John 11:1

1 Now a certain man, named Lazarus, of Bethany, was lying ill-- Bethany being the village 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, of Bethany, was lying ill-- Bethany being the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

2 (It was the Mary who poured the perfume over the Lord and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.)

3 So the sisters sent to Him to say, "Master, he whom you hold dear is ill."

4 Jesus received the message and said, "This illness is not to end in death, but is to promote the glory of God, in order that the Son of God may be glorified by it."

5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.