1Es warG2258 aberG1161 ein GewisserG5100 krankG770, LazarusG2976 vonG575 BethanienG963, ausG1537 dem DorfeG2968 der MariaG3137 undG2532 ihrerG846 SchwesterG79 MarthaG3136. 2(MariaG3137 aberG1161 warG2258 es, dieG3588 den HerrnG2962 mit SalbeG3464 salbteG218 undG2532 seineG846 FüßeG4228 mit ihrenG846 HaarenG2359 abtrockneteG1591; derenG3739 BruderG80 LazarusG2976 war krankG770.) 3DaG3767 sandtenG649 die SchwesternG79 zuG4314 ihmG846 und ließen ihm sagenG3004: HerrG2962, sieheG2396, derG3739, den du lieb hastG5368, ist krankG770. 4AlsG1161 aber JesusG2424 es hörteG191, sprachG2036 er: DieseG3778 KrankheitG769 istG2076 nichtG3756 zumG4314 TodeG2288, sondernG235 um der HerrlichkeitG1391 GottesG2316 willenG5228, auf daßG2443 der SohnG5207 GottesG2316 durchG1223 sieG846 verherrlichtG1392 werde. 5JesusG2424 aberG1161 liebteG25 die MarthaG3136 undG2532 ihreG846 SchwesterG79 undG2532 den LazarusG2976. 6AlsG5613 er nunG3767 hörteG191, daßG3754 er krankG770 sei, bliebG3306 er nochG5119 G3303 zweiG1417 TageG2250 anG1722 dem OrteG5117, woG3739 er warG2258. 7DanachG3326 G5124 sprichtG3004 er dannG1899 zu den JüngernG3101: Laßt uns wiederG3825 nachG1519 JudäaG2449 gehenG71. 8Die JüngerG3101 sagenG3004 zu ihmG846: RabbiG4461, ebenG3568 suchtenG2212 die JudenG2453 dichG4571 zu steinigenG3034, undG2532 wiederumG3825 gehstG5217 du dahinG1563 ? 9JesusG2424 antworteteG611: SindG1526 der StundenG5610 des TagesG2250 nichtG3780 zwölfG1427 ? WennG1437 jemandG5100 amG1722 TageG2250 wandeltG4043, stößtG4350 er nichtG3756 an, weilG3754 er das LichtG5457 dieserG5127 WeltG2889 siehtG991; 10wennG1437 aberG1161 jemandG5100 inG1722 der NachtG3571 wandeltG4043, stößtG4350 er an, weilG3754 das LichtG5457 nichtG3756 inG1722 ihmG846 istG2076. 11DiesG5023 sprachG2036 erG846, undG2532 danachG3326 G5124 sagtG3004 er zu ihnenG846: LazarusG2976, unserG2257 FreundG5384, ist eingeschlafenG2837; aberG235 ich geheG4198 hin, auf daßG2443 ich ihnG846 aufweckeG1852. 12DaG3767 sprachenG2036 die JüngerG3101 zu ihmG846: HerrG2962, wennG1487 er eingeschlafenG2837 ist, so wird er geheiltG4982 werden. 13JesusG2424 aberG1161 hatte vonG4012 seinemG846 TodeG2288 gesprochenG2046; sieG1565 aberG1161 meintenG1380 ,G3754 er redeG3004 vonG4012 der RuheG2838 des SchlafesG5258. 14DannG5119 nunG3767 sagteG2036 ihnenG846 JesusG2424 gerade herausG3954: LazarusG2976 ist gestorbenG599; 15undG2532 ich bin frohG5463 um euretwillenG5209 G1223, daßG3754 ich nichtG3756 dortG1563 warG2258 G2252, auf daßG2443 ihr glaubetG4100; aberG235 laßt uns zuG4314 ihmG846 gehenG71. 16DaG3767 sprachG2036 ThomasG2381, derG3588 ZwillingG1324 genanntG3004 ist, zu den MitjüngernG4827: Laßt auchG2532 uns gehenG71, auf daßG2443 wirG2249 mitG3326 ihmG846 sterbenG599. 17AlsG3767 nun JesusG2424 kamG2064, fandG2147 er ihnG846 schonG2235 vierG5064 TageG2250 inG1722 der GruftG3419 liegenG2192. 18BethanienG963 aberG1161 warG2258 naheG1451 bei JerusalemG2414, etwaG5613 fünfzehnG1178 StadienG4712 weitG575; 19undG2532 vieleG4183 vonG1537 den JudenG2453 waren zuG4314 MarthaG3136 undG2532 MariaG3137 gekommenG2064, auf daßG2443 sie dieselbenG846 überG4012 ihrenG846 BruderG80 tröstetenG3888. 