If we let him alone so, all will believe in him; and the Romans will come, and take away our place and nation.

“(t. xxviii. c. 11.) This speech is an evidence of their audacity and blindness: of their audacity, because they testified that He had done many miracles, and yet thought that they could contend successfully against Him, and that He would have no power of withstanding their plots; of their blindness, because they did not reflect that He who had wrought such miracles could easily escape out of their hands; unless indeed they denied that these miracles were done by Divine power. They resolved then not to let Him go; thinking that they should thus place an impediment in the way of those who wished to believe in Him, and also prevent the Romans from taking away their place and nation. 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.”

“(Hom. lxiv. 3) They say this to alarm the people; as if they were incurring the suspicion of setting up an usurper. If, say they, the Romans in crowds follow Him, they will suspect us of setting up a tyranny, and will destroy our state. But this was wholly a fiction of their own. For what was the fact? Did He take armed men about with Him, did He go with horsemen in His train? Did He not rather choose desert places to go to? However, that they might not be suspected of consulting only their own interests, they declare the whole state is in danger.”

“(Tr. xlix. 26) Or, they were afraid that, if all believed in Christ, none would remain to defend the city of God and the temple against the Romans: since they thought that Christ’s teaching was directed against the temple, and their laws. They were afraid of losing temporal things, and thought not of eternal life; and thus they lost both. For the Romans, after our Lord had suffered and was glorified, did come and take away their place and nation, reducing the one by siege, and dispersing the other.”

“After the Evangelist has set down the death of Lazarus and his resurrection, here he consequently sets down the effect of the resurrection; and first he sets down its effect in the crowd; second he sets down its effect in the princes, at the place, "Therefore the chief priests and Pharisees gathered a council." Concerning the first he does two things. First he brings in certain ones believing, saying, "Many therefore of the Jews who had come to Mary and Martha," to console them, "and had seen the things that Jesus did, believed in him." Nor is it to be wondered at, because such a miracle had not been heard of from the beginning of the world, namely that a dead man of four days in the tomb should be raised again to life. Likewise also the Lord says that he would work this miracle on account of the people standing around, namely so that they might believe in him: and therefore that word did not go out in vain, but from the miracle seen many believed. 1 Corinthians 1:22: "The Jews seek signs." Second he brings in certain ones denouncing, saying, "But certain of them went to the Pharisees," and so on. This indeed can be understood in two ways. In one way, that they told the chief priests the things Jesus had done in order to mollify them against Jesus, and in order to refute them concerning this, that they were plotting against Jesus, who was doing such wondrous things. In another way, and better, that they said this in order to incite them against Christ. For they were unbelieving, and were scandalized by the miracle. And this is clear from the very manner of speaking. For when he had said, "Many therefore of the Jews... believed in him," he subjoins something as though opposed, saying, "But certain of them went away to the Pharisees," and so on. These are the ones of whom it is said below, at John 12:37, that although Jesus had done such great signs before them, "they did not believe in him... for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God." Consequently, when he says, "Therefore the chief priests and Pharisees gathered a council," the Evangelist sets down the effect of the miracle in the princes, and first he sets down the malice which they devised against Christ; second he shows how Christ avoided it, at the place, "Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews." Concerning the first he does three things. First he sets down the gathering of the council; second he adds the doubt of those gathered, at the place, "and they said: What do we do, for this man does many signs?" Third he assigns the settling of the doubt, at the place, "But one of them," and so on. Now concerning the first, the wickedness of the chief priests is shown from three things. First from the condition of the persons, because they were not common people, but chief priests and Pharisees. Chief priests, moreover, because they were the princes of sacred matters; but Pharisees, because they had the appearance of religion, so that thus what is said in Genesis 49:5 might be fulfilled: "Simeon and Levi, brothers, vessels of iniquity waging war." For from Simeon came the inventors of the sect of the Pharisees. But the chief priests, it is clear, were of the tribe of Levi; 1 Esdras 9:2: "The hand of the princes was first in this transgression." Second, from the deliberation of malice; hence he says "they gathered a council," which is done for taking counsel; Genesis 49:6: "Let my soul not enter into their council"; Psalm 1:1: "Blessed is the man who has not gone in the counsel of the impious," and so on. But, as is said in Proverbs 21:30: "There is no counsel against the Lord." Third, from the depraved intention, because it was against Jesus, that is, against the Savior; Psalm 40:8: "Against me my enemies spoke, against me they devised evils for me"; Jeremiah 18:18: "Come, let us devise devices against