1The sickness and death of Lazarus: Jesus raiseth him to life after he had been dead four days: many Jews believe. 47The Pharisees hold a council against Christ: Caiaphas prophesieth: Jesus retireth from places of public resort. 55At the approach of the passover the Jews enquire about him: the rulers give orders to apprehend him.
1NOW a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town 1of Mary and her sister Martha.
1 That is, where Mary and Martha lived, Luke 10:38; John 12:1. Of the geographical position of this town, see verse 18.
2(It was that Marya which 2anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
a Mat. 26:6; Mark 14:3; Luke 7:37; John 12:3.
2 See hereof in the following chapter, John 12:3.
3Therefore his sisters 3sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
3 Namely, to Bethabara, beyond Jordan where He was then. See John 10:40.
4When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not 4unto death, butb5for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be 6glorified 7thereby.
4 Namely, to abide therein, namely, until the time of the general resurrection.
b verse 40; John 9:3.
5 Gr. for the honor of God.
6 Namely, when He shall raise him up again from the dead.
7 Namely, sickness, as the Greek word clearly shows.
5Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
6When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
7Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go 8into Judæa again.
8 Namely, from where He had departed, because the Jews wanted to stone Him, John 10:40.
8His disciples say unto him, Master, thec Jews 9of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou 10thither again?
c John 8:59; 10:31.
9 For, it was about two months ago.
10 Namely, to bring Thyself into danger there.
9Jesus answered, Are there not 11twelve hours 12in the day? If any man walk in the 13day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
11 This must be understood according to the account of the Jews, who numbered the hours from the rising of the sun to the setting thereof and always divided the day into twelve hours. See also Mat. 20:3.
12 Gr. of the day.
13Christ here compares His life to the day, and His death to the night, as also John 9:4, and means thereby that as the day has certain hours, namely, as long as the light of the world, that is, the sun shines, so also His life on earth has a certain period or time appointed by His Father, in which no man shall be able to take away His life from Him, or hinder Him to execute the works of His calling. But when that time shall be passed, that then they shall get power to put Him to death.
10But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light 14in him.
14 That is, shines not in his eyes.
11These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth;d but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
d Mat. 9:24; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52.
12Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do 15well.
15 Gr. be saved, that is, this is a good sign that he shall recover of his sickness.
13Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking 16of rest in sleep.
16 That is, of the natural and properly called sleep.
14Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
15And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may 17believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
17 That is, be strengthened in your faith by his resurrection.
16Then said Thomas, which is called 18Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with 19him.
18 That is, twin, by which Greek word the Hebrew word Thomas is interpreted, as Cephas by the word Peter, John 1:43.
19 Namely, Christ, our Master, seeing He will needs expose Himself to danger. See verse 8.
17Then when Jesus came, he found that he 20had lain in the grave four days already.
20 Gr. had in the grave, that is, had lain. Or, had been in the grave.
18Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen 21furlongs off:
21 A furlong contains an hundred twenty-five paces, and fifteen furlongs make somewhat more than half an hour’s walk. See Luke 24:13.
19And many of the 22Jews came 23to Martha and Mary, 24to comfort them concerning their brother.
22 Namely, who dwelt at Jerusalem and thereabouts, as the foregoing verse shows.
23 Gr. to the women being about Martha and Mary.
24 Namely, the Jews.
20Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary 25sat still in the house.
25 Or, abode sitting in the house.
21Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had 26not died.
26 That is, I am confident that Thou wouldest have healed him of his sickness.
22But I know, that even now, 27whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
27 Namely, even also that my brother become alive again.
23Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again 28in the resurrectione at the 29last day.
28 That is, in the general resurrection of all people.
e Dan. 12:2; Luke 14:14; John 5:29.
29 Namely, of this world.
25Jesus said unto her, 30If am the resurrection, and the life: heg that believeth in me, though he were 31dead, yet shall he 32live:
30 That is, I am the Author and the Cause of the resurrection, and of life.
f John 1:4; 5:24; 14:6.
g John 3:16, 36; 6:47; 1 John 5:10.
