John 11:45-57

NOTE: Brown has John finishing one book at chapter 10:42. He credits Johannine community with the editorial addition since same voc., eyw eimi, personalities, etc. However the negative term toward "the Jews" changes. IN 11 and 12 Jews change from being hostile to something else. (same in viii 31) 
Problems of sequence are looked at by Brown. 
Luke may have been influenced by John and Lazarus story take from his own story of Lazarus.
Problem is the emphasis John puts on the story of Lazarus as cause for J. death.  Brown suggest more theology involved with death plans than actually involved with the raising of Laz. 
editing of story is the parathenital addition in 2 and 5. 
 Obvious parrallel of Jesus being the life an light to the world (chpt 1)
Arch. Ossuaries of Mary, Martha and Lazarus have been found together in a tomb near Bethany.(1945)
Only Luke has references to Jesus ministry in Judea.
The portrayal of M&M as redactions and additions on Brown and Bultmann especially on reason of underdeveloped story line for Mary miss the whole point, which is Mary's ability with her deep feelings to move Jesus into action setting the right atmosphere (could do not miracles in Naz.) Also see Lk x 38-42.
Finally Bultmann says "Jesus' works have their own hour"  303.
More a confession than a request (22) Bultmann
45 Πολλοὶ οὖν ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, οἱ ἐλθόντες 

πρὸς τὴν Μαριὰμ καὶ θεασάμενοι ἃ ἐποίησεν, 

ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτόν· 

Therefore many of the Jews, who came to Mariam and saw what he did, 

believed in him. The agreement of "who" with "many" puts all of the Jews believing - Bernard. Brown doubts in unbelief, funny even if they see or hear or read of those being risen will not believe huh Brown. But it says some told the Pharisees  - this would be logical for a good Jew to tell his priest of something like this - it shows not intent of malice. Remember Mary only mentioned here. Possibly because they came from the house with Mary to Jesus.  

46 τινὲς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπῆλθον πρὸς τοὺς Φαρισαίους 

καὶ εἶπαν αὐτοῖς ἃ ἐποίησεν Ἰησοῦς. 

And some of them came to the Pharisees and told to them what Jesus did.

47 Συνήγαγον οὖν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι συνέδριον, 

καὶ ἔλεγον· τί ποιοῦμεν, ὅτι οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος 

πολλὰ ποιεῖ σημεῖα; 

Therefore chief priests and the Pharisees gather together a council,

and said, "What do we do? This man does so many signs."
Chief priests  only had the right to convene a Sanhedrin - Only time used in John  - 
Question is not rhetorical. As Bernard, II, p.403 & Barrett, p.338 stipulate, Simply what is next step.
verified by Schlatter pp.256-57 site rabbinic parallels for the construction: What am I to do now that...?"
But it is easy to see it was not rhetorical as John tells us the next step the council decides upon.

48 ἐὰν ἀφῶμεν αὐτὸν οὕτως, πάντες πιστεύσουσιν

 εἰς αὐτόν, καὶ ἐλεύσονται οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ ἀροῦσιν 

ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν τόπον καὶ τὸ ἔθνος. 

If we leave him this way, thus (L&N not "alone"), all will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away our place our nation. 

3rd condition sentence with ean and subjunctive and logical or inevitable (robertson) conclusion of middle future. What you fear comes upon you. Actually what happened to the Jews

49 εἷς δέ τις ἐξ αὐτῶν Καϊάφας, ἀρχιερεὺς ὢν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε οὐδέν, 

And certain one of them Kaiafas,  being chief priest that year, said to them, you do not know anything at all.  Again not clear why this phrase "high priest that year" simply mean that and nothing more. John writing years and years later may simply be saying that alone. Bultmann p. 314 (ft.2) tries to make more of it.  Brown quotes Origen In Jo. (john?) xxviii 12; PG 14:708 (c).  The use of the genitive
means (in) that year - John not limiting term but synchronizing with that awful year. 

50 οὐδὲ λογίζεσθε ὅτι συμφέρει ὑμῖν ἵνα εἷς ἄνθρωπος ἀποθάνῃ ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ ἔθνος ἀπόληται. Nor do you consider (think) that it was brought together  for you that one man may die for the people and all the nation not to perish. 
 Variant reading for "you" to "us".  Interesting reason they kill Jesus and claim so strongly that they were on Caesar's side as deciding who is King and made such a protest when Pilate placed the sign on jesus' Cross? Brown questions "for the people" that the prophecy of such redemption nature should come from the lips of Caiaphas. But seeing how it fits into resulting action, maybe so. (remembering all started with the resurrection of Laz.) uper - for, in behalf of  - Some patristics leave it out all together. 51-52 Parenthetical observations.

51 τοῦτο δὲ ἀφ’ ἑαυτοῦ οὐκ εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ ἀρχιερεὺς ὢν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου ἐπροφήτευσεν ὅτι ἤμελλεν Ἰησοῦς ἀποθνῄσκειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους, And this of himself he did not say, but being chief priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation. 

52 καὶ οὐχ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους μόνον, ἀλλ’ ἵνα καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ διεσκορπισμένα συναγάγῃ εἰς ἕν. And not for the Nation alone, but that also he may bring together into one the children of God scattered abroad. Here we have a valuable tool that many who do not understand prophecy may not get from John the full import. John is interpreting the prophecy for us, like Peter on Pentecost. Also purpose clause with hina and subjunctive  2nd aroist ago, agagon (one flock 10:16 ?)

53 ἀπ’ ἐκείνης οὖν τῆς ἡμέρας ἐβουλεύσαντο ἵνα ἀποκτείνωσιν αὐτόν. 

From that therefore the days they took council in order to kill him. Reason given to kill him. May be not blaspheme as much as threat of Rome taking away their jobs.

54Ἰησοῦς οὖν οὐκέτι παρρησίᾳ περιεπάτει ἐν τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, ἀλλὰ ἀπῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὴν χώραν ἐγγὺς τῆς ἐρήμου, εἰς Ἐφραὶμ⁴² λεγομένην πόλιν, κἀκεῖ διέτριβεν μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν. Therefore  Jesus  walked no longer with boldness in Judea, but he went from there into the country near the desert, in a city named Ephraim, and also continued with his disciples. 

55 ἦν δὲ ἐγγὺς τὸ πάσχα τῶν Ἰουδαίων, καὶ ἀνέβησαν πολλοὶ εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἐκ τῆς χώρας πρὸ τοῦ πάσχα, ἵνα ἁγνίσωσιν ἑαυτούς. And it was near the passover of the Jews, and many came up to jerusalem out of the country for the passover, in order to purify themselves.
Transitional sentences for next chapter. John simply assumes the Synoptic narrative (esp Lk of how and the way Jesus moved to get to the feast) and gives the picture of things in and around Jerusalem just before the passover (11:56, 57). 

56 ἐζήτουν οὖν τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ ἔλεγαν μετ’ ἀλλήλωνἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἑστηκότες· τί δοκεῖ ὑμῖν, ὅτι οὐ μὴ ἔλθῃ εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν;  Therefore they sought Jesus and said with one another standing in the temple, What do you think, that he may not come to the feast? In direct discourse of thinking and the picture here of the "many" standing and talking about Jesus the new excitement, drama being played out, why else go to the feast - find out the buz, Our churches are social events too.

57 δεδώκεισαν δὲ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἐντολὰς ἵνα ἐάν τις γνῷ ποῦ ἔστιν μηνύσῃ, ὅπως πιάσωσιν αὐτόν. And the chief priest and the Pharisees gave a commandment, that if anyone may know where he make known where he was that they may seize him. Wanted posters of Je'sus.