John 11:57

Now both the chief priests, &c. Omit -both." The word is wanting in authority, and even if it were genuine it would not mean -both" but -moreover." The verse explains why the people doubted His coming to the feast. Note that once more the Sadducaean hierarchy takes the lead. Comp. John 11:47; John 12:10; John 18:3; John 18:35; John 19:6; John 19:15; John 19:21. In the history of the Passion the Pharisees are mentioned only once (Matthew 27:62), and then, as here, after the chief priests.

a commandment The better reading is, commands, which has been made singular because only one command is mentioned. Comp. our phrase -to give orders."

that Literally, in order that(see on John 11:50).

"We are not told how long our Lord stayed at Ephraim. If we are to put faith in the tradition in the Talmud, and in the inferences which Dr Caspari draws from it, an actual verdict of death was passed at the recent meeting of the Sanhedrin, and was only waiting for its execution until an opportunity offered, and the legal period for the production of witnesses in the defence had expired. This would make the interval between the retreat to Ephraim and the Passover coincide more or less nearly with the forty days allowed. The data, however, are not such as we can build on confidently." S. p. 191. So that once more we have an interval of uncertain amount. See the introductory note to chapter 6 and the note on John 6:1.