JOHN 11:48 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
“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.”
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' — the leaders' concern is ostensibly religious (everyone will believe) but fundamentally political: they fear Roman intervention and loss of their national and religious autonomy. The raising of Lazarus has apparently increased Jesus' popular following to the point where it poses a perceived political threat. Their reasoning is ironic: their action to prevent Roman intervention will actually precipitate it (as occurred in 70 CE).
Church Fathers on John 11:48
Such a miracle as this should have drawn forth wonder and praise. But they make it a reason of plotting against His life: Then gathered the chief priests and, Pharisees a council, and said, What do we?
But they had no thought of believing. The miserable men only consulted how they might hurt and kill Him, not how themselves might be saved from death. What do we? For this Man does many miracles.
Him of whose divinity they had received such certain proofs, they call only a man.
Read all 19 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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