20MarthaG3136 nunG3767, alsG5613 sie hörteG191, daßG3754 JesusG2424 kommeG2064, gingG5221 ihmG846 entgegenG5221. MariaG3137 aberG1161 saßG2516 imG1722 HauseG3624. 21DaG3767 sprachG2036 MarthaG3136 zuG4314 JesuG2424: HerrG2962, wennG1487 du hierG5602 gewesenG2258 wärest, so wäre meinG3450 BruderG80 nichtG3756 G302 gestorbenG2348; 22[aber]G235 auchG2532 jetztG3568 weißG1492 ich, daßG3754, wasG3745 irgendG302 du von GottG2316 bittenG154 magst, GottG2316 dirG4671 gebenG1325 wird. 23JesusG2424 sprichtG3004 zu ihrG846: DeinG4675 BruderG80 wird auferstehenG450. 24MarthaG3136 sprichtG3004 zu ihmG846: Ich weißG1492, daßG3754 er auferstehenG450 wird inG1722 der AuferstehungG386 amG1722 letztenG2078 TageG2250. 25JesusG2424 sprachG2036 zu ihrG846: IchG1473 binG1510 die AuferstehungG386 undG2532 das LebenG2222; wer anG1519 michG1691 glaubtG4100, wird lebenG2198, auchG2579 wenn er gestorbenG599 ist; 26undG2532 jederG3956, der da lebtG2198 undG2532 anG1519 michG1691 glaubtG4100, wirdG599 nichtG3364 sterbenG599 in EwigkeitG165. GlaubstG4100 du diesG5124 ? 27Sie sprichtG3004 zu ihmG846: JaG3483, HerrG2962, ichG1473 glaubeG4100, daßG3754 duG4771 der ChristusG5547 bistG1488, der SohnG5207 GottesG2316, derG3588 inG1519 die WeltG2889 kommenG2064 soll. 28UndG2532 als sie diesG5023 gesagtG2036 hatte, gingG565 sie hinG565 undG2532 riefG5455 ihreG846 SchwesterG79 MariaG3137 heimlichG2977 und sagteG2036: Der LehrerG1320 ist daG3918 undG2532 ruftG5455 dichG4571. 29AlsG5613 jeneG1565 es hörteG191, stehtG1453 sie schnellG5035 aufG1453 undG2532 gehtG2064 zuG4314 ihmG846. 30JesusG2424 aberG1161 warG2064 noch nichtG3768 inG1519 das DorfG2968 gekommenG2064, sondernG235 warG2258 anG1722 dem OrteG5117, woG3699 MarthaG3136 ihmG846 begegnetG5221 war. 31Als nunG3767 die JudenG2453, dieG3588 beiG3326 ihrG846 imG1722 HauseG3614 warenG5607 undG2532 sieG846 tröstetenG3888, sahenG1492, daßG3754 MariaG3137 schnellG5030 aufstandG450 undG2532 hinausgingG1831, folgtenG190 sie ihrG846, indem sie sagtenG3004 G3754: Sie gehtG5217 zurG1519 GruftG3419, auf daßG2443 sie daselbstG1563 weineG2799. 32AlsG5613 nunG3767 MariaG3137 dahin kamG2064, woG3699 JesusG2424 warG2258, und ihnG846 sahG1492, fielG4098 sie ihmG846 zuG1519 FüßenG4228 und sprachG3004 zu ihmG846: HerrG2962, wennG1487 du hierG5602 gewesen wärestG2258, so wäreG302 meinG3450 BruderG80 nichtG3756 gestorbenG599. 33AlsG5613 nunG3767 JesusG2424 sieG846 weinenG2799 sahG1492, undG2532 die JudenG2453 weinenG2799, die mit ihrG846 gekommenG4905 waren, seufzteG1690 er tief im GeistG4151 undG2532 erschütterteG5015 sichG1438 34undG2532 sprachG2036: WoG4226 habt ihr ihnG846 hingelegtG5087 ? Sie sagenG3004 zu ihmG846: HerrG2962, kommG2064 undG2532 siehG1492! 35JesusG2424 vergoßG1145 TränenG1145. 36DaG3767 sprachenG3004 die JudenG2453: SieheG2396, wieG4459 liebG5368 hat er ihnG846 gehabtG5368! 