John 11:53

53. From that day Mr. Andrew, in his Life of Christ, well remarks, p. 383: “This may be regarded as the decisive and final rejection of Jesus by the Jewish authorities. Much earlier, the Jews at Jerusalem had sought to slay him as a sabbath breaker and blasphemer, (John 5:16-18;) the Pharisees and Herodians in Galilee how they might destroy him, (Mark 3:6;) the Sanhedrim had agreed to excommunicate any one who should confess that he was Christ, (John 9:22;) on one occasion officers had been sent to arrest him, (John 7:32;) and there was a general impression that his enemies would not rest till he was removed out of the way, (John 7:25.) But it does not appear that, to this time, there had been a determination of the Sanhedrim in formal session, that he should die. The miracle at Bethany, and its great popular effect, brought the matter to a crisis. The nation in its highest council decided in the most solemn manner that the public safety demanded his death. All that now remained to be done was to determine how his death could be best effected.”