John 11:52

52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.

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John 11:52 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
English Standard Version (ESV)
52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.
New Living Translation (NLT)
52 And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world.
The Message Bible (MSG)
52 and not only for the nation but so that all God's exile-scattered children might be gathered together into one people.
American Standard Version (ASV)
52 and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God that are scattered abroad.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
52 He prophesied that Jesus wouldn't die merely for this nation, but that Jesus would die to bring God's scattered children together and make them one.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
52 and not for the nation only, but also to unite the scattered children of God.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
52 He also prophesied that Jesus would die for God's children scattered everywhere. He would die to bring them together and make them one.

John 11:52 Meaning and Commentary

John 11:52

And not for that nation only
For though Christ, as prophet, was sent to the Jews only, and was the minister of the circumcision, yet as a priest he did not die for them only, but for the Gentiles also; even for the whole mystical Israel of God all the world over, whether among Jews or Gentiles; see ( 1 John 2:2 ) .

But that also he should gather together in one, the children of God
that were scattered abroad;
by which may be meant, not only the elect of God among the Jews, who were scattered amidst the nations of the world, for whom Christ died, and to whom the Gospel was in the first place sent, and who were gathered together into a Gospel church state; see ( John 7:35 ) ( 1 Peter 1:1 1 Peter 1:2 ) ( James 1:1 ) ; but rather the elect of God among the Gentiles, called "the children of God", in opposition to a notion of the Jews, who took this character to themselves, on account of their national adoption, and denied it to the Gentiles, reckoning them no other than as dogs; and because they were the children of God by special adoption, in divine, predestination, and in the covenant of grace; and were so considered, when given to Christ, who looked upon them as in this relation, when he assumed their nature, and died in their room and stead; and not merely because they would hereafter appear to be the children of God in regeneration, and by faith in Christ Jesus, and have the witnessings of the Spirit that they were so; and much less because they had a fitness and disposition to be the children of God, since they were by nature as others, children of wrath: and these are said to be "scattered abroad", both from God, as they were by the fall, and by their own transgressions; which separated between God and them, and set them at a distance from him; for in their nature head, and nature state, they are afar off from him, and from one another; which may regard not only distance of place, being scattered about in the several parts of the world, but their disagreement in mind and judgment, in religion and manners; every one pursuing his own way, going astray like lost sheep: now Christ died for them, in order to bring them nigh to God, to the one true and living God; and to gather them together under one head, himself, their common head; by whom they were represented in his crucifixion, burial, and resurrection; and to make them one body, and bring them into one fold, into one church state here, and at last to one place, to heaven, there to be for ever with him; and so the Persic version renders it, "that he might gather them into one place": and in this, the red heifer was a type of Christ; whose blood was sprinkled directly before the tabernacle of the congregation, and without the camp; and which was done, as a Jewish writer says F17,

``to call to mind the design of the heifer, which was to bring (Myqxwrmh) , "those that were afar off", from the camp of the Shekinah, to be near unto it.''


FOOTNOTES:

F17 Abarbinel in Lev. xix. 3, 4.

John 11:52 In-Context

50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation,
52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.
53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.

Cross References 1

  • 1. Isaiah 49:6; John 10:16
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