What does John 11:55 mean?
Events described in this chapter have occurred not long before Passover. During those festivals, Jewish men who lived within a certain distance were obligated to come into the city to observe certain rites (Deuteronomy 16:16). That greatly increased the number of people in an around the city. For this reason, political leaders such as Pilate—who ordinarily lived far from Jerusalem—made their way into the city to supervise peacekeeping efforts.Curiosity about Jesus stems from recent events. In response to Jesus' recent miracle (John 11:39–44), religious leaders have decided to actively seek His death (John 11:45–53). In order to maintain God's timeline (John 7:6–8; Mark 14:41), Jesus has once again moved away from the immediate influence of these leaders (John 11:54). Many of the people moving in and out of the city wonder if the danger will be enough to make Jesus break His habit of honoring the festival requirements (John 11:56).