1Byl pak nemocen nějaký Lazar z Betany, z městečka Marie a Marty, sestry její. 2A to byla ta Maria, kteráž pomazala Pána mastí, a vytřela nohy jeho vlasy svými, jejíž bratr Lazar byl nemocen. 3Tedy poslaly k němu ty sestry, řkouce: Pane, aj, ten, kteréhož miluješ, nemocen jest. 4A uslyšav to Ježíš, řekl: nemoc ta není k smrti, ale pro slávu Boží, aby oslaven byl Syn Boží skrze ni. 5Miloval pak Ježíš Martu i sestru její i Lazara. 6A jakž uslyšel, že by nemocen byl, tedy pozůstal za dva dni na tom místě, kdež byl. 7Potom pak dí učedlníkům: Poďme zase do Judstva. 8Řekli jemu učedlníci: Mistře, nyní hledali tě Židé kamenovati, a zase tam chceš jíti? 9Odpověděl Ježíš: Zdaliž není dvanácte hodin za den? Chodí-li kdo ve dne, neurazí se; nebo světlo tohoto světa vidí. 10Pakliť by kdo chodil v noci, urazíť se; nebo světla není v něm. 11To pověděl, a potom dí jim: Lazar, přítel náš, spí, ale jduť, abych jej ze sna probudil. 12I řekli učedlníci jeho: Pane, spí-liť, zdráv bude. 13Ale Ježíš řekl o smrti jeho, oni pak domnívali se, že by o spání sna mluvil. 14Tedy řekl jim Ježíš zjevně: Lazar umřel. 15A raduji se pro vás, že jsem tam nebyl, abyste věřili. Ale poďme k němu. 16I řekl Tomáš, kterýž slove Didymus, spoluučedlníkum: Poďme i my, abychom zemřeli s ním. 17Přišel tedy Ježíš, a nalezl ho již čtyři dni v hrobě pochovaného. 18Byla pak Betany blízko od Jeruzaléma, okolo honů patnácte. 19Mnozí pak z Židů byli přišli k Martě a Marii, aby je těšili pro bratra jejich. 20Tedy Marta, jakž uslyšela, že Ježíš jde, vyšla proti němu, ale Maria doma seděla. 21I řekla Marta Ježíšovi: Pane, kdybys ty byl zde, bratr můj byl by neumřel. 22Ale i nyníť vím, že cožkoli požádal bys od Boha, dá tobě Bůh. 23Dí jí Ježíš: Vstaneť bratr tvůj. 24Řekla jemu Marta: Vím, že vstane při vzkříšení v den nejposlednější. 25Řekl jí Ježíš: já jsem vzkříšení i život. Kdo věří ve mne, byť pak i umřel, živ bude. 26A každý, kdož jest živ, a věří ve mne, neumřeť na věky. Věříš-li tomu? 27Řekla jemu: Ovšem, Pane, já jsem uvěřila, že jsi ty Kristus, Syn Boží, kterýž měl přijíti na svět. 28A když to pověděla, odešla a zavolala tajně Marie, sestry své, řkuci: Mistr zde jest, a volá tebe. 29Ona jakž uslyšela, vstala rychle, a šla k němu. 30Ještě pak byl Ježíš nepřišel do městečka, ale byl na tom místě, kdež vyšla byla proti němu Marta. 31Tedy Židé, kteříž s ní byli v domě, a těšili ji, viděvše Marii, že rychle vstala a vyšla, šli za ní, řkouce: Jde k hrobu, aby tam plakala. 32Ale Maria, když tam přišla, kdež byl Ježíš, uzřevši jej, padla k nohám jeho, řkuci jemu: Pane, bys ty byl zde, bratr můj byl by neumřel. 33Ježíš pak jakž uzřel, ana pláče, i Židy, kteříž byli s ní přišli, ani plačí, zastonal duchem, a zkormoutil se. 34A řekl: Kdež jste jej položili? Řkou jemu: Pane, poď a pohleď. 35I zaplakal Ježíš. 36Tedy řekli Židé: Aj, kterak ho miloval! 37Někteří pak z nich řekli: Nemohl-liž tento, kterýž otevřel oči slepého, učiniti aby tento neumřel? 38Ježíš pak opět zastonav sám v sobě, přišel k hrobu. Byla pak jeskyně, a kámen byl svrchu položen na ni. 39Dí Ježíš: Zdvihněte kámen. Řekla jemu Marta, sestra toho mrtvého: Pane, jižť smrdí; nebo čtyři dni v hrobě jest. 40Dí jí Ježíš: Všakť jsem řekl, že budeš-li věřiti, uzříš slávu Boží. 41Tedy zdvihli kámen, kdež byl ten mrtvý pochován. Ježíš pak pozdvihl zhůru očí a řekl: Otče, děkuji tobě, že jsi mne slyšel. 42Já zajisté vím, že mne vždycky slyšíš, ale pro zástup, kterýž okolo stojí, řekl jsem, aby věřili, že jsi ty mne poslal. 43A to pověděv, zavolal hlasem velikým: Lazaře, poď ven. 44I vyšel ten, kterýž byl umřel, maje svázané ruce i nohy rouchami, a tvář jeho šatem byla obvinuta. Řekl jim Ježíš: Rozvěžtež jej, a nechte, ať odejde. 45Tedy mnozí z Židů, kteříž byli přišli k Marii, viděvše, co učinil Ježíš, uvěřili v něho. 46Někteří pak z nich odešli k farizeům, a pověděli jim, co učinil Ježíš. 