37EtlicheG5100 aberG1161 vonG1537 ihnenG846 sagtenG2036: KonnteG1410 dieserG3778, derG3588 die AugenG3788 des BlindenG5185 auftatG455, nichtG3756 machenG4160, daßG2443 auchG2532 dieserG3778 nichtG3361 gestorbenG599 wäre? 38JesusG2424 nunG3767, wiederumG3825 tief inG1722 sich selbstG1438 seufzendG1690, kommtG2064 zurG1519 GruftG3419. Es warG2258 aberG1161 eine HöhleG4693, undG2532 ein SteinG3037 lagG1945 daraufG1909 G846. 39JesusG2424 sprichtG3004: NehmetG142 den SteinG3037 wegG142. Die SchwesterG79 des VerstorbenenG2348, MarthaG3136, sprichtG3004 zu ihmG846: HerrG2962, er riechtG3605 schonG2235, dennG1063 er istG2076 vier TageG5066 hier. 40JesusG2424 sprichtG3004 zu ihrG846: Habe ich dirG4671 nichtG3756 gesagtG2036, wennG1437 du glaubenG4100 würdest, soG3754 würdest du die HerrlichkeitG1391 GottesG2316 sehenG3700 ? 41Sie nahmenG142 nunG3767 den SteinG3037 wegG142. JesusG2424 aberG1161 hobG142 die AugenG3788 emporG507 undG2532 sprachG2036: VaterG3962, ich dankeG2168 dirG4671, daßG3754 du michG3450 erhörtG191 hast. 42IchG1473 aberG1161 wußteG1492, daßG3754 du michG3450 allezeitG3842 erhörstG191; dochG235 um der VolksmengeG3793 willenG1223, dieG3588 umherstehtG4026, habe ich es gesagtG2036, auf daßG2443 sie glaubenG4100, daßG3754 duG4771 michG3165 gesandtG649 hast. 43UndG2532 als er diesG5023 gesagtG2036 hatte, riefG2905 er mit lauterG3173 StimmeG5456: LazarusG2976, kommG1204 herausG1854! 44UndG2532 der VerstorbeneG2348 kamG1831 heraus, an FüßenG4228 undG2532 HändenG5495 mit GrabtüchernG2750 gebundenG1210, undG2532 seinG846 GesichtG3799 war mit einem SchweißtuchG4676 umbundenG4019. JesusG2424 sprichtG3004 zu ihnenG846: LösetG3089 ihnG846 auf undG2532 laßtG863 ihn gehenG5217. 45VieleG4183 nunG3767 vonG1537 den JudenG2453, dieG3588 zuG4314 MariaG3137 gekommenG2064 waren undG2532 sahenG2300, wasG3739 er getanG4160 hatte, glaubtenG4100 anG1519 ihnG846. 46EtlicheG5100 aberG1161 vonG1537 ihnenG846 gingenG565 hin zuG4314 den PharisäernG5330 undG2532 sagtenG2036 ihnenG846, wasG3739 JesusG2424 getanG4160 hatte. 47DaG3767 versammeltenG4863 die HohenpriesterG749 undG2532 die PharisäerG5330 ein SynedriumG4892 undG2532 sprachenG3004: WasG5101 tunG4160 wir? DennG3754 dieserG3778 MenschG444 tutG4160 vieleG4183 ZeichenG4592. 48WennG1437 wir ihnG846 alsoG3779 lassenG863, werden alleG3956 anG1519 ihnG846 glaubenG4100, undG2532 die RömerG4514 werden kommenG2064 undG2532 sowohlG2532 unserenG2257 OrtG5117 als auchG2532 unsere NationG1484 wegnehmenG142. 49EinG1520 GewisserG5100 aberG1161 ausG1537 ihnenG846, KajaphasG2533, der jenesG1565 JahrG1763 HoherpriesterG749 warG5607, sprachG2036 zu ihnenG846: IhrG5210 wissetG1492 nichtsG3756 G3762, 50undG3761 überlegetG1260 auch nichtG3761, daßG3754 es euchG2254 nützlichG4851 ist, daßG2443 einG1520 MenschG444 fürG5228 das VolkG2992 sterbeG599 undG2532 nichtG3361 die ganzeG3650 NationG1484 umkommeG622. 