John 11:48

48 If we leave him alone in this way, everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and blot out both our city and our nation."

John 11:48 Meaning and Commentary

John 11:48

If we let him thus alone
Going about from place to place, teaching the people, and doing such miracles:

all men will believe on him;
the whole nation will receive him as the Messiah, and proclaim him their king, and yield a cheerful obedience to all his commands:

the Romans will come;
against us, with their powerful armies; interpreting the setting him up as Messiah, to be an instance of rebellion against Caesar, and his government:

and take away both our place and nation;
that is, will destroy the temple, their holy place, the place of their religion and worship; and their city, the place of their habitation, and lay waste their country; and take away from them that little share of power and government they had, and strip them both of their civil and religious privileges: the Persic version renders it, "they will take away our place, and make a decree against our religion".

John 11:48 In-Context

46 though some of them went off to the Pharisees and told them what He had done.

47 Therefore the High Priests and the Pharisees held a meeting of the Sanhedrin. "What steps are we taking?" they asked one another; "for this man is performing a great number of miracles.

48 If we leave him alone in this way, everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and blot out both our city and our nation."

49 But one of them, named Caiaphas, being High Priest that year, said, "You know nothing about it.

50 You do not reflect that it is to your interest that one man should die for the people rather than the whole nation perish."