Verse by Verse

³⁹ Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

⁴¹ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

⁴² And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”

⁴³ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”

⁴⁴ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

see the glory of God (v. 40) — referring back to verse 4. With the Jews, it was see first, then believe — Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

Jesus thanks the Father (v. 42) — His prayer was answered before it was even spoken (John 5:19).

You sent Me (v. 42) — Again, Jesus spoke of His one-ness with the Father and that the Father sent Him.

with a loud voice (v. 43) — 1 Thessalonians 4:16; John 5:25

He asked the people to loose Lazarus (v. 44). He could have done it Himself miraculously, but He uses us to accomplish His work.

In the traditional belief of orthodox Jews is held a theory which may shed light on the four days; why the Lord permitted Lazarus to remain buried not for three days, but four days. the tradition asserts the following: after a person dies, the spirit of the dead person lingers about the burial place, waiting to see if there might be a chance to return to the body. But when the countenance changes, and the signs of decomposition appear, then the spirit disappears and goes to its place. Therefore orthodox Jews did not certify the actuality of death till three days were gone, for they said then the countenance changes and after the third day the spirit of the deceased leaves the sepulcher and there is no hope of the dead coming back to life. Now this is a tradition only, but if it was held by the Jews in the days of our Lord, as it probably was, it may explain the reason why Lazarus was not raised on the third day, but on the fourth. — Gaebelein, page 205.

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It is striking to note that Christ here did nothing except to say, “Lazarus, come forth.” It was the last great public witness to Christ as the incarnate Word. And, too, it perfectly illustrated the means which God employs in regeneration. Men are raised spiritually, pass from death unto life, by means of the written Word, and by that alone. Providences, personal testimonies, loss of loved ones, deeply as these sometimes may stir the natural man, they never “quicken” a soul into newness of life. We are born again, “not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Peter 1:23). — Pink, page 205-206.

³³ Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.

³⁴ And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”

³⁵ Jesus wept.

³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”

³⁷ And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”

³⁸ Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

troubles (v. 33) = The outward expression of His inward emotion — For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses … (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus was sympathizing with the sorrow of His friends.

weeping (v. 33) = loud lament

Where have you laid him? (v. 34) — Jesus knew, but He never made a show of His omniscience.

wept (v. 35) = silent weeping

Three times Jesus wept — each time over the consequences of sin. He is … a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). — Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep (Romans 12:15).

1. Here at Lazarus’s tomb

2. Over Jerusalem (Luke 19:14)

3. In Gethsemane (Hebrews 5:7)

Could not this Man (v. 37) — sarcasm —  For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls (Hebrews 12:3).

Jesus’s groaning (v. 38) may have included indignation at the chaos caused by sin and the lack of faith surrounding Him.

cave (v. 38) = a horizontal chamber carved into rock.

²⁸When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”

 ²⁹And when she heard it, she got up quickly and was coming to Him.

 ³⁰Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him.

 ³¹Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

 ³²Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Christ tarried two days because He knew the future and wanted to glorify God. This was His divinity. But He wept when He saw His friends’ sorrow. This was His humanity.

secretly (v. 28) because the Jews wanted to kill Christ and Martha didn’t want word to get out that He was near. But Christ’s last great miracle was to have a lot of witnesses.

weep (v. 31) = loud lamenting

my brother would not have died (v. 32) — Mary knew none could die in His presence.

The blending of Christ’s Divine glories and human perfections meet us at every turn in this fourth Gospel. If John is the only one of the four Evangelists who enters into the pre-incarnate dignities of Christ, showing Him to us as the One who subsisted in the beginning, both being with God, and God Himself: the Creator of all things; if John is the only one who contemplates Him as the great “I am,” equal with the Father; he also brings before us details concerning His humanity which are not to be met with in the Synoptists. John is the only one who tells us of Christ being, wearied with His journey” (4:6), groaning as He beheld the tears of His own, and thirsting as He hung upon the Cross. Christ became Man in the fullest sense of the word, and nowhere do we behold His human sympathies and perfections more blessedly displayed than in this very Gospel which portrays Him as God manifest in the flesh. — Pink, page 192

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It is beautiful to observe that each time the New Testament presents Mary to us, she is seen “at the feet of Jesus” — expressive of her worshipful spirit. But there is no mere repetition. In Luke 10, at Christ’s feet she owned Him as Prophet, hearing His word (v. 39). Here in John 11 she approaches Christ as Priest — that great High Priest that can be “touched with the feeling of our infirmities,” who shares our sorrows and ministers grace in every time of need. In John 12:3 Mary, at His feet acknowledged Him as “King” —  this will appear if we compare Matthew 26:7, from which we learn that she also anointed “the head” of the rejected King of the Jews! — Pink, page 197

¹⁷So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.

 ¹⁸Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off;

 ¹⁹and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.

 ²⁰Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house.

 ²¹Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

 ²²“Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

 ²³Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

 ²⁴Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

 ²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,

 ²⁶and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

 ²⁷She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”

In addition to family and friends (v. 19), there were probably professional mourners (Mark 5:38) according to rabbinical law.

Martha, consistent with her temperament (v. 20), rushed out to meet Jesus. Mary, consistent with hers, sat still.

Martha’s words (v. 21) show faith, disappointment, and a touch of reproach (or at least evidence that she underestimated His power), but she knew. Like Abraham in Romans 4:18.

