John 11:49,50

John 11:49-50. But a certain one of them, named Caiaphas, being high priest of that year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is profitable for you that one man should die for the people, and the whole nation perish not. Caiaphas was a Sadducee, a powerful and crafty man. He was high priest for about eighteen years (A.D. 18 - 36), but is here spoken of by the Evangelist (as in chap. John 18:13) as being ‘high priest of that year.' This remarkable expression has no reference to the high priest's precarious tenure of office in those times (as many as 25 high priests are enumerated in the century preceding the destruction of Jerusalem); nor is there the smallest pretence for attributing to the Evangelist a historical mistake (such as a belief that the office was annual!). The simple meaning is that Caiaphas was high priest in that memorable year, in which the true sacrifice for the sins of the people was offered, by that death of which the high priest unconsciously prophesied, and in causing which moreover he was in great measure the instrument. The first words spoken by Caiaphas are in their brusque haughtiness characteristic of the sect to which he belonged. His whole address to the Pharisees is marked by heartless selfishness.

‘If we let him alone we shall be brought to ruin,' the Pharisees had said: ‘Save yourselves and let Him perish,' is the uncompromising answer of this high priest. He seems to use two very different words in the same sense: ‘people' was the name of Israel in its theocratic aspect, ‘nation' (the word the Pharisees had used) was a term common to Israel with all other peoples of the world. ‘People' is a name which the Sanhedrists would use in reference to their own rule; ‘nation' is that which the Romans would attack and destroy. The further significance of his language will afterwards appear (see note on the next verse). Unscrupulous and utterly unjust as this counsel was, it was politic and crafty. It will commend them to the Romans if they can show themselves willing to destroy any one of whom it may be even pretended that he seeks to disturb their rule.