Jeremiah." Consequently, when he says, "What do we do, for this man does many signs?" he sets down their doubt, and first he sets down the motive of the doubt; second the matter of the doubt, at the place, "If we let him alone thus, all will believe in him." Now what was moving them to doubt was the miracles of Christ; hence they said, "What do we do, for this man does many signs?" They are blind, still calling him a man, of whom they had received so great a demonstration of divinity. For, as he himself says above, at chapter 5:36: "The works which the Father has given me to accomplish, these give testimony of me." They are also no less foolish than blind: because they are in doubt as to what they ought to do, when nothing else was required of them but to believe; above, at 6:30: "What sign do you do, that we may believe you?" But behold, he has done many signs, and still they say that "this man does many signs." For "their own malice blinded them," Wisdom 2:21. But the matter of the doubt was that they feared the losses that would follow upon them. And he sets down two things as to this. First, the loss of spiritual primacy; and as to this he says, "If we let him alone thus, all will believe in him": which indeed, according to the truth of the matter, was something desirable for all, for the faith that is directed to Christ both saves and leads to eternal life; below, at 20:31: "These things are written that you may believe... and that believing you may have life in his name." But as to their depraved intention it seemed horrible to them, since, if they believed, none of those who believed in Christ would obey them. Hence out of their ambition they draw back both themselves and others from salvation. Hence it is said in the third canonical letter of John: "He who loves to hold the primacy among them, Diotrephes, does not receive us." Second, he sets down the ambition of temporal possession, when he says, "and the Romans will come, and take away our place and nation": which seems to follow from this, according to Augustine, because if all believed in Christ, no one would remain to defend the temple of God against the Romans, since they would abandon the holy temple and their paternal laws, against which they perceived the teaching of Christ to be. But this does not seem to pertain very much to the matter proposed, since they were still serving the Romans, nor had they devised to move war against them. And therefore it seems better to say, according to Chrysostom, that they said this because they saw Christ being honored by the people as a king. And because it was a command of the Romans that no one should be named king except through them, they therefore feared that if the Romans should hear this, that they had Christ as a king, they would reckon the Jews themselves rebellious and rising up against them, and would destroy their city and nation; below, at 19:12: "Everyone who makes himself a king contradicts Caesar." But observe their wretchedness, for they fear to lose nothing except temporal things, taking no thought for eternal life; Deuteronomy 33:28: "The eye of Jacob is toward the earth." But, as is said in Proverbs 16:24, "what the impious man fears will come upon him." Therefore the Romans, after the passion of the Lord and his glorification, took from them both their place and their nation, by conquering and transferring them. He sets down, however, the settling of the doubt, when he says, "But one of them, Caiaphas by name, being the high priest of that year, said to them." And first the settlement is set down; second the exposition of the settlement, at the place, "This he did not say of himself"; third the acceptance of the sentence by the assembly, at the place, "From that day therefore they devised to put him to death." Concerning the first he does two things. First he describes the person of the one giving the sentence; second he sets down the words of the sentence, at the place, "You know nothing," and so on. The person giving the sentence is described from his name and from his dignity. From his name indeed, because he is Caiaphas, which name indeed suits his malice. For it is interpreted, first, as "one who investigates," which attests to his presumption; Proverbs 25:27: "He who is a searcher of majesty shall be overwhelmed by glory." For he presumed when he said: "I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us if you are the Christ." Second, it is interpreted as "shrewd," which attests to his cunning, because he strives to procure the death of Christ. Third, it is interpreted as "vomiting from the mouth," which attests to his folly; Proverbs 26:11: "As a dog that returns to its vomit." From his dignity, however, he is described, because he was "the high priest of that year." Concerning which it must be known that, as is found in Leviticus 8, the Lord established one high priest, whom, when he died, one would succeed, who would exercise the office of high priest for his whole life. Afterward, however, as ambition and contention grew among the Jews, it was established that there should be several high priests, and that this dignity should come to all of them in turn, and that they should minister by turns for individual years. And sometimes they even procured this for themselves by money, as Josephus relates concerning this. And to show this he says "of that year." Consequently, when he says, "You know nothing," and so on, he sets down the words of the one settling the matter: who indeed first reproaches the others for their sluggishness, saying, "You know nothing, nor do you consider," as if he were saying: you are sluggish, and still you attend to the matter too slowly. And therefore, second, he sets down his own malice, saying, "It is expedient