And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The rulers weren't just looking for a way to kill Jesus; they were actively seeking a method that wouldn't backfire. Their fear of the people meant they had to strategize how to execute their deadly plot without sparking a riot and risking their own safety.
And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Passover feast is rapidly approaching, and the religious leaders, particularly the chief priests and scribes, have firmly decided they must eliminate Jesus. They've been planning this for some time, especially after his popularity surged, but are now actively strategizing how to do it without causing a riot among the adoring crowds who see him as a prophet. Their fear of public backlash is the main obstacle to their murderous intent.
Why would powerful leaders fear the very people they governed? Jesus's popularity presented a unique problem for his enemies.
The chief priests and scribes were actively plotting to kill Jesus, but they couldn't just arrest him openly. The huge crowds loved Jesus, seeing him as a prophet and a hero. They had just welcomed him into Jerusalem with cheers, and the city was packed with pilgrims for Passover.
Imagine the scene: the rulers knew that if they tried to seize Jesus in broad daylight, the people might riot, rescue him, or even turn on the religious leaders themselves. This fear of public backlash forced them to 'seek how'—to carefully plan and strategize—for a more clandestine way to get rid of Jesus. Their power relied on maintaining order, and Jesus's popularity was a direct threat to that.
Beyond the fear of the crowds, what was the driving force behind the plot to kill Jesus?
While the fear of the people was the immediate obstacle, the deep-seated hatred of Jesus by the religious establishment was the ultimate cause of the plot. For years, Jesus had challenged their authority, exposed their hypocrisy, and gained a following that threatened their power and control.
The raising of Lazarus, in particular, seems to have been a final straw, confirming to the leaders that Jesus's influence was growing too powerful to ignore. They had 'long maturing' hostility, now escalating into a direct conspiracy. They weren't just looking for an excuse; they were actively 'seeking' a method to carry out a death sentence they had already essentially passed.
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Understand the original words
archiereus · Greek Noun
The leading religious and political authorities in Jerusalem, consisting of the high priest and heads of priestly families, responsible for the temple administration and the Sanhedrin.
grammateus · Greek Noun
Experts in the Mosaic Law who were responsible for interpreting, copying, and teaching the Scriptures to the people.
The religious leaders' fear of the people's reaction highlights how Jesus' popularity among the masses made direct confrontation politically dangerous for them, forcing them to seek a 'quiet' and 'stealthy' way to achieve their murderous goals.
c. AD 30
Jesus' public ministry intensifies
Following events like the raising of Lazarus, Jesus' popularity soars, drawing large crowds and increasing the anxieties of the religious elite.
c. AD 30, shortly before Passover
Jesus publicly enters Jerusalem
Jesus makes a triumphant entry into Jerusalem, hailed by crowds. This public demonstration further fuels the rulers' determination to arrest Him.
c. AD 30, Tuesday evening before Passover— this verse
Sanhedrin plots Jesus' death
The chief priests, scribes, and elders meet at Caiaphas' palace, formally resolving to kill Jesus but seeking a covert method to avoid public outcry during the festival.
c. AD 30, Wednesday
Judas Iscariot makes his pact
Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus' disciples, approaches the chief priests and agrees to betray Jesus for silver, setting the stage for the arrest.
c. AD 30, Thursday night
The Last Supper
Jesus shares a final meal with His disciples, instituting the Lord's Supper and predicting His betrayal and denial.
c. AD 30, Thursday night/Friday morning
Jesus' arrest and trial
Jesus is betrayed by Judas, arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, and subjected to a series of trials before the Jewish and Roman authorities.
This passage shows the Sanhedrin's deep-seated plot to kill Jesus, motivated by fear of His growing influence and the potential disruption He could cause to their nation, mirroring the fear of the people mentioned in Luke 22:2.
Matthew 26:3-5This passage directly describes the same meeting where the chief priests and scribes conspired to arrest and kill Jesus, specifically mentioning their concern about causing a disturbance among the Passover crowds, which is the precise fear noted in Luke 22:2.
Acts 4:1-2This passage shows the same religious leaders, filled with jealousy, arresting Peter and John and later confronting them, demonstrating their ongoing fear and opposition to the spread of Jesus' message and the influence of His followers, a continuation of the sentiment in Luke 22:2.
John 7:10-13This passage illustrates the public's high regard for Jesus during a festival, and the rulers' fear of speaking openly against Him due to this popularity, providing context for why they feared the people in Luke 22:2.
clarkeLuke 22:2: "And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people."
They feared the people - The great mass of the people seem to have been convinced that Christ was at least a prophet sent from God; and it is likely they kept steady in their attachment to him. The multitude, who are represented as clamouring for his blood at the crucifixion, appear to have been a mere mob, formed out of the creatures of the chief priests and Pharisees.
pulpitLuke 22:2: "And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people."
Verse 2. - And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. The determination, long maturing, had, during the last few days of public teaching, been come to on the part of the Sanhedrin. They had determined to put the dangerous public Teacher to death. The bitter hatred on the part of the Jewish rulers had been gradually growing in intensity dur…
The rulers weren't just looking for a way to kill Jesus; they were actively seeking a method that wouldn't backfire. Their fear of the people meant they had to strategize how to execute their deadly plot without sparking a riot and risking their own safety.
The Passover feast is rapidly approaching, and the religious leaders, particularly the chief priests and scribes, have firmly decided they must eliminate Jesus. They've been planning this for some time, especially after his popularity surged, but are now actively strategizing how to do it without causing a riot among the adoring crowds who see him as a prophet. Their fear of public backlash is the main obstacle to their murderous intent.
The Passover feast is rapidly approaching, and the religious leaders, particularly the chief priests and scribes, have firmly decided they must eliminate Jesus. They've been planning this for some time, especially after his popularity surged, but are now actively strategizing how to do it without causing a riot among the adoring crowds who see him as a prophet. Their fear of public backlash is the main obstacle to their murderous intent.
"And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people." — The rulers weren't just looking for a way to kill Jesus; they were actively seeking a method that wouldn't backfire. Their fear of the people meant they had to strategize how to execute their dea…
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Last reviewed October 2026