The result of the deliberations: V. 53. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put Him to death. V. 54. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but went thence into a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with His disciples.
V. 55. And the Jews' Passover was nigh at hand; and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. V. 56. Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the Temple, What think ye that He will not come to the feast? V. 57. Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where He were, he should show it, that they might take Him.
The members of the Sanhedrin acted upon the summary declaration of Caiaphas as they understood it, for it agreed with the inmost wishes of the majority of them. They formulated no definite plan on that day, but whenever they came together for their meetings in the Hall of Polished Stones, they reverted also to this important business, and considered ways and means for putting Christ to death with some show of right.
Jesus was fully aware of their resolutions and intentions, and He therefore purposely avoided Jerusalem for a while, sojourning in a little town named Ephraim, northeast of Jerusalem, near the wilderness of Bethaven, until He should be ready for the last great Passion.
Meanwhile the festival of the Passover was again drawing near, and the usual advance guard of pilgrims arrived at Jerusalem. Most of these came so early because they had to perform certain Levitical purifications before they could take part in the festival, Num. 9, 10; 2 Chron. 30, 17. Many of these people were anxious to see Jesus, and He was one of the chief topics of conversation wherever a group of people assembled in the Temple and elsewhere. There were all manner of guesses as to whether He would dare to come up for the feast, since the definite command had now been issued that He must be apprehended. The orders were that anyone knowing the whereabouts of the Nazarene must give information.
There was no need for them to anticipate: when Christ's hour came, He appeared in Jerusalem of His own free will.