51DiesG5124 aberG1161 sagteG2036 er nichtG3756 ausG575 sich selbstG1438, sondernG235 da er jenesG1565 JahrG1763 HoherpriesterG749 warG5607, weissagteG4395 er, daßG3754 JesusG2424 fürG5228 die NationG1484 sterbenG599 sollteG3195; 52undG2532 nichtG3756 fürG5228 die NationG1484 alleinG3440, sondernG235 auf daßG2443 er auchG2532 die zerstreutenG1287 KinderG5043 GottesG2316 inG1519 einsG1520 versammelteG4863. 53VonG575 jenemG1565 TageG2250 an ratschlagtenG4823 sie nunG3767, auf daßG2443 sie ihnG846 tötetenG615. 54JesusG2424 nunG3767 wandelteG4043 nichtG3765 mehrG2089 frei öffentlichG3954 unterG1722 den JudenG2453, sondernG235 gingG565 von dannen hinwegG1564 inG1519 die GegendG5561 naheG1451 bei der WüsteG2048, inG1519 eine StadtG4172, genanntG3004 EphraimG2187; und daselbstG2546 verweilteG1304 er mitG3326 den JüngernG3101. 55Es warG2258 aberG1161 naheG1451 das PassahG3957 der JudenG2453, undG2532 vieleG4183 gingenG305 ausG1537 dem LandeG5561 hinaufG1519 nach JerusalemG2414 vorG4253 dem PassahG3957, auf daßG2443 sie sichG1438 reinigtenG48. 56Sie suchtenG2212 nunG3767 JesumG2424 undG2532 sprachenG3004, imG1722 TempelG2411 stehendG2476, untereinanderG3326 G240: WasG5101 dünktG1380 euchG5213 ? DaßG3754 er nichtG3364 zuG1519 dem FestG1859 kommenG2064 wird? 57Es hatten aberG1161 die HohenpriesterG749 undG2532 die PharisäerG5330 BefehlG1785 gegebenG1325, daßG2443, wennG1437 jemandG5100 wisseG1097, woG4226 er seiG2076, er es anzeigenG3377 solle, damitG3704 sie ihnG846 griffenG4084.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 LAZARUS RAISED FROM THE DEAD--THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS. (John 11:1-46)
of Bethany--at the east side of Mount Olivet.
the town of Mary and her sister Martha--thus distinguishing it from the other Bethany, "beyond Jordan." (See on
John 1:28;
John 10:40).
2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, &c.--This, though not recorded by our Evangelist till
John 12:3, was so well known in the teaching of all the churches, according to our Lord's prediction (
Matt 26:13), that it is here alluded to by anticipation, as the most natural way of identifying her; and she is first named, though the younger, as the more distinguished of the two. She "anointed THE LORD," says the Evangelist--led doubtless to the use of this term here, as he was about to exhibit Him illustriously as the Lord of Life.
3 his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, he whom thou lovest is sick--a most womanly appeal, yet how reverential, to the known affection of her Lord for the patient. (See
John 11:5,
John 11:11). "Those whom Christ loves are no more exempt than others from their share of earthly trouble and anguish: rather are they bound over to it more surely" [TRENCH].
4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death--to result in death.
but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby--that is, by this glory of God. (See Greek.) Remarkable language this, which from creature lips would have been intolerable. It means that the glory of GOD manifested in the resurrection of dead Lazarus would be shown to be the glory, personally and immediately, of THE SON.