for you that one man should die for the people." These words indeed have one meaning according to Caiaphas's intention, and another according to the Evangelist's exposition. So then, that it may first be explained according to his depraved intention, it must be known that, as is said in Deuteronomy 13:1ff., it is the command of the Lord: "If there shall be in the midst of you a prophet, or one who says he has seen a dream, and he shall wish to draw you back from the Lord, that prophet, as a fabricator of dreams, shall be put to death." According to this law, therefore, this man believed that Christ was turning the people away from the worship of God; Luke 23:2: "We have found this man subverting our nation." And therefore he said, "You know nothing," namely the law, "nor do you consider that it is expedient for you," namely that "one," that is, this man, "should die," lest the whole people be led astray; as if he were saying: the well-being of one man ought to be counted as nothing for the sake of the common commonwealth. Hence there follows, at Deuteronomy 13:5: "and you shall take away the evil from the midst of your people"; 1 Corinthians 5:13: "take away the evil from among yourselves." But the Evangelist explains it otherwise, saying, "But this he did not say of himself," and so on. Here he sets down three things. First, the author of these words; second, their right sense, at the place, "because Jesus was to die for the nation"; third, the Evangelist adds to the words of Caiaphas, at the place, "and not only for the nation, but that he might gather together in one the children of God who were scattered." Concerning the first it must be known that, because someone could believe that Caiaphas had uttered these words by his own private instinct, the Evangelist, excluding this, says, "But this he did not say of himself." In which it is given to be understood that someone sometimes speaks of himself. For man is that which is principal in him, and this is intellect and reason: hence man is what he is through reason. When, therefore, a man speaks from his own reason, then he speaks of himself; but when he speaks moved by some higher and exterior instinct, he does not speak of himself. This happens, however, in two ways. Sometimes as one moved by the divine Spirit, according to Matthew 10:20: "For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you." Sometimes, however, as one moved by an evil spirit, as those who are seized: and indeed sometimes they are even said to prophesy. That those moved by the divine Spirit prophesy is said at 2 Peter 1:21: "For prophecy was not brought at any time by the will of man, but the holy men of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, spoke." That those moved by an evil spirit prophesy is found at Jeremiah 29:26: "The Lord has made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, that you should be leader in the house of the Lord over every man that is seized and prophesies." It must also be known that sometimes someone speaks by the instinct of the Holy Spirit or of an evil spirit, who nevertheless loses the use of reason, and is seized. Sometimes, however, the free use of reason remains to him, and he is not seized. For when the sensitive powers superabound from a higher impression, reason is bound, and he is moved, and is seized. But because the demon has the power of making an impression on the imagination, since it is a power attached to an organ, he can sometimes make such an impression on it that, from the abundance of the impression, reason is rendered as it were bound, yet not so that it is forced to consent; and then the man is seized by the evil spirit. There remains, therefore, the question whether Caiaphas spoke these words by the instinct of the Holy Spirit, or of an evil spirit. And it seems that he did not speak by the instinct of the Holy Spirit: for the Holy Spirit is the spirit of truth, as is said in Jeremiah, chapter 15. But the evil spirit is the spirit of lying; 3 Kings 22:22: "I will go out, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all the prophets." Now it is agreed that Caiaphas spoke a lie, saying, "It is expedient for you that one man should die." He did not, therefore, as it seems, speak by the instinct of the Holy Spirit, but rather prophesied by the instinct of an evil, seizing spirit. This, however, does not seem to agree with the words of the Evangelist: for if it were so, John would not have added, "since he was the high priest of that year." Therefore he added Caiaphas's dignity for this reason, that he might suggest that he had spoken by the instinct of the Holy Spirit. From which it is given to us to understand that the Holy Spirit moves even wicked men established in dignity to speak certain true things, and things to come, for the benefit precisely of their subjects. To that, therefore, which is said to the contrary, namely that what he said is false — "it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people" — a twofold answer can be given. In one way, that the death of Christ, as far as it is in itself, was expedient for all, even for those who killed him; 1 Timothy 4:10: "who is the Savior of all men, most of all of the faithful"; Hebrews 2:9: "that by the grace of God he might taste death for all." In another way, so that it is said "it is expedient for you," that is, for the people. Hence the Evangelist, where Caiaphas says "that he should die for you," puts instead "for the nation." But it seems from the words of the Evangelist that he was a prophet, since he says, "he prophesied." For if someone prophesies, it follows that he is a prophet. But, according to Origen, it does not follow that whoever prophesies is a prophet: but if he is a prophet, he indeed