The manifestation of Jesus by Himself is about to terminate so far at least as the world is concerned, and it does so in His revealing Himself as the Resurrection and the Life, the Conqueror of death in the very height of its power. The raising of Lazarus illustrates this. The account as a whole div... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:1. NOW A CERTAIN MAN WAS SICK, LAZARUS, OF BETHANY, FROM THE VILLAGE OF MARY AND HER SISTER MARTHA. The scene of the miracle to be related in this chapter is Bethany, a village (now small and poor) about two miles south-east of Jerusalem over the southern shoulder of the Mount of Olives. Nei... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:2. (NOW IT WAS THAT MARY WHICH ANOINTED THE LORD WITH OINTMENT, AND WIPED HIS FEET WITH HER HAIR, WHOSE BROTHER LAZARUS WAS SICK.) These words seem intended to bring into view the closeness of the relation between Jesus and Mary. There are particulars in which this narrative closely resemble... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:3. THE SISTERS THEREFORE SENT UNTO HIM SAYING, LORD, BEHOLD, HE WHOM THOU LOVEST IS SICK. Their confidence in the love and in the power of Jesus is shown by the absence of any request: the message is a tender and delicate expression of their need. With the description of Lazarus compare chap... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:4. BUT WHEN JESUS HEARD THAT, HE SAID, THIS SICKNESS IS NOT UNTO DEATH, BUT FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, THAT THE SON OF GOD MAY BE GLORIFIED THEREBY. The reply of Jesus is not represented as addressed to the messengers sent, or to the apostles, though probably spoken in the hearing of both. The po... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:5. NOW JESUS LOVED MARTHA, AND HER SISTER, AND LAZARUS. This simple record of His love for this family (note how significant is the separate mention of each one of the three) connects itself both with John 11:4 and also with the statement of John 11:5-6, these verses really constituting one... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:6. WHEN HE HAD HEARD THEREFORE THAT HE WAS SICK, AT THAT TIME INDEED HE ABODE IN THE PLACE WHERE HE WAS TWO DAYS. ‘Therefore' is explained by the two verses which precede (see the last note). He cannot accept the moment suggested by man (comp. chap. John 2:4); He cannot follow at once the pr... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:7. THEN AFTER THAT HE SAITH TO THE DISCIPLES, LET US GO INTO JUDEA AGAIN? Jesus does not say ‘to Bethany,' but to ‘Judea;' for He knows that this visit to Bethany will bring Him again into the midst of His enemies, ‘the Jews,' and will lead to a development of their hatred and malice which w... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:8. THE DISCIPLES SAY UNTO HIM, RABBI, BUT NOW THE JEWS WERE SEEKING TO STONE THEE; AND GOEST THOU THITHER AGAIN? The words ‘but now' (only just now) seem to show that the sojourn in Perea (chap. John 10:40) was short. The disciples see clearly that to go to Bethany is as perilous as to retur... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:9-10. JESUS ANSWERED, ARE THERE NOT TWELVE HOURS OF THE DAY? IF A MAN WALK IN THE DAY HE STUMBLETH NOT, BECAUSE HE SEETH THE LIGHT OF THIS WORLD. BUT IF A MAN WALK IN THE NIGHT HE STUMBLETH, BECAUSE THE LIGHT IS NOT IN HIM. This is the parable of chap. John 9:4 in an expanded form. By the li... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:11. THESE THINGS SAID HE: AND AFTER THAT HE SAITH UNTO THEM. OUR FRIEND LAZARUS HATH FALLEN ASLEEP; BUT I GO, THAT I MAY AWAKE HIM OUT OF SLEEP. No second message has been sent to Him; by His own Divine knowledge He speaks of the death of His friend.... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:12. THE DISCIPLES THEREFORE SAID UNTO HIM, LORD, IF HE HATH FALLEN ASLEEP, HE SHALL BE SAVED. We can hardly escape the thought that they have in their mind some tidings brought at the same time with the message of John 11:3, descriptive of the nature of the illness. Was it some raging fever... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:13. HOWBEIT JESUS HAD SPOKEN OF HIS DEATH: BUT THEY THOUGHT THAT HE SPAKE OF TAKING OF REST IN SLEEP. The figure can hardly have been here used by Jesus for the first time. The misconception of His meaning would seem to have arisen from His words in John 11:4, and from His delay in setting o... