“This was not
For this nation only,
But to gather
Into one
The dispersed
Children of God.”
καὶ οὐχ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους μόνον, ἀλλ’ ἵνα καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ διεσκορπισμένα συναγάγῃ εἰς ἕν.
John uniquely indicated that Caiaphas said that one man, Jesus, should die not for their nation or country only (καὶ οὐχ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους μόνον), but (ἀλλ’) to gather into one (συναγάγῃ εἰς ἕν) the dispersed (διεσκορπισμένα) children of God (ἵνα καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ Θεοῦ). This chief priest Caiaphas said that killing this one man, Jesus, would not only help their own country, but also all those children of God who were dispersed throughout the world. They all might become one again. This was a reference to the Jewish people who were living outside of Israel. For John, and the followers of Christ, this might have meant those non-Jewish followers of Jesus after his death and resurrection. Once again, John indicated that Caiaphas was predicting that the whole world would follow Jesus, not just the Israelite Jewish people. Should all the people in the world follow Jesus?
