Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 11:50
Verse 50. Nor consider] Ye talk more at random than according to reason, and the exigencies of the case. There is a various reading here in some MSS. that should be noticed. Instead of oude dialogizesqe, which we translate, ye do not consider, and which properly conveys the idea of conferring, or talking together, oude logizesqe, neither do ye reason or consider rightly, is the reading of ABDL, three others, and some of the primitive fathers. Griesbach, by placing it in his inner margin, shows that he thinks it bids fair to be the true reading. Dr. White thinks that this reading is equal, and probably preferable, to that in the text: Lectio aequalis, forsitan praeferenda receptae. That one man should die for the people] In saying these remarkable words, Caiaphas had no other intention than merely to state that it was better to put Jesus to death than to expose the whole nation to ruin on his account. His maxim was, it is better to sacrifice one man than a whole nation. In politics nothing could be more just than this; but there are two words to be spoken to it: First, The religion of God says, we must not do evil that good may come: Rom. iii. 8. Secondly, It is not certain that Christ will be acknowledged as king by all the people; nor that he will make any insurrection against the Romans; nor that the Romans will, on his account, ruin the temple, the city, and the nation. This Caiaphas should have considered. A person should be always sure of his premises before he attempts to draw any conclusion from them. See Calmet. This saying was proverbial among the Jews: see several instances of it in Schoettgen.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 50. Nor consider that it is expedient for us , etc.] Priests, Levites, Pharisees, the sanhedrim, and ecclesiastical rulers of the people; who, as Caiaphas apprehended, must suffer in their characters and revenues, must quit their honourable and gainful posts and places, if Jesus went on and succeeded at this rate: wherefore it was most expedient and advantageous for them, which was the main thing to be considered in such a council, so he thought it was, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not ; he proceeded entirely upon this political principle, that a public good ought to be preferred to a private one; that it was no matter what the man was, whether innocent or not; common prudence, and the public safety of the nation, required him to fall a sacrifice, rather than the Romans should be exasperated and provoked to such a degree, as to threaten the utter ruin and destruction of the whole nation.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 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 her recorded. Words of prophecy in the mouth, are not clear evidence of 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 thos do who think by opposing Christ's kingdom, to advance their own worldl interest. The fear of the wicked shall come upon them. The conversio 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, an the gift of the Holy Ghost for them: his love in dying for believer should unite them closely together.
Greek Textus Receptus
ουδε 3761 ADV διαλογιζεσθε 1260 5736 V-PNI-2P οτι 3754 CONJ συμφερει 4851 5719 V-PAI-3S ημιν 2254 P-1DP ινα 2443 CONJ εις 1520 A-NSM ανθρωπος 444 N-NSM αποθανη 599 5632 V-2AAS-3S υπερ 5228 PREP του 3588 T-GSM λαου 2992 N-GSM και 2532 CONJ μη 3361 PRT-N ολον 3650 A-NSN το 3588 T-NSN εθνος 1484 N-NSN αποληται 622 5643 V-2AMS-3S
Vincent's NT Word Studies
50. People - nation (tou laou - to eqnov). The former the theocratic nation, the people of God: the latter, the body politic. See on 1 Pet. ii. 9.