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:14-15. THEN THEREFORE JESUS SAID UNTO THEM PLAINLY, LAZARUS IS DEAD. AND I AM GLAD FOR YOUR SAKES, TO THE INTENT YE MAY BELIEVE, THAT I WAS NOT THERE; NEVERTHELESS LET US GO UNTO HIM. The words ‘for your sakes' are explained by the clause which follows, ‘that ye may believe.' Already they be... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:16. THOMAS THEREFORE (WHICH IS CALLED DIDYMUS) SAID UNTO HIS FELLOW-DISCIPLES, LET US ALSO GO, THAT WE MAY DIE WITH HIM. That is, with Jesus (not with Lazarus). It is plain that Jesus cannot be turned aside by their counsels or prayers; He is certainly about to return to Judea, at the peril... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:17. WHEN THEREFORE JESUS CAME, HE FOUND THAT HE HAD LAIN IN THE TOMB FOUR DAYS ALREADY. The situation of the Perean Bethany (chap. John 10:40) is so uncertain that we are unable to give a certain explanation of these four days. The distance from Jerusalem to the nearest point of the country... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:18. NOW BETHANY IS NIGH UNTO JERUSALEM, ABOUT FIFTEEN FURLONGS OFF. This verse is of importance, not merely as preparing for John 11:19, but also as showing that Jesus in visiting Bethany was coming into the immediate presence of His enemies. They had pronounced Him a blasphemer, and they we... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:19. AND MANY OF THE JEWS HAD COME TO MARTHA AND MARY, TO COMFORT THEM CONCERNING THEIR BROTHER. There is no ground whatever for understanding ‘the Jews' in any other sense than that which the expression regularly bears in this Gospel. Amongst those who came to pay to the bereaved sisters the... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:20. MARTHA THEREFORE, WHEN SHE HEARD THAT JESUS WAS COMING, WENT AND MET HIM; BUT MARY SAT STILL IN THE HOUSE. Every reader must be struck with the remarkable coincidence between this narrative and that of Luke 10:38-39, in the portraiture of the two sisters. Martha, even in the midst of her... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:21. MARTHA THEREFORE SAID UNTO JESUS, LORD, IF THOU HADST BEEN HERE, MY BROTHER HAD NOT DIED. Her first words express no reproach, but only the bitter thought of help come too late. In His presence her brother could not have died (comp. John 11:15). O f the possibility that Jesus might have... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:22. AND EVEN NOW I KNOW THAT WHATSOEVER THINGS THOU SHALT ASK OF GOD, GOD WILL GIVE THEE. The words of this verse are very remarkable. The presence of the great Friend and Helper seems to give a sudden quickening to Martha's faith. She had probably heard of the words of Jesus when the tiding... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:23. JESUS SAITH UNTO HER, THY BROTHER SHALL RISE AGAIN. The words are designedly ambiguous, spoken to try her faith. Like our Lord's parables, they contain that of which faith may take hold and be raised into a higher region, but which unbelief or dulness of heart will miss. Will the hope th... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:24. MARTHA SAID UNTO HIM, I KNOW THAT HE SHALL RISE AGAIN IN THE RESURRECTION AT THE LAST DAY. Jesus has told her only what she knew, for every true Israelite believed that in the last day the just would rise. How vague the thought embodied in these words can hardly be understood by us, in w... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:25-26. JESUS SAID UNTO HER, I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; HE THAT BELIEVETH IN ME, THOUGH HE HAVE DIED, YET SHALL HE LIVE; AND EVERY ONE THAT LIVETH AND BELIEVETH IN ME SHALL NEVER DIE. BELIEVEST THOU THIS? The emphasis falls on the first two words, ‘I,' ‘am.' Martha's first expression... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:27. SHE SAITH UNTO HIM, YEA, LORD: I HAVE BELIEVED THAT THOU ART THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD, HE THAT COMETH INTO THE WORLD. The substitution of ‘I have believed' for ‘I believe' is striking. It seems to imply that she goes back on her previous belief, securely founded, never shaken, in which... