John 11:1

1 Now a certain man named Lazarus was ill; he was of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

John 11:1 Meaning and Commentary

John 11:1

Now a certain man was sick
Very likely of a fever; Nonnus calls it a morbid fire, a hot and burning disease:

[named] Lazarus of Bethany;
for his name, which the Ethiopic version reads "Eleazar", and the Persic version "Gazarus", (See Gill on Luke 16:24); and for the place Bethany, (See Gill on Matthew 21:1), (See Gill on Matthew 21:17).

The town of Mary and her sister Martha;
where they were both born, as well as Lazarus, or at least where they dwelt; of the former, some account is, given in the next verse, and of the latter, (See Gill on Luke 10:38).

John 11:1 In-Context

1 Now a certain man named Lazarus was ill; he was of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2 (The Mary whose brother Lazarus was ill, was the Mary who put perfumed oil on the Lord and made his feet dry with her hair.)

3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, your dear friend is ill.

4 When this came to his ears, Jesus said, The end of this disease is not death, but the glory of God, so that the Son of God may have glory because of it.

5 Now Jesus had love in his heart for Martha and her sister and Lazarus.