In the song, the priests, led by Caiaphas and Annas, plot to kill Jesus Christ, whose teachings they believe will result in a Roman crackdown against its Jewish population.
They don't understand how he has managed to inspire people and believe that Jesus poses a very serious threat to their authority and the fragile relationship they have with the occupying force from Rome.
[2] It is Caiaphas who insists that the threat posed by a Roman crackdown, "our elimination, because of one man", can only be averted by the death of Jesus, which would deliver a demoralizing blow to his followers.
Their intention to avert a murderous crackdown on the Jewish people reflects the representation of the high priest in the last canonical gospel—John.
[3]The appearance of the song in the musical and in the film version of Jesus Christ Superstar is highlighted by an "emphasis on style".