#ScriptureReflection - John 11:45-57 (3.31.20)

Session of the Sanhedrin. ⁴⁵ Now many of the Jews who had come to Mary and seen what he had done began to believe in him. ⁴⁶ But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ So the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. ⁴⁸ If we leave him alone, all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our land and our nation.” ⁴⁹ But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing, ⁵⁰ nor do you consider that it is better for you that one man should die instead of the people, so that the whole nation may not perish.” ⁵¹ He did not say this on his own, but since he was high priest for that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, ⁵² and not only for the nation, but also to gather into one the dispersed children of God. ⁵³ So from that day on they planned to kill him.

⁵⁴ So Jesus no longer walked about in public among the Jews, but he left for the region near the desert, to a town called Ephraim, and there he remained with his disciples.

The Last Passover. ⁵⁵ Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before Passover to purify themselves. ⁵⁶ They looked for Jesus and said to one another as they were in the temple area, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast?” ⁵⁷ For the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should inform them, so that they might arrest him.

Source: NABRE (New American Bible - Revised Edition)