John 11:51

And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; AND (OR, 'NOW') THIS SPAKE HE NOT OF HIMSELF: BUT BEING HIGH PRIEST THAT YEAR, HE PROPHESIED THAT JESUS SHOULD DIE FOR THAT (OR RATHER, 'THE') NATION, [ tou (G3588) ethnous (G1484)];...

51._Now he spoke this, not of himself. _When the Evangelist says that Caiaphas _did not speak this of himself_, he does not mean that Caiaphas — like one who was mad, or out of his senses — uttered what he did not understand; for he spoke what was his own opinion. But the Evangelist means that a higher impulse guided his tongue, because God intended that he should make known, by his mouth, something higher than what occurred to his mind. _Caiaphas_, therefore, might be said, at that time, to have two tongues; for he vomited out the wicked and cruel design of putting Christ to death, which he had conceived in his mind; but God turned his tongue to a different purpose, so that, under ambiguous words, he likewise uttered a prediction. God intended that the heavenly oracle should proceed from the high priest’s seat, that the Jews might have less excuse. For, though not one person in the whol...

47-53 There can hardly be a more clear discovery of the madness that is in man's heart, and of its desperate enmity against God, than what is here recorded. Words of prophecy in the mouth, are not clear evidence of a principle of grace in the heart. The calamity we seek to escape by sin, we take the most effectual course to bring upon our own heads; as those do who think by opposing Christ's kingdom, to advance their own worldly interest. The fear of the wicked shall come upon them. The conversion of souls is the gathering of them to Christ as their ruler and refuge; and he died to effect this. By dying he purchased them to himself, and the gift of the Holy Ghost for them: his love in dying for believers should unite them closely together....

Verse 51. _THIS SPAKE HE NOT OF HIMSELF_] Wicked and worthless as he was, God so guided his tongue that, contrary to his intention, he pronounced a prophecy of the death of Jesus Christ. I have already remarked that the doctrine of a _vicarious_ _atonement_ had gained, long before this time, universal credit in the world. Words similar to these of Caiaphas are, by the prince of all the Roman poets, put in the mouth of _Neptune_, when promising _Venus_ that the fleet of _AEneas_ should be preserved, and his whole crew should be saved, _one_ only excepted, whose death he speaks of in these remarkable words:- "_Unum pro multis dabitar caput_." "One life shall fall, that many may be saved." Which victim the poet informs us was Palinurus, the pilot of _AEneas's_ own ship, who was precipitated into the deep by a _Divine_ influence. See VIRG. _AEn_. v. l

NOT OF HIMSELF - Though he uttered what proved to be a true prophecy, yet it was accomplished in a way which he did not intend He had a wicked design. He was plotting murder and crime. Yet, wicked as he was, and little as he intended it, God so ordered it that he delivered a most precious truth respecting the atonement. Remark: * God may fulfill the words of the wicked in a manner which they do not wish or intend. * He may make even their malice and wicked plots the very means of accomplishing his purposes. What they regard as the fulfillment of their plans God may make the fulfillment of his, yet so as directly to overthrow their designs, and prostrate them in ruin. * Sinners should tremble and be afraid when they lay plans against God, or seek to do unjustly to others. BEING HIGH PRIEST THAT YEAR - It is not to be supposed that Caiaphas was a true prophet, or was conscio

EXPOSITION JOHN 11:1 7. _Christ the Antagonist of death—a victory of love and power_._ _The narrative of this chapter is a further advance in the proof that the unbelief of the Jews was aggravated by the greatness of the revelation. The issue of his sublime and culminating act of power, of his supreme and self-revealing work of transcendent tenderness and beauty, was a deeper and wilder passion of hatred. The evangelist completes his series of seven great miracles with one that in true and believing minds, evokes a new sense of the glory of God. This great last sign corresponds with the first (John it.) by being enacted amid the domestic and family life of a small and insignificant town, and also by express reference to the veritable manifestation involved in it of the δόξα Θεοῦ, on which we have frequently commented. Baur

AND THIS SPAKE HE NOT OF HIMSELF,.... Not of his own devising and dictating, but by the Spirit of God; as a wicked man sometimes may, and as Balaam did; the Spirit of God dictated the words unto him, and put them into his mouth; nor did he use them in the sense, in which the Holy Ghost designed them: BUT BEING HIGH PRIEST THAT YEAR; by his office he was the oracle of God, and was so esteemed by the people, and therefore a proper person to be made use of in this way; and especially being high priest that year, in which the priesthood was to be changed, and vision and prophecy to be sealed up: HE PROPHESIED; though he did not know he did, as did Pharaoh, Exodus 10:28, and the people of the Jews, Matthew 27:25. That Jesus should die for that

Lazarus had been publicly raised from the dead. A great number of persons saw the miracle, and there was never any question about its having been wrought. John 11:45. _Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done._ We could hardly have conceived it possible that men would have been guilty of such conduct as this to post off to Christ's enemies, and lay it as an accusation against him, that he had raised a man from the dead. John 11:47. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall

JOHN 11:51 tou/ evniautou/ evkei,nou Through carelessness the scribes of î66 and D omit evkei,nou, doubtless because of confusion arising from the ending of the previous word. The whole expression “of that year” is omitted by î45 ite syrs, perhaps as redundant after ver. John 11:49....

CHAPTER 11 _ 1. The Sickness of Lazarus Announced. (John 11:1 .)_ 2. The Delayed Departure and the Death of Lazarus. (John 11:5 .) 3. The Arrival at Bethany. (John 11:17 .) 4. Weeping with Them That Weep. (John 11:28 .) 5. The Resurrection of Lazarus. (John 11:39 .) 6. The Prophecy of Caiaphas. (John 11:47 .) 7. Seeking to Kill Him. (John 11:53 .)...