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Selected Verse: John 11:49 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Joh 11:49 |
King James |
And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Caiaphas - See the notes at Luk 3:2.
Being high-Priest that same year - It is probable that the office of high priest was at first for life, if there was no conduct that rendered the person unworthy the office. In that case the incumbent was removed. Thus Abiathar was removed by Solomon, Kg1 2:27. Subsequently the kings, and especially the conquerors of Judea, claimed and exercised the right of removing the high priest at pleasure, so that, in the time of the Romans, the office was held but a short time. (See the Chronological Table.) Caiaphas held the office for about 10 years.
Ye know nothing at all - That is, you know nothing respecting the subject under consideration. You are fools to hesitate about so plain a case. It is probable that there was a party, even in the Sanhedrin, that was secretly in favor of Jesus as the Messiah. Of that party Nicodemus was certainly one. See Joh 3:1; Joh 7:50-51; Joh 11:45; Joh 12:42; "Among the chief rulers, also, many believed on him," etc. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Caiaphas
A Sadducee, who held the office for eighteen years.
That year
This has been cited to show that John is guilty of a historical error, since, according to the Mosaic law, the high priesthood was held for life. The occurrence of the phrase three times (Joh 11:49, Joh 11:51) is significant, and, so far from indicating an error, goes to connect the office of Caiaphas with his part in accomplishing the death of Christ. It devolved on the High Priest to offer every year the great sacrifice of atonement for sin; and in that year, that memorable year, it fell to Caiaphas to be the instrument of the sacrifice of Him that taketh away the sin of the world. Dante places Caiaphas and his father-in-law, Annas, far down in Hell in the Bolgia of the Hypocrites:
"to mine eyes there rushed
One crucified with three stakes on the ground.
When me he saw, he writhed himself all over,
Blowing into his beard with suspirations;
And the friar Catalan who noticed this,
Said to me: 'This transfixed one whom thou seest,
Counselled the Pharisees that it was meet
To put one man to torture for the people.
Crosswrise and naked is he on the path,
As thou perceivest; and he needs must feel,
Whoever passes, first how much he weighs;
And in like mode his father-in-law is punished
Within this moat, and the others of the council,
Which for the Jews was a malignant seed."
"Inferno," xxiii., 110-129.
Dean Plumptre suggests that the punishment described by the poet seems to reproduce the thought of Isa 51:23. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| That year - That memorable year, in which Christ was to die. It was the last and chief of Daniel's seventy weeks, the fortieth year before the destruction of Jerusalem, and was celebrated for various causes, in the Jewish history. Therefore that year is so peculiarly mentioned: Caiaphas was the high priest both before and after it. Ye know nothing - He reproves their slow deliberations in so clear a case. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Caiaphas being the high priest that same year - By the law of Moses, Exo 40:15, the office of high priest was for life, and the son of Aaron's race always succeeded his father. But at this time the high priesthood was almost annual: the Romans and Herod put down and raised up whom they pleased, and when they pleased, without attending to any other rule than merely that the person put in this office should be of the sacerdotal race. According to Josephus, Ant. xviii. c. 3, the proper name of this person was Joseph, and Caiaphas was his surname. He possessed the high priesthood for eight or nine years, and was deposed by Vitellius, governor of Judea. See on Luk 3:2 (note).
Ye know nothing - Of the perilous state in which ye stand. |
42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
27 So Solomon thrust out Abiathar from being priest unto the LORD; that he might fulfil the word of the LORD, which he spake concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.
2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.
51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.