PERÆA TO BETHANY
RAISING OF LAZARUS
JOHN 11:1-46
So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”
But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” John 11:3-4
The raising of Lazarus is only recorded in John.
"St. John, who seldom relates any thing but what the other evangelists have omitted, does not tell us what gave rise to that familiar acquaintance and friendship that subsisted between our Lord and this family. It is surprising that the other evangelists have omitted so remarkable an account as this is, in which some of the finest traits in our Lord’s character are exhibited. The conjecture of Grotius has a good deal of weight. He thinks that the other three evangelists wrote their histories during the life of Lazarus; and that they did not mention him for fear of exciting the malice of the Jews against him. And indeed we find, from Joh_12:10, that they sought to put Lazarus to death also, that our Lord might not have one monument of his power and goodness remaining in the land. Probably both Lazarus and his sisters were dead before St. John wrote." -Adam Clarke
Character in Crisis
John offers us a few character studies amid this life and death crisis. How would we respond in such circumstances?
How do the disciples respond?
Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” John 11:7-8
The disciples seek to put the breaks on Jesus' plan, applying reason and caution. Jesus responds by pointing to the need to act decisively while the time is right.
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”John 11:7-10
"The Jews, as well as most other nations, divided the day, from sun-rising to sun-setting, into twelve equal parts; but these parts, or hours, were longer or shorter, according to the different seasons of the year. Our Lord alludes to the case of a traveler, who has to walk the whole day: the day points out the time of life - the night that of death. He has already used the same mode of speech, Joh_9:4 : I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh when no man can work. Here he refers to what the apostles had just said - The Jews were but just now going to stone thee. Are there not, said he, twelve hours in the day? I have not traveled these twelve hours yet - my last hour is not yet come; and the Jews, with all their malice and hatred, shall not be able to bring it a moment sooner than God has purposed. I am immortal till my work is done; and this, that I am now going to Bethany to perform, is a part of it. When all is completed, then their hour, and that of the power of darkness, shall commence. See Luk_22:53. -Adam Clarke
"Don't be foolish—but realize there is a period of time in which you can work without being destroyed." Jon Courson
How does Thomas respond?
"So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” John 11:16
Thomas digs deep and commits.
Thomas realized that to return to the neighborhood of Jerusalem meant certain death. -Bullinger
"I've always liked Thomas. I think he gets a bad rap. He should be remembered not only as the doubting one, but also as the devoted one because watch what he says…When the other disciples were saying, "Don't go near Jerusalem," Thomas said, "Let's go and die too." I think this shows real devotion and true courage." -Jon Courson
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| Traditional Site of the Tomb of Lararus |
"That we may die with Him is ironic. On one level it reveals Thomas’ ignorance of the uniqueness of Christ’s atoning death. On another level it is prophetic of many disciples’ destinies (Joh_12:25)."
-BKC
How does Martha respond?
"So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house." John 11:20
Martha takes initiative against custom.
In running out to meet Jesus, Martha broke Oriental custom and tradition. Thus, I see Martha as being very much like Peter (Joh_21:7). -Jon Courson
"What we struggle with is the same thing with which Martha struggled. That is, we don't question His ability. But we do question His willingness." -Jon Courson
How does Mary respond?
"So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house." John 11:20
"I think Mary and John are also similar. Mary is a contemplator and John a mystic who received Revelation from Jesus." -Jon Courson
Mary waits for Jesus to come to her (per custom), then falls at his feet.
"Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”" John 11:32
"In Luke 10, we see her at the feet of the Lord in a happy time. Here, we see her at His feet during a hard time. Mary is one who both in days of delight and difficulty positioned herself at the feet of Jesus Christ." -Courson
"fell down. Others who fell down before Him or at His feet were the wise men (Mat_2:11), Jairus (Mar_5:22), the woman (Mar_5:33), the Syrophenician (Mar_7:25), Peter (Luk_5:8), the leper (Luk_5:12), the Gadarene (Luk_8:28), and the Samaritan (Luk_17:16). This makes nine in all."
