover. This implies a deeper awareness of ritual cleanliness among ordinary people than we might assume, and it sets the stage for the massive crowds Jesus would soon encounter.
Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead, a powerful miracle that prompts the religious leaders to plot his execution. In response, Jesus withdraws to the region near the wilderness, staying with his disciples. As the crucial Passover festival approaches, crowds of people travel to Jerusalem to prepare themselves for this important feast, seeking Jesus and wondering if he will attend.
Imagine crowds flooding into Jerusalem, not just for the festival itself, but for days leading up to it. What were they doing?
The verse tells us that the Passover was near, and many people traveled to Jerusalem 'to purify themselves.' This wasn't a casual practice. Under the Law, ceremonial cleanness was vital for participating in this most important feast. While the Law didn't mandate a specific purification before Passover, the principle of appearing before God pure was paramount.
Why the Rush to Cleanse?
Jesus has retreated to Ephraim, but Jerusalem is starting to hum with activity. What does this influx of people mean for Jesus?
This verse paints a picture of Jerusalem swelling with pilgrims long before the Passover feast officially begins. People are arriving from 'the country' – not just the immediate region, but from all over the land and beyond.
The Significance of the Gathering:
Understand the original words
pascha · Greek Noun
The annual Jewish festival commemorating God’s deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, marked by the sacrifice of a lamb; it prefigures the sacrifice of Christ, the true Passover Lamb.
hagnizō · Greek Verb
The act of becoming ritually or morally clean before God through prescribed rites, repentance, or the application of the blood of a sacrifice.
This verse places Jesus's ministry within the crucial context of the Passover pilgrimage, highlighting both the religious fervor of the people and the dangerous political climate that would soon lead to Jesus's crucifixion.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus Retreats to Ephraim
Following the attempted stoning in Jerusalem and the raising of Lazarus, Jesus withdraws with his disciples to the town of Ephraim near the wilderness to avoid immediate danger.
c. AD 30
Passover Feast Approaches
The annual Passover festival, a central event in Jewish life, is drawing near. This feast commemorates the liberation of Israelites from slavery in Egypt.
c. AD 30
Pilgrims Travel to Jerusalem
Thousands of Jewish pilgrims from all over the land begin their journey to Jerusalem to participate in the Passover celebrations and observe its rituals.
c. AD 30
Purification Rituals Undertaken
Many pilgrims arrive in Jerusalem days before the Passover begins to undergo necessary purification rites, ensuring they are ceremonially clean to partake in the feast.
This passage details God's command for Israel to consecrate themselves and wash their clothes before His appearance, establishing the principle of purification for approaching the divine that many pilgrims followed before Passover.
2 Chronicles 30:17-18This account shows a similar situation where many were not properly purified before Passover but were accepted due to Hezekiah's prayer, highlighting the importance of the purification rituals that many in John's Gospel were seeking to fulfill.
Numbers 9:10This verse describes the provision for those who were ceremonially unclean or traveling at the time of the Passover, indicating that purification was a significant concern and a regulated aspect of the feast.
John 12:1This verse immediately follows, showing Jesus arriving in Bethany six days before the Passover, underscoring the timing of His arrival amidst the crowds who had come up to Jerusalem for the festival.
Acts 21:24This passage describes Paul undergoing purification rituals in the temple, demonstrating that purification practices continued to be observed by Jews even in the first century, aligning with the actions of the pilgrims in John 11:55.
bensonJohn 11:55: "And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves."
John 11:55-57 . And — Soon after this; the Jews’ passover was nigh — The last passover that Christ attended; and many — From all parts of the country; went up to Jerusalem — Some little time before the commencement of the feast; to purify themselves — By certain preparatory sacrifices and ceremonies, that they might be ready to eat the passover. Thos…
meyerJohn 11:55: "And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves."
John 11:55 . Ἦν δὲ ἐγγ . τ . πάσχα τ . Ἰ .] Comp. John 2:13 , John 6:4 . ἐκ τῆς χώρας ] as in John 11:45 ,—accordingly: out of the country (as opposed to Jerusalem), not: out of that district (Grotius, Bengel, Olshausen). ἵνα ἁγνίσ . ἑαυτ .] refers to the legal usages of self-purification, which varied greatly according to the degrees of the Levitica…
This isn't just about people getting ready for a holiday; it highlights that many travelers needed to perform specific purification rituals, sometimes taking days, before they could officially participate in the Passover. This implies a deeper awareness of ritual cleanliness among ordinary people than we might assume, and it sets the stage for the massive crowds Jesus would soon encounter.
Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead, a powerful miracle that prompts the religious leaders to plot his execution. In response, Jesus withdraws to the region near the wilderness, staying with his disciples. As the crucial Passover festival approaches, crowds of people travel to Jerusalem to prepare themselves for this important feast, seeking Jesus and wondering if he will attend.
Jesus has just raised Lazarus from the dead, a powerful miracle that prompts the religious leaders to plot his execution. In response, Jesus withdraws to the region near the wilderness, staying with his disciples. As the crucial Passover festival approaches, crowds of people travel to Jerusalem to prepare themselves for this important feast, seeking Jesus and wondering if he will attend.
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c. AD 30
Jesus Arrives in Bethany
Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrives in Bethany, near Jerusalem, and then proceeds to Jerusalem itself, drawing significant attention.
c. AD 30
Chief Priests and Pharisees Plot
Aware of Jesus's presence and fearing his influence, the religious authorities intensify their efforts to capture and execute him, issuing orders for his apprehension.
"Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves." — This isn't just about people getting ready for a holiday; it highlights that many travelers needed to perform specific purification rituals, sometimes taking days, before they could officially partic…