5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus--what a picture!--one that in every age has attracted the admiration of the whole Christian Church. No wonder that those miserable skeptics who have carped at the ethical system of the Gospel, as not embracing private friendships in the list of its virtues, have been referred to the Saviour's peculiar regard for this family as a triumphant refutation, if such were needed.
6 When he heard he was sick, he abode two days still . . . where he was--at least twenty-five miles off. Beyond all doubt this was just to let things come to their worst, in order to display His glory. But how trying, meantime, to the faith of his friends, and how unlike the way in which love to a dying friend usually shows itself, on which it is plain that Mary reckoned. But the ways of divine are not as the ways of human love. Often they are the reverse. When His people are sick, in body or spirit; when their case is waxing more and more desperate every day; when all hope of recovery is about to expire--just then and therefore it is that "He abides two days still in the same place where He is." Can they still hope against hope? Often they do not; but "this is their infirmity." For it is His chosen style of acting. We have been well taught it, and should not now have the lesson to learn. From the days of Moses was it given sublimely forth as the character of His grandest interpositions, that "the Lord will judge His people and repent Himself for His servants"--when He seeth that their power is gone (
Deut 32:36).
7 Let us go into Judea again--He was now in Perea, "beyond Jordan."
8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought, &c.--literally, "were (just) now seeking" "to stone thee" (
John 10:31).
goest thou thither again?--to certain death, as
John 11:16 shows they thought.
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day?--(See on
John 9:4). Our Lord's day had now reached its eleventh hour, and having till now "walked in the day," He would not mistime the remaining and more critical part of His work, which would be as fatal, He says, as omitting it altogether; for "if a man (so He speaks, putting Himself under the same great law of duty as all other men--if a man) walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him."
11 Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may wake him out of sleep--Illustrious title! "Our friend Lazarus." To Abraham only is it accorded in the Old Testament, and not till after his death, (
2Chr 20:7;
Isa 41:8), to which our attention is called in the New Testament (
Jas 2:23). When Jesus came in the flesh, His forerunner applied this name, in a certain sense, to himself (
John 3:29); and into the same fellowship the Lord's chosen disciples are declared to have come (
John 15:13-
John 15:15). "The phrase here employed, "our friend Lazarus," means more than "he whom Thou lovest" in
John 11:3, for it implies that Christ's affection was reciprocated by Lazarus" [LAMPE]. Our Lord had been told only that Lazarus was "sick." But the change which his two days' delay had produced is here tenderly alluded to. Doubtless, His spirit was all the while with His dying, and now dead "friend." The symbol of "sleep" for death is common to all languages, and familiar to us in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, however, a higher meaning is put into it, in relation to believers in Jesus (see on
1Thess 4:14), a sense hinted at, and clearly, in
Ps 17:15 [LUTHARDT]; and the "awaking out of sleep" acquires a corresponding sense far transcending bare resuscitation.
12 if he sleep, he shall do well--literally, "be preserved"; that is, recover. "Why then go to Judea?"
14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead--Says BENGEL beautifully, "Sleep is the death of the saints, in the language of heaven; but this language the disciples here understood not; incomparable is the generosity of the divine manner of discoursing, but such is the slowness of men's apprehension that Scripture often has to descend to the more miserable style of human discourse; compare
Matt 16:11."
15 I am glad for your sakes I was not there--This certainly implies that if He had been present, Lazarus would not have died; not because He could not have resisted the importunities of the sisters, but because, in presence of the personal Life, death could not have reached His friend [LUTHARDT]. "It is beautifully congruous to the divine decorum that in presence of the Prince of Life no one is ever said to have died" [BENGEL].
that ye may believe--This is added to explain His "gladness" at not having been present. His friend's death, as such, could not have been to Him "joyous"; the sequel shows it was "grievous"; but for them it was safe (
Phil 3:1).
16 Thomas, . . . called Didymus--or "the twin."
Let us also go, that we may die with him--lovely spirit, though tinged with some sadness, such as reappears at
John 14:5, showing the tendency of this disciple to take the dark view of things. On a memorable occasion this tendency opened the door to downright, though but momentary, unbelief (
John 20:25). Here, however, though alleged by many interpreters there is nothing of the sort. He perceives clearly how this journey to Judea will end, as respects his Master, and not only sees in it peril to themselves, as they all did, but feels as if he could not and cared not to survive his Master's sacrifice to the fury of His enemies. It was that kind of affection which, living only in the light of its Object, cannot contemplate, or has no heart for life, without it.