47I sešli se přední kněží {biskupové} a farizeové v radu, a pravili: Co činíme? Nebo tento člověk divy mnohé činí. 48Necháme-li ho tak, všickni uvěří v něho, i přijdou Římané, a odejmou místo naše i lid. 49Jeden pak z nich, Kaifáš, nejvyšším knězem {biskupem} byv toho léta, řekl jim: Vy nic nevíte, 50Aniž přemyšlujete, že jest užitečné nám, aby jeden člověk umřel za lid, a ne, aby všecken tento národ zahynul. 51Toho pak neřekl sám od sebe, ale nejvyšším knězem {biskupem} byv léta toho, prorokoval, že měl Ježíš umříti za tento národ. 52A netoliko za tento národ, ale také, aby syny Boží rozptýlené shromáždil v jedno. 53Protož od toho dne radu společně drželi, aby jej zabili. 54Ježíš pak již nechodil zjevně mezi Židy, ale odšel odtud do krajiny blízko pouště, do města, kteréž slove Efraim, a tu bydlil s učedlníky svými. 55Byla pak blízko velikanoc Židovská. I šli mnozí do Jeruzaléma z krajiny té před velikonocí, aby se očistili. 56I hledali Ježíše, a rozmlouvali vespolek, v chrámě stojíce: Co se vám zdá, že nepřišel k svátku? 57Vydali pak byli přední kněží {biskupové} a farizeové mandát, jestliže by kdo zvěděl, kde by byl, aby pověděl, aby jej jali.
Matthew Henry - Concise Commentary 1 It is no new thing for those whom Christ loves, to be sick; bodily distempers correct the corruption, and try the graces of God's people. He came not to preserve his people from these afflictions, but to save them from their sins, and from the wrath to come; however, it behoves us to apply to Him in behalf of our friends and relatives when sick and afflicted. Let this reconcile us to the darkest dealings of Providence, that they are all for the glory of God: sickness, loss, disappointment, are so; and if God be glorified, we ought to be satisfied. Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. The families are greatly favoured in which love and peace abound; but those are most happy whom Jesus loves, and by whom he is beloved. Alas, that this should seldom be the case with every person, even in small families. God has gracious intentions, even when he seems to delay. When the work of deliverance, temporal or spiritual, public or personal, is delayed, it does but stay for the right time.
7 Christ never brings his people into any danger but he goes with them in it. We are apt to think ourselves zealous for the Lord, when really we are only zealous for our wealth, credit, ease, and safety; we have therefore need to try our principles. But our day shall be lengthened out, till our work is done, and our testimony finished. A man has comfort and satisfaction while in the way of his duty, as set forth by the word of God, and determined by the providence of God. Christ, wherever he went, walked in the day; and so shall we, if we follow his steps. If a man walks in the way of his heart, and according to the course of this world, if he consults his own carnal reasonings more than the will and glory of God, he falls into temptations and snares. He stumbles, because there is no light in him; for light in us is to our moral actions, that which light about us to our natural actions.
11 Since we are sure to rise again at the last, why should not the believing hope of that resurrection to eternal life, make it as easy for us to put off the body and die, as it is to put off our clothes and go to sleep? A true Christian, when he dies, does but sleep; he rests from the labours of the past day. Nay, herein death is better than sleep, that sleep is only a short rest, but death is the end of earthly cares and toils. The disciples thought that it was now needless for Christ to go to Lazarus, and expose himself and them. Thus we often hope that the good work we are called to do, will be done by some other hand, if there be peril in the doing of it. But when Christ raised Lazarus from the dead, many were brought to believe on him; and there was much done to make perfect the faith of those that believed. Let us go to him; death cannot separate from the love of Christ, nor put us out of the reach of his call. Like Thomas, in difficult times Christians should encourage one another. The dying of the Lord Jesus should make us willing to die whenever God calls us.
