3: The scribes were doctors of the law. The chief priests were evidently those chosen to be in the Sanhedrin. The elders were Hebrew civil magistrates. Thus all three made up more or less the whole of the Great Sanhedrin, which was the ruling body of the Jews at that time. The meeting was held in the house of the high priest. It must be understood that this was a secret meeting. They did not normally meet in this location for official business. Caiaphas, or Joseph Caiaphas, was the high priest at that time.
4: This consultation could not be considered legal. However, they were masters of trickery. Indeed, in that political climate, with the office of the high priest controlled by the Roman government, corruption was the name of the game. Subtlety here refers not to tricking Jesus, but to taking him without being noticed.
5: The desire of the religious leaders was to avoid taking action during the feast for fear of an uprising. This could cause political trouble for them and upset the balance of things. Yet, as Jesus had already stated to his disciples, God’s plan was different.