17 when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days--If he died on the day the tidings came of his illness--and was, according to the Jewish custom, buried the same day (see JAHN'S Archćology, and
John 11:39;
Acts 5:5-
Acts 5:6,
Acts 5:10) --and if Jesus, after two days' further stay in Perea, set out on the day following for Bethany, some ten hours' journey, that would make out the four days; the first and last being incomplete [MEYER].
18 Bethany was nigh Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs--rather less than two miles; mentioned to explain the visits of sympathy noticed in the following words, which the proximity of the two places facilitated.
19 many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them--Thus were provided, in a most natural way, so many witnesses of the glorious miracle that was to follow, as to put the fact beyond possible question.
20 Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him--true to the energy and activity of her character, as seen in
Luke 10:38-
Luke 10:42. (See on
Luke 10:38-
Luke 10:42).
but Mary sat . . . in the house--equally true to her placid character. These undesigned touches not only charmingly illustrate the minute historic fidelity of both narratives, but their inner harmony.
21 Then said Martha . . . Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died--As Mary afterwards said the same thing (
John 11:32), it is plain they had made this very natural remark to each other, perhaps many times during these four sad days, and not without having their confidence in His love at times overclouded. Such trials of faith, however, are not peculiar to them.
22 But I know that even now, &c.--Energetic characters are usually sanguine, the rainbow of hope peering through the drenching cloud.
whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee--that is "even to the restoration of my dead brother to life," for that plainly is her meaning, as the sequel shows.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again--purposely expressing Himself in general terms, to draw her out.
24 Martha said, . . . I know that he shall rise again . . . at the last day--"But are we never to see him in life till then?"
25 Jesus said, I am the resurrection and the life--"The whole power to restore, impart, and maintain life, resides in Me." (See on
John 1:4;
John 5:21). What higher claim to supreme divinity than this grand saying can be conceived?
he that believeth in me, though . . . dead . . . shall he live--that is, The believer's death shall be swallowed up in life, and his life shall never sink into death. As death comes by sin, it is His to dissolve it; and as life flows through His righteousness, it is His to communicate and eternally maintain it (
Rom 5:21). The temporary separation of soul and body is here regarded as not even interrupting, much less impairing, the new and everlasting life imparted by Jesus to His believing people.
Believest thou this?--Canst thou take this in?
27 Yea, . . . I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, &c.--that is, And having such faith in Thee, I can believe all which that comprehends. While she had a glimmering perception that Resurrection, in every sense of the word, belonged to the Messianic office and Sonship of Jesus, she means, by this way of expressing herself, to cover much that she felt her ignorance of--as no doubt belonging to Him.
28 The Master is come and calleth for thee--The narrative does not give us this interesting detail, but Martha's words do.
29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly--affection for her Lord, assurance of His sympathy, and His hope of interposition, putting a spring into her distressed spirit.
31 The Jews . . . followed her . . . to the grave--Thus casually were provided witnesses of the glorious miracle that followed, not prejudiced, certainly, in favor of Him who wrought it.
to weep there--according to Jewish practice, for some days after burial.
fell at his feet--more impassioned than her sister, though her words were fewer. (See on
John 11:21).
33 When Jesus . . . saw her weeping, and the Jews . . . weeping . . . he groaned in the spirit--the tears of Mary and her friends acting sympathetically upon Jesus, and drawing forth His emotions. What a vivid and beautiful outcoming of His "real" humanity! The word here rendered "groaned" does not mean "sighed" or "grieved," but rather "powerfully checked his emotion"--made a visible effort to restrain those tears which were ready to gush from His eyes.
and was troubled--rather, "troubled himself" (Margin); referring probably to this visible difficulty of repressing His emotions.
34 Where have ye laid him? . . . Lord, come and see--Perhaps it was to retain composure enough to ask this question, and on receiving the answer to proceed with them to the spot, that He checked Himself.