17 Here was a house where the fear of God was, and on which his blessing rested; yet it was made a house of mourning. Grace will keep sorrow from the heart, but not from the house. When God, by his grace and providence, is coming towards us in ways of mercy and comfort, we should, like Martha, go forth by faith, hope, and prayer, to meet him. When Martha went to meet Jesus, Mary sat still in the house; this temper formerly had been an advantage to her, when it put her at Christ's feet to hear his word; but in the day of affliction, the same temper disposed her to melancholy. It is our wisdom to watch against the temptations, and to make use of the advantages of our natural tempers. When we know not what in particular to ask or expect, let us refer ourselves to God; let him do as seemeth him good. To enlarge Martha's expectations, our Lord declared himself to be the Resurrection and the Life. In every sense he is the Resurrection; the source, the substance, the first-fruits, the cause of it. The redeemed soul lives after death in happiness; and after the resurrection, both body and soul are kept from all evil for ever. When we have read or heard the word of Christ, about the great things of the other world, we should put it to ourselves, Do we believe this truth? The crosses and comforts of this present time would not make such a deep impression upon us as they do, if we believed the things of eternity as we ought. When Christ our Master comes, he calls for us. He comes in his word and ordinances, and calls us to them, calls us by them, calls us to himself. Those who, in a day of peace, set themselves at Christ's feet to be taught by him, may with comfort, in a day of trouble, cast themselves at his feet, to find favour with him.
33 Christ's tender sympathy with these afflicted friends, appeared by the troubles of his spirit. In all the afflictions of believers he is afflicted. His concern for them was shown by his kind inquiry after the remains of his deceased friend. Being found in fashion as a man, he acts in the way and manner of the sons of men. It was shown by his tears. He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Tears of compassion resemble those of Christ. But Christ never approved that sensibility of which many are proud, while they weep at mere tales of distress, but are hardened to real woe. He sets us an example to withdraw from scenes of giddy mirth, that we may comfort the afflicted. And we have not a High Priest who cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmities. It is a good step toward raising a soul to spiritual life, when the stone is taken away, when prejudices are removed, and got over, and way is made for the word to enter the heart. If we take Christ's word, and rely on his power and faithfulness, we shall see the glory of God, and be happy in the sight. Our Lord Jesus has taught us, by his own example, to call God Father, in prayer, and to draw nigh to him as children to a father, with humble reverence, yet with holy boldness. He openly made this address to God, with uplifted eyes and loud voice, that they might be convinced the Father had sent him as his beloved Son into the world. He could have raised Lazarus by the silent exertion of his power and will, and the unseen working of the Spirit of life; but he did it by a loud call. This was a figure of the gospel call, by which dead souls are brought out of the grave of sin: and of the sound of the archangel's trumpet at the last day, with which all that sleep in the dust shall be awakened, and summoned before the great tribunal. The grave of sin and this world, is no place for those whom Christ has quickened; they must come forth. Lazarus was thoroughly revived, and returned not only to life, but to health. The sinner cannot quicken his own soul, but he is to use the means of grace; the believer cannot sanctify himself, but he is to lay aside every weight and hinderance. We cannot convert our relatives and friends, but we should instruct, warn, and invite them.
47 There can hardly be a more clear discovery of the madness that is in man's heart, and of its desperate enmity against God, than what is here recorded. Words of prophecy in the mouth, are not clear evidence of a principle of grace in the heart. The calamity we seek to escape by sin, we take the most effectual course to bring upon our own heads; as those do who think by opposing Christ's kingdom, to advance their own worldly interest. The fear of the wicked shall come upon them. The conversion of souls is the gathering of them to Christ as their ruler and refuge; and he died to effect this. By dying he purchased them to himself, and the gift of the Holy Ghost for them: his love in dying for believers should unite them closely together.
54 Before our gospel passover we must renew our repentance. Thus by a voluntary purification, and by religious exercises, many, more devout than their neighbours, spent some time before the passover at Jerusalem. When we expect to meet God, we must solemnly prepare. No devices of man can alter the purposes of God: and while hypocrites amuse themselves with forms and disputes, and worldly men pursue their own plans, Jesus still orders all things for his own glory and the salvation of his people.
