The immediate result of the raising of Lazarus was that many more people believed in Jesus (11:45) but some told the religious leaders about it (11:46). A meeting of the Sanhedrin was called and their desperation is vividly expressed in 11:47-48. There was terrible irony in what they said because the Temple and many of their nation were destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70 while the Christian Church continued to spread across the Roman empire and into the world. The double meaning of the High Priest's words is made clear (11:49-52). From then on, the religious leaders looked for a way to kill Jesus as soon as they could; for the time being, Jesus and his disciples kept out of the way, staying in a small town near the desert. By then the third Passover was approaching and many people wondered if Jesus would appear in Jerusalem or not (11:53-57).

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