35 Jesus wept--This beautifully conveys the sublime brevity of the two original words; else "shed tears" might have better conveyed the difference between the word here used and that twice employed in
John 11:33, and there properly rendered "weeping," denoting the loud wail for the dead, while that of Jesus consisted of silent tears. Is it for nothing that the Evangelist, some sixty years after it occurred, holds up to all ages with such touching brevity the sublime spectacle of the Son of God in tears? What a seal of His perfect oneness with us in the most redeeming feature of our stricken humanity! But was there nothing in those tears beyond sorrow for human suffering and death? Could these effects move Him without suggesting the cause? Who can doubt that in His ear every feature of the scene proclaimed that stern law of the Kingdom, "The wages of sin is death" (
Rom 6:23), and that this element in His visible emotion underlay all the rest?
36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!--We thank you, O ye visitors from Jerusalem, for this spontaneous testimony to the human tenderness of the Son of God.
37 And--rather, "But."
some . . . said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that this man should not have died?--The former exclamation came from the better-feeling portion of the spectators; this betokens a measure of suspicion. It hardly goes the length of attesting the miracle on the blind man; but "if (as everybody says) He did that, why could He not also have kept Lazarus alive?" As to the restoration of the dead man to life, they never so much as thought of it. But this disposition to dictate to divine power, and almost to peril our confidence in it upon its doing our bidding, is not confined to men of no faith.
38 Jesus again groaning in himself--that is, as at
John 11:33, checked or repressed His rising feelings, in the former instance, of sorrow, here of righteous indignation at their unreasonable unbelief; (compare
Mark 3:5) [WEBSTER and WILKINSON]. But here, too, struggling emotion was deeper, now that His eye was about to rest on the spot where lay, in the still horrors of death, His "friend."
a cave--the cavity, natural or artificial, of a rock. This, with the number of condoling visitors from Jerusalem, and the costly ointment with which Mary afterwards anointed Jesus at Bethany, all go to show that the family was in good circumstances.
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone--spoken to the attendants of Martha and Mary; for it was a work of no little labor [GROTIUS]. According to the Talmudists, it was forbidden to open a grave after the stone was placed upon it. Besides other dangers, they were apprehensive of legal impurity by contact with the dead. Hence they avoided coming nearer a grave than four cubits [MAIMONIDES in LAMPE]. But He who touched the leper, and the bier of the widow of Nain's son, rises here also above these Judaic memorials of evils, every one of which He had come to roll away. Observe here what our Lord did Himself, and what He made others do. As Elijah himself repaired the altar on Carmel, arranged the wood, cut the victim, and placed the pieces on the fuel, but made the by-standers fill the surrounding trench with water, that no suspicion might arise of fire having been secretly applied to the pile (
1Kgs 18:30-35); so our Lord would let the most skeptical see that, without laying a hand on the stone that covered His friend, He could recall him to life. But what could be done by human hand He orders to be done, reserving only to Himself what transcended the ability of all creatures.
Martha, the sister of . . . the dead--and as such the proper guardian of the precious remains; the relationship being here mentioned to account for her venturing gently to remonstrate against their exposure, in a state of decomposition, to eyes that had loved him so tenderly in life.
Lord, by this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days--(See on
John 11:17). It is wrong to suppose from this (as LAMPE and others do) that, like the by-standers, she had not thought of his restoration to life. But the glimmerings of hope which she cherished from the first (
John 11:22), and which had been brightened by what Jesus said to her (
John 11:23-
John 11:27), had suffered a momentary eclipse on the proposal to expose the now sightless corpse. To such fluctuations all real faith is subject in dark hours. (See, for example, the case of Job).
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?--He had not said those very words, but this was the scope of all that He had uttered to her about His life-giving power (
John 11:23,
John 11:25-
John 11:26); a gentle yet emphatic and most instructive rebuke: "Why doth the restoration of life, even to a decomposing corpse, seem hopeless in the presence of the Resurrection and the Life? Hast thou yet to learn that 'if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth?'" (
Mark 9:23).
41 Jesus lifted up his eyes--an expression marking His calm solemnity. (Compare
John 17:1).
Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me--rather, "heardest Me," referring to a specific prayer offered by Him, probably on intelligence of the case reaching Him (
John 11:3-
John 11:4); for His living and loving oneness with the Father was maintained and manifested in the flesh, not merely by the spontaneous and uninterrupted outgoing of Each to Each in spirit, but by specific actings of faith and exercises of prayer about each successive case as it emerged. He prayed (says LUTHARDT well) not for what He wanted, but for the manifestation of what He had; and having the bright consciousness of the answer in the felt liberty to ask it, and the assurance that it was at hand, He gives thanks for this with a grand simplicity before performing the act.
42 And--rather, "Yet."
I knew that thou hearest me always, but because of the people that stand by I said it, that they might believe that thou hast sent me--Instead of praying now, He simply gives thanks for answer to prayer offered ere He left Perea, and adds that His doing even this, in the audience of the people, was not from any doubt of the prevalency of His prayers in any case, but to show the people that He did nothing without His Father, but all by direct communication with Him.
43 and when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice--On one other occasion only did He this--on the cross. His last utterance was a "loud cry" (
Matt 27:50). "He shall not cry," said the prophet, nor, in His ministry, did He. What a sublime contrast is this "loud cry" to the magical "whisperings" and "mutterings" of which we read in
Isa 8:19;
Isa 29:4 (as GROTIUS remarks)! It is second only to the grandeur of that voice which shall raise all the dead (
John 5:28-
John 5:29;
1Thess 4:16).
44 Jesus saith unto them, Loose him and let him go--Jesus will no more do this Himself than roll away the stone. The one was the necessary preparation for resurrection, the other the necessary sequel to it. THE LIFE-GIVING ACT ALONE HE RESERVES TO HIMSELF. So in the quickening of the dead to spiritual life, human instrumentality is employed first to prepare the way, and then to turn it to account.
45 many . . . which . . . had seen . . . believed . . . But some . . . went . . . to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done--the two classes which continually reappear in the Gospel history; nor is there ever any great work of God which does not produce both. "It is remarkable that on each of the three occasions on which our Lord raised the dead, a large number of persons was assembled. In two instances, the resurrection of the widow's son and of Lazarus, these were all witnesses of the miracle; in the third (of Jairus' daughter) they were necessarily cognizant of it. Yet this important circumstance is in each case only incidentally noticed by the historians, not put forward or appealed to as a proof of their veracity. In regard to this miracle, we observe a greater degree of preparation, both in the provident arrangement of events, and in our Lord's actions and words than in any other. The preceding miracle (cure of the man born blind) is distinguished from all others by the open and formal investigation of its facts. And both these miracles, the most public and best attested of all, are related by John, who wrote long after the other Evangelists" [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].
47 What do we? for this man doeth many miracles--"While we trifle, 'this man,' by His 'many miracles,' will carry all before Him; the popular enthusiasm will bring on a revolution, which will precipitate the Romans upon us, and our all will go down in one common ruin." What a testimony to the reality of our Lord's miracles, and their resistless effect, from His bitterest enemies!
51 Caiaphas . . . prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation--He meant nothing more than that the way to prevent the apprehended ruin of the nation was to make a sacrifice of the Disturber of their peace. But in giving utterance to this suggestion of political expediency, he was so guided as to give forth a divine prediction of deep significance; and God so ordered it that it should come from the lips of the high priest for that memorable year, the recognized head of God's visible people, whose ancient office, symbolized by the Urim and Thummim, was to decide in the last resort, all vital questions as the oracle of the divine will.
52 and not for that nation only, &c.--These are the Evangelist's words, not Caiaphas'.
53 they took council together to put him to death--Caiaphas but expressed what the party was secretly wishing, but afraid to propose.
Jesus . . . walked no more openly among the Jews--How could He, unless He had wished to die before His time?
near to the wilderness--of Judea.
a city called Ephraim--between Jerusalem and Jericho.
55 passover . . . at hand . . . many went . . . up . . . before the passover, to purify themselves--from any legal uncleanness which would have disqualified them from keeping the feast. This is mentioned to introduce the graphic statement which follows.
56 sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple--giving forth the various conjectures and speculations about the probability of His coming to the feast.
that he will not come--The form of this question implies the opinion that He would come.
57 chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment that if any knew where he were, he should show it, that they might take him--This is mentioned to account for the conjectures whether He would come, in spite of this determination to seize Him.
