Joh 11:53 | KingComments | STEP | Knowing nothing of God’s plans, the wicked leaders continue their deliberations. It is now decided: Jesus must be killed. This is what their efforts will be focused on from now on. It is the seventh and last time that this intention is mentioned. The Lord is fully aware of their murderous plans and no longer walks freely among the Jews. He does not do this out of fear, but by order of the Father. At the time determined by the Father and not on the occasion deemed appropriate by His enemies, He will give Himself into their hands. The Lord goes away from Jerusalem to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim. Wilderness indicates the deadness of the people. Ephraim means ‘double fertility’. Where no fruit is to be expected from the people, the result of His work will have a double fruit, in which we can think of Israel and the church. His disciples accompany Him in His stay in that place. Although His disciples are not the direct targets of the Pharisees’ murder plans, they do share in the consequences it has for the Lord’s way. It is nice to see that they remain faithful to Him in spite of everything, because they did not understand everything the Lord said and did, and the hatred that is provoked thereby. The time is approaching to go back to Jerusalem. The reason to go there is the Passover, which is again called “the Passover of the Jews”. Many from the country have already set out to be in Jerusalem in time to purify themselves. But what do outward purifying and an outward feast mean when He Who instituted this feast and should be the center of it, is rejected and hated, and even an arrest warrant has been issued against Him ( )? Just as in John 7 ( ), people in Jerusalem are seeking for the Lord Jesus. Geographically they are in the right place, in the temple. There He has often taught. But the temple is empty. Therefore they are spiritually in the wrong place and remain in darkness about Who He is. They do discuss it with one another and ask for each other’s opinion, but it does not go further than curiosity. The heart does not really turn to Him. The chief priests and Pharisees are spiritually much further distant from the Lord and live in even greater darkness. They are filled with only one thing and that is His death. They no longer try to seize Him with trickery through spies, but order His tracking ( ). Whoever can provide any information about His whereabouts, is expected to report it immediately. They will then take the action they fervently desire, and seize Him.

‏ John 11:53

The Arrest Warrant

Knowing nothing of God’s plans, the wicked leaders continue their deliberations. It is now decided: Jesus must be killed. This is what their efforts will be focused on from now on. It is the seventh and last time that this intention is mentioned.

The Lord is fully aware of their murderous plans and no longer walks freely among the Jews. He does not do this out of fear, but by order of the Father. At the time determined by the Father and not on the occasion deemed appropriate by His enemies, He will give Himself into their hands.

The Lord goes away from Jerusalem to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim. Wilderness indicates the deadness of the people. Ephraim means ‘double fertility’. Where no fruit is to be expected from the people, the result of His work will have a double fruit, in which we can think of Israel and the church.

His disciples accompany Him in His stay in that place. Although His disciples are not the direct targets of the Pharisees’ murder plans, they do share in the consequences it has for the Lord’s way. It is nice to see that they remain faithful to Him in spite of everything, because they did not understand everything the Lord said and did, and the hatred that is provoked thereby.

The time is approaching to go back to Jerusalem. The reason to go there is the Passover, which is again called “the Passover of the Jews”. Many from the country have already set out to be in Jerusalem in time to purify themselves. But what do outward purifying and an outward feast mean when He Who instituted this feast and should be the center of it, is rejected and hated, and even an arrest warrant has been issued against Him (Jn 11:57)?

Just as in John 7 (Jn 7:11), people in Jerusalem are seeking for the Lord Jesus. Geographically they are in the right place, in the temple. There He has often taught. But the temple is empty. Therefore they are spiritually in the wrong place and remain in darkness about Who He is. They do discuss it with one another and ask for each other’s opinion, but it does not go further than curiosity. The heart does not really turn to Him.

The chief priests and Pharisees are spiritually much further distant from the Lord and live in even greater darkness. They are filled with only one thing and that is His death. They no longer try to seize Him with trickery through spies, but order His tracking (Lk 20:20). Whoever can provide any information about His whereabouts, is expected to report it immediately. They will then take the action they fervently desire, and seize Him.