John 11 48

John 11:48 kjv

If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

John 11:48 nkjv

If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation."

John 11:48 niv

If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation."

John 11:48 esv

If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."

John 11:48 nlt

If we allow him to go on like this, soon everyone will believe in him. Then the Roman army will come and destroy both our Temple and our nation."

John 11 verses

John 11 48 Meaning

This verse describes the fearful and self-preserving reaction of the Jewish leaders to Jesus' signs, specifically the resurrection of Lazarus. They recognized that if Jesus continued performing such miracles, the Roman authorities would intervene and dismantle their nation, leading to the loss of their own influence and control. Their primary concern was national security and their religious-political status quo, rather than embracing Jesus as the Messiah or acknowledging God's power.

John 11 48 Context

This verse occurs in John chapter 11, which details Jesus' raising of Lazarus from the dead. This miracle was so profound that it convinced many witnesses of Jesus' divine power, causing them to believe in Him. However, this widespread belief and the public display of Jesus' authority caused significant alarm among the Jewish religious and political leadership (the chief priests and Pharisees). They were not focused on the truth of the resurrection but on the implications for their own power and the nation. Historically, Rome allowed Jewish leaders considerable autonomy as long as there was no major upheaval or challenge to Roman rule. Jesus' growing popularity and miracles threatened this delicate balance. The leaders feared that Jesus' popularity would provoke a Roman crackdown, leading to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, and the end of their authority. John records this as a crucial turning point where the leadership formally decided to oppose and seek to kill Jesus, not out of reasoned theological disagreement, but out of fear for their nation and their own positions.

John 11 48 Word Analysis

• "And" (Καὶ - Kai): A simple conjunctive particle, linking this verse to the previous actions and pronouncements of the leaders.
• "we" (ἡμεῖς - hēmeis): Refers to the collective leadership body, signifying a shared decision and responsibility.
• "must" (ὀφείλομεν - opheilomen): From ὀφείλω (opheilō), meaning "to owe," "ought," "must." Implies a moral obligation or a perceived necessity due to their position and circumstances. It suggests an unavoidable course of action in their judgment.
• "do" (ποιῶμεν - poiōmen): The present subjunctive of ποιέω (poieō), meaning "to do," "to make." It denotes an ongoing action or a decision regarding a course of action.
• "nothing" (οὐδὲν - ouden): Not anything; nothing at all. They believed that doing nothing was not an option given the perceived threat.
• "that" (ὅτι - hoti): A conjunction introducing the reason for their imperative need to act.
• "this" (οὗτος - houtos): Refers specifically to Jesus.
• "man" (ἄνθρωπος - anthropos): A human being; man. Emphasizes Jesus' humanity in their view, overlooking or denying His divine nature, a common tactic to diminish His authority.
• "work" (ποιῇ - poiē): Subjunctive of ποιέω (poieō). It refers to Jesus' actions or deeds, specifically the signs and miracles He performed.
• "so" (οὕτως - houtōs): In this manner; thus.
• "many" (πολλά - polla): Numerous. Refers to the great number of signs.
• "signs" (σημεῖα - sēmeia): Miracles, wonders, signs pointing to a divine origin or purpose. The "signs" are the evidence they cannot deny, but will misinterpret.
• "many" (πολλοὺς - pollous): The accusative plural masculine of πολύς (polys), meaning "many." Refers to the multitude of people witnessing and believing the signs.
• "And" (καὶ - kai): Connects the previous statement to the ensuing consequence.
• "the" (οἱ - hoi): The definite article.
• "Romans" (Ῥωμαῖοι - Rhōmaioi): The Romans, the ruling empire.
• "will" (ἔρχονται - erchontai): The present indicative of ἔρχομαι (erchomai), "to come." Used here in a periphrastic sense to express future action: "will come."
• "and" (καὶ - kai): Conjunction.
• "take" (αἴρουσιν - airousin): The present indicative of αἴρω (airō), "to take," "lift up," "remove." Here, it implies removing or taking away.
• "away" (αὐτῶν - autōn): Their; of them. Possessive pronoun referring to the "place" (τόπον - topon).
• "our" (ἡμῖν - hēmin): To us, or for us. The dative case indicating for whose benefit or to whom something belongs.
• "place" (τόπον - topon): Place, spot, site. Refers to their location in Judea and specifically to the Temple.
• "and" (καὶ - kai): Conjunction.
• "nation" (τὸ ἔθνος - to ethnos): The nation, the people. Refers to the Jewish people as a whole.

Word-Group Analysis:

• "we must do nothing" (οὐδὲν ὀφείλομεν ποιεῖν - ouden opheilomen poiein): This stark phrase highlights their perceived impotence or the overwhelming nature of the problem, leading them to a fatalistic yet action-oriented conclusion: they had to do something.
• "this man work so many signs": A clear acknowledgment of Jesus' power, yet framed with distance ("this man") and potentially dismissiveness regarding the divine source.
• "the Romans will come and take away our place and our nation": This expresses their profound political fear. "Place" likely refers to Jerusalem, the Temple, and their religious authority; "nation" refers to their national existence and sovereignty. This was their primary geopolitical and theological concern, overshadowing the implications of Jesus' identity.

John 11 48 Bonus Section

The word "place" (τόπον - topon) carries a nuanced meaning here. While it could refer simply to the physical location of Judea or Jerusalem, in the context of the religious elite, it strongly implies their institutional "place"—their authority, their roles in the Temple hierarchy, and their societal standing. The "nation" (τὸ ἔθνος - to ethnos) encompasses the people of Israel and their unique covenant relationship with God. Their fear was that Jesus' actions would trigger a response from Rome that would not only displace them physically but also destroy the very fabric of their religious and national identity as they knew it. This fear is not entirely unfounded given Roman history, but it leads them to reject divine intervention by mistaking its agent.

John 11 48 Commentary

The leadership's pronouncement is one of strategic, albeit self-serving, pragmatism. They correctly perceive Jesus’ burgeoning influence as a threat, not to truth or God’s will directly, but to their national and political stability under Roman rule. Caiaphas’ chillingly prophetic statement in the following verse (John 11:50) articulates their "logic": sacrificing Jesus for the perceived greater good of the nation. This highlights the stark contrast between spiritual leadership and political expediency. Their fear drives them to seek the elimination of the catalyst (Jesus) to preserve their existing order, a response seen throughout history when powerful institutions feel threatened by a force challenging their status quo. Their concern for "place" and "nation" supersedes any honest examination of Jesus' signs. It underscores how self-preservation and maintaining worldly power can corrupt spiritual responsibility, leading to a perversion of justice and truth. This decision marks a critical point leading directly to the crucifixion.