does prophesy; for the act of some thing is sometimes granted to someone, whose condition, however, is not granted to him; just as not everyone who does something just is just, but he who is just does just things. It must be noted, however, that a twofold act concurs for someone to prophesy: namely, to see; 1 Kings 9:9: "He who is now called a prophet, was formerly called a seer." Likewise, to announce; 1 Corinthians 14:3: "He who prophesies speaks to all for edification." It happens, however, sometimes that someone has both, and yet is not properly called a prophet: for sometimes someone has a prophetic vision, as Nebuchadnezzar and Pharaoh; and likewise they announced that very vision to others; yet they cannot be called prophets, because something was lacking to them, namely the understanding of the vision, which is needed in a vision, as is said in Daniel 10:1. Caiaphas, however, although he did not have a prophetic vision, nevertheless had the announcing of a prophetic matter, inasmuch as he announced the utility of the death of Christ. For sometimes the Holy Spirit moves someone to the whole of what pertains to prophecy, sometimes, however, only to some part of it. But in Caiaphas's case, he illuminated neither his mind nor his imagination; and therefore his mind and imagination remained bent upon evil: yet he moved his tongue, so that he might utter the manner by which the salvation of the people would be fulfilled. Hence he is not called a prophet except inasmuch as he had a prophetic act in the announcing, his imagination and reason remaining directed to the contrary. From which it is clear that he can no more be called a prophet than Balaam's ass. Consequently, when he says, "and not only for the nation, but that he might gather together in one the children of God who were scattered," the Evangelist adds to the words of the high priest, saying that Jesus was to die not only for the nation of the people, namely of the Jews, as Caiaphas said — Hebrews, last chapter, 12: "Jesus, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, suffered outside the gate" — but he adds also for the whole world; hence he subjoins, "that he might gather together in one the children of God who were scattered." Here the heresy of the Manichaeans must be guarded against, who say that certain souls are of the divine substance, and are called children of God; and they say that God came in order to gather these together in one. But this is erroneous; because, as is said in Ezekiel 18:4: "All souls are mine," namely by creation. And therefore what he says, "that he might gather together in one the children of God who were scattered," is not to be understood as though they had then already received the spirit of adoption: because, as Gregory says, they were not yet either his sheep or the children of God by adoption. But it is to be understood according to predestination, so that it is said "the children of God," namely those predestined from eternity, Romans 8:29: "whom he foreknew, to be made conformable to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren," who were scattered through diverse rites and nations, "he might gather together in one," namely into the unity of faith; above, at 10:16: "I have other sheep, that are not of this fold, and them also I must bring... and there shall be one fold and one shepherd"; Psalm 146:2: "The Lord building up Jerusalem, will gather together the dispersed of Israel." Consequently, when he says, "From that day therefore they devised to put him to death," the Evangelist sets down the consent of the Jews to the death of Christ. But had they not devised to kill him before this? It seems that they had, since above in several places it is said that the Jews were seeking to kill him. The answer must be given that before this they indeed had an inclination toward killing him; but "from that day," incited to anger by the words of Caiaphas, they dealt with the matter with a firm resolve to kill him. Proverbs 1:16: "Their feet run to evil."”

“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".”

“All men will believe on him - If we permit him to work but a few more miracles like these two last (the cure of the blind man, and the resurrection of Lazarus) he will be universally acknowledged for the Messiah; the people will proclaim him king; and the Romans, who can suffer no government here but their own, will be so irritated that they will send their armies against us, and destroy our temple, and utterly dissolve our civil and ecclesiastical existence. Thus, under the pretense of the public good, these men of blood hide their hatred against Christ, and resolve to put him to death. To get the people on their side, they must give the alarm of destruction to the nation: if this man be permitted to live, we shall be all destroyed! Their former weapons will not now avail. On the subject of keeping the Sabbath, they had been already confounded; and his last miracles were so incontestable that they could no longer cry out, He is a deceiver. Both our place and nation - Literally, this place, τον τοπον: but that the temple only is understood is dear from Act 6:13, Act 6:14; 2 Maccabees 1:14; 2:18; 3:18; 5:16, 17; 10:7; where it is uniformly called the place, or the holy place, because they considered it the most glorious and excellent place in the world. When men act in opposition to God's counsel, the very evils which they expect thereby to avoid will come upon them. They said, If we do not put Jesus to death, the Romans will destroy both our temple and nation. Now, it was because they put him to death that the Romans burnt and razed their temple to the ground, and put a final period to their political existence. See Mat 22:7; and the notes on chap. 24.”