-Bullinger
On the differences between Martha & Mary and believers in general:
"Martha’s “met” is a perfect tense; Mary’s “sat” is an imperfect. It is impossible not to see the characteristic temperament of each sister coming out here, and doubtless it is written for our learning. Martha—active, stirring, busy, demonstrative—cannot wait, but runs impulsively to meet Jesus. Mary—quiet, gentle, pensive, meditative, contemplative, meek—sits passively at home. Yet I venture to think that of the two sisters, Martha here appears to most advantage. There is such a thing as being so crushed and stunned by our affliction that we do not adorn our profession under it. Is there not something of this in Mary’s conduct throughout this chapter? There is a time to stir, as well as to sit still; and here, by not stirring, Mary certainly missed hearing our Lord’s glorious declaration about Himself. I would not be mistaken in saying this. Both these holy women were true disciples; yet if Mary showed more grace on a former occasion than Martha, I think Martha here showed more than Mary. Let us never forget that there are differences of temperament among believers, and let us make due allowance for others if they are not quite like ourselves. There are believers who are quiet, passive, silent, and meditative; and believers who are active, stirring, and demonstrative. The well-ordered Church must find room, place, and work for all. We need Marys as well as Marthas, and Marthas as well as Marys." -Bp. Ryle, BI
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| Interior of Tomb |
How does Jesus respond?
Jesus responds oddly. He says it's for God's glory. He delays. He corrects understanding. He questions. He weeps.
1. He says its for God's glory:
"But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” John 11:4
2. He delays
"Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was." John 11:5-6
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
"Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” John 11:23-24
"Martha has expressed her faith in the common doctrine, but Christ passes over it as though it had little power to console. It is a far off event and hardly touches the present fact of death. So little power had it that Martha did not think of it till led to it by Christ’s question. God’s love may wait patient through ages, because ages are nothing to Him, but human love is impatient, because it is under finite conditions." T. Munger, -BI
"THIS PRACTICAL TRUTH. “Martha said she believed it, but verse 39 did not prove it. Coleridge says: “Truths, of all ethers, the most awful and mysterious, and at the same time of universal interest, are too often considered as so true that they lose all the power of truth, and lie bedridden in the dormitory of the soul, side by side with the most despised and exploded errors.” -Spurgeon, BI
"He saith not, “Understandest thou this?” “For the mysteries of religion,” saith Rupertus, “are much better understood by believing than believed by understanding.” J. Trapp, BI
emotion, be indignant, &c. Only occurs here, Joh_11:38. Mat_9:30, Mar_1:43; Mar_14:5.
"Jesus’ weeping differed from that of the people. His quiet shedding of tears (edakrysen) differed from their loud wailing (klaiontas, Joh_11:33). His weeping was over the tragic consequences of sin. The crowd interpreted His tears as an expression of love, or frustration at not being there to heal Lazarus."
-BKC
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"When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled." John 11:33
"The verb translated "groaned" carries in it the idea of indignation. But the fact that sin had brought such misery to those he loved was enough to account for the feeling." -Fourfold
groaned. Greek. embrimaomai, to snort as a horse does, from fear or anger; hence, to feel strong
"And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth." John 11:43
"The loud cry emphasized the fact that the miracle was wrought by personal authority, and not by charms, incantations, or other questionable means. His voice was as it were an earnest of the final calling which all shall hear." -Fourfold Gospel
council. Greek sunedrion. The Sanhedrin was the supreme national court. See Mat_5:22. It consisted of seventy-one members, originating, according to the Rabbis, with the seventy elders, with Moses at their head (Num_11:24). Its sittings were held in the "stone chamber" in the temple precincts.
Bullinger
God would defend him in this until the appointed time of his death. He had nothing to fear, therefore, in Judea from the Jews, until it was the will of God that he should die. He was safe in his hand, and he went fearlessly into the midst of his foes, trusting in him. This passage teaches us that we should be diligent to the end of life: fearless of enemies when we know that God requires us to labor, and confidently committing ourselves to Him who is able to shield us, and in whose hand, if we have a conscience void of offence, we are safe. -Barnes
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