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:28. AND WHEN SHE HAD S o SAID, SHE WENT AWAY, AND CALLED MARY HER SISTER, SAYING SECRETLY, THE TEACHER IS COME, AND CALLETH THEE. We cannot doubt that Mary until now had been in ignorance of the coming of Jesus, or that it was at His bidding that Martha told her sister secretly of His call f... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:29. AND SHE, WHEN SHE HEARD IT, AROSE QUICKLY, AND WENT UNTO HIM. Mark the characteristic touch in the words ‘arose quickly' (comp. John 11:20). ‘Went unto,' _i.e.,_ started on her way, for it is in John 11:32 that the actual coming is spoken of.... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:30. NOW JESUS WAS NOT YET COME INTO THE VILLAGE, BUT WAS STILL IN THAT PLACE WHERE MARTHA MET HIM. Avoiding the presence of ‘the Jews,' so painful and incongruous at such a time. This verse is purely parenthetical.... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:31. THE JEWS, THEREFORE, WHICH WERE WITH HER IN THE HOUSE, AND WERE COMFORTING HER, WHEN THEY SAW MARY, THAT SHE ROSE UP QUICKLY AND WENT OUT, FOLLOWED HER, SUPPOSING THAT SHE WENT UNTO THE TOMB TO LAMENT THERE. The movements of her sister had suggested no such thought; but as soon as Mary r... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:32. MARY, THEREFORE, WHEN SHE CAME WHERE JESUS WAS, SEEING HIM FELL AT HIS FEET, SAYING UNTO HIM, LORD, IF THOU HADST BEEN HERE, MY BROTHER HAD NOT DIED. Her first words are nearly the same as her sister's: there is only in the Greek a slight difference in the place of ‘my' which gives a tou... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:33. WHEN JESUS THEREFORE SAW HER LAMENTING, AND THE JEWS LAMENTING WHICH CAME WITH HER, HE WAS MOVED WITH INDIGNATION IN HIS SPIRIT, AND TROUBLED HIMSELF. THERE IS LITTLE DOUBT THAT THE FIRST WORD DESCRIBING THE EMOTION of Jesus denotes rather anger than sorrow. Such is its regular meaning;... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:34-35. AND HE SAID, WHERE HAVE YE LAID HIM? THEY SAY UNTO HIM, LORD, COME AND SEE. JESUS WEPT. The question is addressed to the sisters, and ‘the Jews' give place to them in thought, for it is in sympathy with the bitter anguish of those whom He loves (well though He knows that He is about t... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:36-37. THE JEWS THEREFORE SAID, BEHOLD HOW HE LOVED HIM! BUT SOME OF THEM SAID, GOULD NOT THIS MAN, WHICH OPENED THE EYES OF HIM THAT WAS BLIND, HAVE CAUSED THAT THIS MAN ALSO SHOULD NOT DIE? Again there is a division amongst the Jews. Many recognise the naturalness of His tears, as a proof... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:38. JESUS THEREFORE AGAIN MOVED WITH INDIGNATION IN HIMSELF COMETH TO THE TOMB. HOW IT WAS A CAVE, AND A STONE LAY AGAINST IT. The indignation was again excited either by the malicious comment just made by some of the Jews, or by the renewed recollection of the power of evil in the world. Li... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:39. JESUS SAITH, TAKE YE AWAY THE STONE. THE SISTER OF HIM THAT WAS DEAD, MARTHA, SAITH UNTO HIM, LORD, BY THIS TIME HE STINKETH: FOR HE HATH BEEN FOUR DAYS HERE. No expectation of some great blessing which God will give in answer to the prayer of Jesus (John 11:22) is now in Martha's mind.... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:40. JESUS SAITH UNTO HER, SAID I NOT UNTO THEE, THAT, IF THOU BELIEVEDST, THOU SHOULDEST SEE the GLORY OF GOD? Martha would have prevented the removal of the stone; but this wish was but a symbol of a real hindrance in the Saviour's way, her decline in faith. She has for the time come comple... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:41-42. THEY TOOK AWAY THE STONE THEREFORE. AND JESUS LIFTED UP HIS EYES, AND SAID, FATHER, I THANK THEE THAT THOU HEARDEST ME. AND I MYSELF KNEW THAT THOU HEAREST ME ALWAYS; BUT BECAUSE OF THE MULTITUDE WHICH STANDETH AROUND I SAID IT, THAT THEY MAY BELIEVE THAT THOU DIDST SEND ME. The words... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:43-44. AND WHEN HE THUS HAD SPOKEN, HE CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, LAZARUS, COME FORTH; AND HE THAT WAS DEAD CAME FORTH, BOUND HAND AND FOOT WITH GRAVEBANDS: AND HIS FACE WAS BOUND ABOUT WITH A NAPKIN. JESUS SAITH UNTO THEM. LOOSE HIM, AND LET HIM GO. The words ‘bound hand and foot' perhaps con... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:45. MANY THEREFORE OF THE JEWS, THEY WHICH CAME TO MARY, AND BEHELD THE THINGS WHICH JESUS DID, BELIEVED IN HIM. The statement is very remarkable, but the language of the original is so clear as to leave no doubt as to the meaning. The great manifestations of our Lord to the people, whether... [ Continue Reading ]
