45 Many of the Jews, who came to Mary and saw what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them the things which Jesus had done. 47 The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, “What are we doing? For this man does many signs. 48 If we leave him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”

49 But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you consider that it is advantageous for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” 51 Now he didn’t say this of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day forward they took counsel that they might put him to death. 54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jewish leaders, but departed from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim. He stayed there with his disciples.

55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand. Many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought for Jesus and spoke one with another, as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that he isn’t coming to the feast at all?”

John 11:45-56 - World English Bible

In John 11:1-44, Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead, as the last of his "signs." This miracle tipped opinion among the leaders into desperation. Enraptured by his signs, the populace looked upon him as a Messiah figure, one who could start a revolution and sweep away the corrupt Temple elite. In such chaos, the Romans would retaliate without mercy. What to do? In response, the chief priest, Caiaphas, spoke, not only as high priest, but as the leader for the entire nation; hence, his words carried prophetic weight, but not in the way he could have predicted. Jesus would have to die to save the nation, not from the Romans, but from its sins; indeed, he would save the entire Diaspora from its transgressions. Because of the danger, he went into hiding for a while. Speculation of his appearance in Jerusalem at Passover, the feast of liberation, ran rampant.

We will celebrate the death of Jesus soon? Are you ready?