John 11:54
Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.
John 11:54 belongs to the rulers' response to the raising of Lazarus, a miracle that intensified their hostility and determination to stop Jesus' work. Their decision that He must die followed that raising, which overturned the Sadducees' denial of the resurrection and left them unable to counter the people's response to the miracle. The raising of Lazarus was rejected as the final evidence of His Messiahship, so He no longer walked openly among the Jews because they had turned to determined opposition against God, showing how far religious bigotry and resistance to truth had carried them.
After the decision to kill Him, He stopped moving openly among the Jews and withdrew with His disciples to Ephraim, a city near the wilderness. After Lazarus was restored to life, He withdrew from the rejoicing crowd of Lazarus, his sisters, and their friends, and could not be found when they looked for Him. He withdrew from public view to escape persecution and rested at Lazarus's house, where Lazarus was alive and healthy after being raised from the dead.
He withdrew from the region with His disciples because He knew the priests were plotting to remove Him and that their wish would soon be accomplished, but it was not His place to hasten the culminating event of His death. He was not seized at once after the council agreed it was wisest policy to put Him to death because the council delayed from fear of acting rashly, lest the people become incensed and the planned violence turn upon themselves, since He continually benefited and taught the people, was known to be without blame, and had very strong influence over them. The withdrawal marks the close of three years of public labor given in self-denial and disinterested benevolence, in purity, suffering, and devotion, showing that three years was as long as the world could endure the presence of its Redeemer.
Christ withdrew from Jerusalem and stayed with His disciples to preserve His life, teaching His followers not to enter danger unbidden but to protect their lives so they can teach and help others. When opposition endangered His life, He withdrew to a place where opposition was less intense, teaching those who love and obey the truth that it can be wise to seek safety amid danger and discouragement.