The most striking of all the miracles of Jesus has been performed, and His manifestation of Himself to the world has ended. The effect is proportionate. On the one hand, faith is awakened in the hearts of ‘many' of His most determined enemies ‘the Jews.' On the other hand, final measures are taken t... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:46. BUT SOME OF THEM WENT AWAY TO THE PHARISEES, AND TOLD THEM WHAT THINGS JESUS HAD DONE. It is impossible, we think, that what is here related can have been done with friendly motives, or from a mere sense of duty to men whose office made them spiritual guides of the people. The analogy of... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:47. THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE PHARISEES THEREFORE GATHERED A COUNCIL, AND SAID, WHAT DO WE? FOR THIS MAN DOETH MANY SIGNS. Here, probably for the first time in this Gospel, we read of a meeting of the Sanhedrin, not a formal meeting, but one hastily summoned in the sudden emergency that had... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:48. IF WE LET HIM THUS ALONE, ALL MEN WILL BELIEVE IN HIM: AND THE ROMANS WILL COME AND TAKE AWAY BOTH OUR PLACE AND OUR NATION. The fear was natural. It is true that they were already subject to the Roman power. But, with their usual policy towards tributary states, the Romans had left them... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:49-50. BUT A CERTAIN ONE OF THEM, NAMED CAIAPHAS, BEING HIGH PRIEST OF THAT YEAR, SAID UNTO THEM, YE KNOW NOTHING AT ALL, NOR CONSIDER THAT IT IS PROFITABLE FOR YOU THAT ONE MAN SHOULD DIE FOR THE PEOPLE, AND THE WHOLE NATION PERISH NOT. Caiaphas was a Sadducee, a powerful and crafty man. He... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:51-52. BUT THIS SPAKE HE NOT OF HIMSELF: BUT BEING HIGH PRIEST OF THAT YEAR, HE PROPHESIED THAT JESUS WAS ABOUT TO DIE FOR THE NATION, AND NOT FOR THE NATION ONLY, BUT THAT HE MIGHT ALSO GATHER TOGETHER INTO ONE THE CHILDREN OF GOD THAT ARE SCATTERED ABROAD. The words are a prophecy: heartle... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:53. FROM THAT DAY FORTH, THEREFORE, THEY TOOK COUNSEL THAT THEY MIGHT PUT HIM TO DEATH. Not that they might pass sentence of death upon him; that is done: but that they might execute the sentence. Their previous efforts of rage against Jesus had been connected with moments of special excitem... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:54. JESUS THEREFORE WALKED NO MORE OPENLY AMONG THE JEWS; BUT WENT AWAY THENCE INTO THE COUNTRY NEAR TO THE WILDERNESS, INTO A CITY CALLED EPHRAIM, AND THERE ABODE WITH THE DISCIPLES. The time of ‘free speech' (see note on chap. John 7:4) was at an end: from this time Jesus avoided communica... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:55. AND THE PASSOVER OF THE JEWS WAS NIGH AT HAND. On these words see the notes on chap. John 2:13; John 6:4. No one who has followed the narrative of this Gospel with care up to the present point can doubt that the expression is used with deep, indeed with terrible significance. AND MANY W... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:56. THEY SOUGHT THEREFORE FOR JESUS, AND SPAKE AMONG THEMSELVES, AS THEY STOOD IN THE TEMPLE-COURTS, WHAT THINK YE, THAT HE WILL NOT COME TO THE FEAST? The language is that of earnest and interested inquiry. Those who are talking together are friendly to Jesus, and hopeful and expectant that... [ Continue Reading ]
John 11:57. NOW THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE PHARISEES HAD GIVEN COMMANDMENTS, THAT IF ANY MAN KNEW WHERE HE WERE, HE SHOULD SHEW IT THAT THEY MIGHT SEIZE HIM. As the last verse has described the eager interest of the friends of Jesus, this verse presents a picture of His enemies. In pursuance of the r... [ Continue Reading ]