John 11:54-57 54Therefore, Jesus no longer openly walked among the Jews, but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, into a town called Ephraim, and there he remained with the disciples. 55Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover in order to purify themselves. 56Then they were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they were standing in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” 57Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders so that, if anyone knew where he was, he should report so that they might arrest him.
Jesus must have heard that the ruling council was making plans to kill him. It was not yet the right time for him to enter Jerusalem and face his accusers. He knew the right time to enter Jerusalem (12:23). Passover, the biggest and most important feast for Jews, was near. It was a time to remember God’s rescue of their ancestors from Egyptian slavery. The Jews of the first century were enslaved physically to the Romans but spiritually to sin. If Jesus went up to Jerusalem right after he raised Lazarus, the Jewish authorities would have tried to capture him, though they tried before, and he easily escaped. He was not afraid of them but knew the Father’s will and timing for his final days, and the time was not yet right. So, he and the disciples went to a town called Ephraim, located a short distance (about twelve miles) to the north of Jerusalem in the hills. This was far enough away that the Jewish authorities would not find him.
John gives no time indicator of how long they stayed there but with the Passover coming, the controversy with the leaders had not settled down but only intensified. This is the third celebration of Passover John has mentioned (2:13; 6:4). Each feast mentioned in John’s Gospel is symbolic. Every feast pointed to Jesus, who fulfilled each in some special way. People from all over the Mediterranean traveled to the city. Jerusalem was the capital city and center of the Jewish faith. Because it was built on a hill, everyone went up to it physically, and with the temple present there, everyone went up spiritually to experience God’s presence. John specifically mentions the people went early to purify themselves, which took place the week before. That meant people would begin crowding the city one week before the feast. Jesus did not need to purify himself but would soon join this pilgrimage. It would be a key time to teach people and prepare them for what was about to happen to him.
Word had spread about Jesus. Two types of people were looking for him. Some may have wondered at the rumors of his miraculous abilities or powerful teachings. These people are passively described in verse 56 as onlookers who wondered if Jesus would show up. There is no indication in this verse that they had any faith in him. The other group was the Jewish leaders described as the chief priests and the Pharisees. These were the same people who had failed to believe in Jesus and were trying to arrest him. They basically put out an all-points-bulletin or most wanted poster to the public to keep their eyes out for Jesus.
These verses from John give important background to the Triumphal Entry described in the Synoptic Gospels. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, it was not all celebration. He would experience both adoration and praise and also animosity and hatred. Some people would believe in him while others would reject him. These are the two responses people give to Jesus today. John has clearly laid out the choice in his narrative account of Jesus’ ministry.
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