The Meaning of John 18:14 Explained

John 18:14

KJV: Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

YLT: and Caiaphas was he who gave counsel to the Jews, that it is good for one man to perish for the people.

Darby: But it was Caiaphas who counselled the Jews that it was better that one man should perish for the people.

ASV: Now Caiaphas was he that gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now  Caiaphas  was he,  which  gave counsel  to the Jews,  that  it was expedient  that one  man  should die  for  the people. 

What does John 18:14 Mean?

Verse Meaning

John doubtless identified Caiaphas as he did here to remind his readers of the prediction of Jesus" substitute sacrifice (11:50), not just to identify Caiaphas. This identification also makes unnecessary a full recording of the deliberations that led to the Sanhedrin"s verdict. That record was already available in the Synoptics and was therefore unnecessary in John"s Gospel.

Context Summary

John 18:12-18 - Fear Undermines Loyalty
Apparently a preliminary and private examination was held while the Sanhedrin was being hastily summoned. The other disciple was evidently John. It was a mistake for Peter to throw himself into such a vortex of trial. His foolhardiness and curiosity led him thither. While the Master was before one bar, Peter stood at another, but how egregiously he failed! In spite of his brave talk, he was swept off his feet-as we shall be, unless we have learned to avail ourselves of that power which is made perfect only in weakness. Peter's fall was due to his self-confidence and lack of prayer. Those who are weak should beware of exposing themselves in places and company where they are liable to fail. Do not warm yourself at the world's fires.
Three lessons emerge from Peter's failure: (1) Let us not sleep through the precious moments which Heaven affords before each hour of trial, but use them for putting on the whole armor of God, that we may be able to stand in the evil day. (2) Let us not vaunt our own strength. We need more than resolution to sustain us in the hour of conflict. (3) Let us not cast ourselves down from the mountainside, unless absolutely sure that God bids us to do so. He will not otherwise give His angels charge to keep us. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 18

1  Judas betrays Jesus
6  The officers fall to the ground
10  Peter cuts off Malchus' ear
12  Jesus is taken, and led unto Annas and Caiaphas
15  Peter's denial
19  Jesus examined before Caiaphas
25  Peter's second and third denial
28  Jesus arraigned before Pilate
36  His kingdom
40  The Jews prefer Barabbas

Greek Commentary for John 18:14

He which gave command [ο συμβουλευσας]
First aorist active articular participle of συμβουλευω — sumbouleuō old verb (Matthew 26:4). The reference is to John 11:50. It was expedient Present active indicative retained in indirect assertion after secondary tense Here we have the second aorist active infinitive αποτανειν — apothanein as the subject of συμπερει — sumpherei both good idioms in the Koiné. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 18:14

Matthew 27:45 From the sixth hour [απο εκτης ωρας]
Curiously enough McNeile takes this to mean the trial before Pilate (John 18:14). But clearly John uses Roman time, writing at the close of the century when Jewish time was no longer in vogue. It was six o‘clock in the morning Roman time when the trial occurred before Pilate. The crucifixion began at the third hour (Mark 15:25) Jewish time or nine a.m. The darkness began at noon, the sixth hour Jewish time and lasted till 3 p.m. Roman time, the ninth hour Jewish time (Mark 15:33; Matthew 27:45; Luke 23:44). The dense darkness for three hours could not be an eclipse of the sun and Luke (Luke 23:45) does not so say, only “the sun‘s light failing.” Darkness sometimes precedes earthquakes and one came at this time or dense masses of clouds may have obscured the sun‘s light. One need not be disturbed if nature showed its sympathy with the tragedy of the dying of the Creator on the Cross (Romans 8:22), groaning and travailing until now. [source]
John 11:51 Not of himself [απ εαυτου ουκ]
Not wholly of himself, John means. There was more in what Caiaphas said than he understood. His language is repeated in John 18:14. Prophesied Aorist active indicative of προπητευω — prophēteuō But certainly unconscious prophecy on his part and purely accidental. Caiaphas meant only what was mean and selfish. That Jesus should die Imperfect active of μελλω — mellō in indirect discourse instead of the usual present retained after a secondary tense (επροπητευσεν — eprophēteusen) as sometimes occurs (see John 2:25). [source]
Revelation 3:18 I counsel [συμβουλευω]
Present active indicative, old compound from συμβουλος — sumboulos counsellor (Romans 11:34), as in John 18:14. Almost ironical in tone. [source]

What do the individual words in John 18:14 mean?

Was now Caiaphas the [one] having given counsel to the Jews that it is profitable for one man to perish for the people
ἦν δὲ Καϊάφας συμβουλεύσας τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὅτι συμφέρει ἕνα ἄνθρωπον ἀποθανεῖν ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ

δὲ  now 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: δέ  
Sense: but, moreover, and, etc.
Καϊάφας  Caiaphas 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Καϊάφας  
Sense: a high priest of the Jews appointed to that office by Valerius Gratus, governor of Judaea, after removal of Simon, son of Camith, A.
  the  [one] 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
συμβουλεύσας  having  given  counsel 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: συμβουλεύω  
Sense: to give counsel.
τοῖς  to  the 
Parse: Article, Dative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰουδαίοις  Jews 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Masculine Plural
Root: Ἰουδαῖος  
Sense: Jewish, belonging to the Jewish race.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
συμφέρει  it  is  profitable 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: συμφέρω 
Sense: to bear or bring together.
ἕνα  for  one 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
ἄνθρωπον  man 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνθρωπος  
Sense: a human being, whether male or female.
ἀποθανεῖν  to  perish 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: ἀποθνῄσκω  
Sense: to die.
λαοῦ  people 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: λαός  
Sense: a people, people group, tribe, nation, all those who are of the same stock and language.

What are the major concepts related to John 18:14?

Loading Information...