John 11:1

1 A man named Lazarus, who lived in Bethany, became sick. Bethany was the town where Mary and her sister Martha lived. ¹

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 A man named Lazarus, who lived in Bethany, became sick. Bethany was the town where Mary and her sister Martha lived.

2 (This Mary was the one who poured the perfume on the Lord's feet and wiped them with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was sick.)

3 The sisters sent Jesus a message: "Lord, your dear friend is sick."

4 When Jesus heard it, he said, "The final result of this sickness will not be the death of Lazarus; this has happened in order to bring glory to God, and it will be the means by which the Son of God will receive glory."

5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

Cross References

• 1. 2.12Matthew 4.13.