31 Namely, according to the body.
32 That is, shall be raised again unto everlasting life.
26Andh whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall 33never die. Believest thou this?
h John 6:51.
33 Namely, the eternal and second death, Rev. 20:6.
27She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: Ii believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
i Mat. 16:16; Mark 8:29; Luke 9:20; John 6:69.
28And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
29As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.
30Now Jesus was not yet come into 34the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
34 Namely, of Bethany.
31The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto 35the grave to weep there.
35 Namely, which was outside the town, according to the custom of the Jews.
32Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he 36groaned in the spirit, and was 37troubled,
36 Or, greatly troubled, in His mind. See also verse 38.
37 Namely, through compassion and sorrow, Heb. 4:15.
34And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35Jesusj38wept.
j Luke 19:41.
38 Or, shed tears.
36Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
37And some of them said, Could not this man, whichk opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
k John 9:6.
38Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay 39upon it.
39 Or, against it.
39Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead 40four days.
40 Namely, in the grave, as appears from verse 17. Gr. he is of four days.
40Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see 41the glory of God?
41 That is, the wonderful raising up of thy brother, whereby God’s power is seen and His honor spread abroad.
41Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was 42laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and 43said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42 Gr. was lying.
43Christ prays to His Father, not because He, as the Son of God, had not the power to raise the dead, John 5:21, but because He, as a Mediator, had subjected Himself to the will of the Father in the exercise of this power, Philip. 2:7, 8; Heb. 10:7.
42And I knew that thou hearest me always: butl because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
l John 12:30.
43And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with 44graveclothes: and his face was bound about withm a napkin.n Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
44 Or, swathing bands, wherewith he was buried after the manner of the Jews, John 20:6, 7.
m John 20:7.
n cloth, handkerchief
45Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
46But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
47¶Theno gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees 45a council, and said, Whatp do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
o Psalm 2:2; Mat. 26:3; Mark 14:1; Luke 22:2; Acts 4:27.
45 Gr. synedrion, which see Mat. 5 on verse 22, the 33rd annotation.
p John 12:19.
48If we 46let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall 47come and take away both 48our place and nation.
46 Gr. leave off.
47 Namely, against us, as against rebels.
48 To destroy the city and the temple of Jerusalem.
49And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that 49same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
49 The high priest’s office was then bestowed by the Romans for a certain time, sometimes also from year to year, Luke 3:2; Acts 4:6, contrary to the ordinance of God. See Num. 35:28; Joshua 20:6; Heb. 7:23.
50Nor consider thatq it is expedient for us, 50that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
q John 18:14.
50 He understood this indeed of the worldly state of the Jewish people, but God so guided his tongue that he unwittingly prophesied of the fruit of Christ’s death, for the reconciliation and salvation of the elect children of God.
51And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die 51for that nation;
51 Namely, of the Jews.
52And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together inr52one 53the children of God that were scattered abroad.
r Eph. 2:14, 15, 16.
52 Namely, body, flock or church, as John 10:16; Eph. 2:14.
53 That is, the elect out of all nations throughout the whole world, Rev. 5:9.
53Then from that day forth they took 54counsel together for to put him to death.
54 That is, decreed in their Council.
54Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went 55thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called 56Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.
55 Namely, from Jerusalem and thereabouts.
56 Other, Ephrem, which some think to be the city Ephraim or Ephron, whereof we read in 2 Chron. 13:19.
55¶And the Jews’ 57passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to 58purify themselves.
57 This was the last passover which Christ kept, in which He was crucified.
58 Namely, according to God’s command, Num. 9:6 and 2 Chron. 30:15.
56Thens sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that 59he will not come to the feast?
s John 7:11.
59 Namely, Jesus.
57Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had 60given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might 61take him.
60 That is, caused to be proclaimed.
61 Gr. apprehend.