John 11

1 And there was a sick man [Forsooth there was some sick man], Lazarus of Bethany, of the castle of Mary and Martha, his sisters.

2 And it was Mary, which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hairs, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

3 Therefore his sisters sent to him, and said [saying], Lord, lo! he whom thou lovest, is sick.

4 And Jesus heard, and said to them, This sickness is not to the death, but for the glory of God, that man's Son be glorified by him [that God's Son be glorified by it].

5 And Jesus loved Martha, and her sister Mary, and Lazarus.

6 Therefore when Jesus heard, that he was sick, then he dwelled in the same place two days.

7 And after these things he said to his disciples, Go we again into Judaea.

8 The disciples say to him, Master [Rabbi, or Master], now the Jews sought to stone thee, and again goest thou thither?

9 Jesus answered, Whether there be not twelve hours of the day? If any man wander in the day, he hurteth not, for he seeth the light of this world. [Jesus answered, Whether there be not twelve hours in the day? Whosoever walketh in the day, he hurteth not, for he seeth the light of this world.]

10 But if he wander in the night, he stumbleth, for light is not in him.

11 He said these things [These things he saith], and after these things he saith to them, Lazarus, our friend, sleepeth, but I go to raise him from sleep.

12 Therefore his disciples said, Lord, if he sleepeth, he shall be safe. [Therefore his disciples said, Lord, if he sleep, he shall be safe.]

13 But Jesus had said of his death; but they guessed, that he said of [the] sleeping of sleep.

14 Then therefore Jesus said to them openly, Lazarus is dead;

15 and I have joy for you, that ye believe, for I was not there; but go we to him.

16 Therefore Thomas, that is said Didymus, said to even-disciples, Go we also, that we die with him.

17 And so Jesus came, and found him having then four days in the grave. [And so Jesus came, and found him having now four days in the grave.]

18 And Bethany was beside Jerusalem, as it were fifteen furlongs.

19 And many of the Jews came to Mary and Martha, to comfort them of their brother.

20 Therefore as Martha heard, that Jesus came, she ran to him; but Mary sat at home.

21 Therefore Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if thou haddest been here, my brother had not be dead.

22 But now I know, that whatever things thou shalt ask of God, God shall give to thee.

23 Jesus saith to her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24 Martha saith to him, I know, that he shall rise again in the again-rising in the last day.

25 Jesus saith to her, I am again-rising and life; he that believeth in me, yea, though he be dead, he shall live;

26 and each that liveth, and believeth in me, shall not die without end [+and all that liveth, and believeth in me, shall not die into without end]. Believest thou this thing?

27 She saith to him, Yea, Lord, I have believed, that thou art Christ, the Son of the living God, that hast come into this world.

28 And when she had said this thing, she went, and called Mary, her sister, in silence, and said [she went, and called Mary, her sister, in silence, or stillness, saying], The master is come, and calleth thee.

29 She, as she heard, arose at once [rose anon], and came to him.

30 And Jesus came not yet into the castle, but he was yet in that place, where Martha had come to meet him.

31 Therefore the Jews that were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose swiftly, and went out, they followed her, and said [when they saw Mary, for soon she rose, and went out, followed her, saying], For she goeth to the grave, to weep there.

32 But when Mary was come where Jesus was, she seeing him felled down to his feet [seeing him fell down to this feet], and said to him, Lord, if thou haddest been here, my brother had not be dead.

33 Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping that were with her, he made noise in spirit, and troubled himself,

34 and said, Where have ye laid him? They said to him, Lord, come, and see.

35 And Jesus wept.

36 Therefore the Jews said, Lo! how he loved him.

37 And some of them said, Whether this man that opened the eyes of the born-blind man [Whether this man that opened the eyes of the born-blind], might not make that this should not die?

38 Therefore Jesus again making noise in himself, came to the grave. And there was a den, and a stone was laid thereon.

39 And Jesus saith, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith to him, Lord, he stinketh now, for he hath lain four days. [+Jesus saith, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith to him, Lord, he stinketh now, soothly he is of four days dead.]

40 Jesus saith to her, Have I not said to thee, that if thou believest [for if thou shalt believe], thou shalt see the glory of God?

41 Therefore they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I do thankings to thee, for thou hast heard me;

42 and I knew, that thou evermore hearest me [forsooth, I knew, for thou ever hearest me], but for the people that standeth about, I said, that they believe, that thou hast sent me.

43 When he had said these things, he cried with a great voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And at once he that was dead, came out, bound the hands and feet with bonds, and his face bound with a sudarium. And Jesus saith to them, Unbind ye him, and suffer ye him to go forth. [And anon, he that was dead, came forth, bound the hands and feet with bonds, and his face was bound with a sudarium, or sweating cloth. Jesus saith to them, Unbind ye him, and suffer ye him for to go away.]

45 Therefore many of the Jews that came to Mary and Martha, and saw what things Jesus did, believed in him.

46 But some of them went to the Pharisees, and said to them, what things Jesus had done.

47 Therefore the bishops and the Pharisees gathered a council against Jesus, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles [for this man doeth many signs, or miracles].

48 If we leave him thus, all men shall believe in him; and Romans shall come, and shall take our place and our folk [and Romans shall come, and take our place and folk].

49 But one of them, Caiaphas by name, when he was bishop of that year, said to them, Ye know nothing,

50 nor think, that it speedeth to you, that one man die for the people, and that all the folk perish not.

51 But [Forsooth] he said not this thing of himself, but when he was bishop of that year, he prophesied, that Jesus was to die for the folk,

52 and not only for the folk, but that he should gather into one the sons of God that were scattered.

53 Therefore from that day they thought for to slay him.

54 Therefore Jesus walked not then openly among the Jews [Therefore Jesus walked not now openly at the Jews]; but he went into a country beside [the] desert, into a city, that is said Ephraim, and there he dwelled with his disciples [and there he dwelt with his disciples].

55 And the pask of the Jews was nigh, and many of the country went up to Jerusalem before the pask, to hallow themselves.

56 Therefore they sought Jesus, and spake together, standing in the temple, What guess ye, for he cometh not to the feast day?

57 For the bishops and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that if any man know where he is, that he show [that if any man knew where he is, he show], that they take him.

John 11 Commentary

Chapter 11

The sickness of Lazarus. (1-6) Christ returns to Judea. (7-10) The death of Lazarus. (11-16) Christ arrives at Bethany. (17-32) He raises Lazarus. (33-46) The Pharisees consult against Jesus. (47-53) The Jews seek for him. (54-57)

Verses 1-6 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.

Verses 7-10 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.

Verses 11-16 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.

Verses 17-32 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.

Verses 33-46 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.

Verses 47-53 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.

Verses 54-57 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.