God will give You (v. 22) Martha considered Jesus to have little more power than a prophet.

Martha looked to an event (v. 24), the resurrection. Jesus told her to look to Him, a person. He is the resurrection.

will never die (v. 26) — won’t experience the death that lasts forever. For the believer, eternal life is now.

I have believed (v. 27) = I have believed and continue to believe. She didn’t fully believe. (See John 11:39).

The greatest evidence that Jesus was who He said He was took place two miles from Jerusalem. The Jewish leaders had no excuse for their unbelief. The delay enabled a crowd to gather to witness Jesus’ miracle.

 ¹¹This He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”

 ¹²The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”

 ¹³Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.

 ¹⁴So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,

 ¹⁵and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.”

 ¹⁶Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”

asleep (v. 11) — Jesus is omniscient. He knew Lazarus was dead.

I was not there (v. 15) — If Jesus had been there, Lazarus wouldn’t have died and the disciples wouldn’t have learned the truth about the resurrection.

There is no record of anyone dying in Jesus presence or an any dead person in His presence staying dead. Even the thieves on the cross died after He died.

that we may die with  Him (v. 16) — Thomas thought Jesus would be killed. Thomas had love but not faith.

 ⁷Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

 ⁸The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?”

 ⁹Jesus 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.

 ¹⁰“But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

twelve hours in the day (v. 9) — His day (time on earth) was not yet over. His enemies could not take His life before the appointed time (John 9:4).

walks in the day (v. 9) — in His presence

walks in the night (v. 10) — a rebuke to those who don’t follow Him.

 ¹Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

 ²It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

 ³So the sisters sent word to Him, saying,” Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

 ⁴But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”

 ⁵Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

 ⁶So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.

Lazarus = God is help

Mary’s annointing (v. 2) — Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9

The sisters made no request (v. 3). They simply informed Jesus of Lazarus’s sickness and trusted Him.

Jesus was at Behabara, two days journey away. Lazarus was probably already dead when Jesus got the message that he was sick.

for the glory of God — as in the case of the blind man (John 9:3)

Jesus waited two days (v. 6) — Lazarus’s body had started to rot. None could deny a miracle had occurred. It wasn’t for lack of love or concern that caused Jesus to wait—it was God’s timing.

Jesus claimed that He was life. This miracle proved it.

³² Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”

³³ The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’?

³⁵ If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),

³⁶ do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?

³⁷ If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;

³⁸ but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”

³⁹ Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.

⁴⁰ And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed.

⁴¹ Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.”

⁴² And many believed in Him there.

They didn’t stone Him for His works (public ministry). They knew He did no wrong (v. 32).

You are gods (v. 34) Those who receive power from God and act in His authority are called gods (Psalm 82:6; Exodus 7:1). So why did they call Him, who was set apart by God for a special purpose, a blasphemer for Saying He was the Son of God? God will judge the gods for ruling unjustly.

Scripture cannot be broken (v. 35) — every word is true.

know (revelation) and believe (continuous knowledge) (v.38)

The Father is in Me, and I in Him (v. 38) — essential oneness

Some say Jesus never claimed to be God, but the Jews (v. 39) understood what He was saying.

He escaped miraculously (v. 39).

beyond the Jordan (v. 40) — where His ministry began

Christ’s argument in these verses is two-fold. First, they accepted Psalms as of divine authority and had no problem with men being called gods who receive divine communication. So, why were they offended when He called Himself the Son of God when it was obvious that He was sent by the Father? Second, His words and miracles have demonstrated divine power.

²⁷ My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

²⁸ And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

³⁰ I and My Father are one.”

³¹ Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.

Sheep (v. 27) are helpless, dependent, harmless, weak, foolish and prone to stray.

I give them eternal life (v. 28) — present tense. We now have eternal life — a quality of life. This life is given, not purchased, earned, merited or won. It cannot be forfeited.

perish (v. 28) = eternal destruction

shall never perish (v. 28) because no man can take them out of Christ’s hand — eternal security

The world, Satan and our old natures try to seize believers (v. 29), but they cannot. If they could, Christ’s power would not be sufficient.

I and My Father are one (v. 30) — One in deity and in purpose and in essence. Some say this only refers to unity of will, but the Jews understood what He was saying and tried to stone Him for blasphemy.

My Father (v. 30) — should be “the Father.” When Christ says “My Father” He’s speaking as mediator. When He says “the Father,” He’s speaking of His Deity.

stones again (v. 31) — John 5:17-18; John 8:58-59

No stronger passage in all the Word of God can be found guaranteeing the absolute security of every child of God. Note the seven strands in the rope which binds them to God. First, they are Christ’s sheep, and it is the duty of the shepherd to care for each of his flock! To suggest that any of Christ’s sheep may be lost is to blaspheme the Shepherd Himself. Second, it is said “They follow” Christ, and no exceptions are made; the Lord does not say they ought to, but declares they do. If then the sheep “follow” Christ they must reach heaven, for that is where the Shepherd is gone! Third, to the sheep is imparted “eternal life”: to speak of eternal life ending is a contradiction in terms. Fourth, this eternal life is “given” to them: they did nothing to merit it, consequently they can do nothing to demerit it. Fifth, the Lord Himself declares that His sheep “shall never perish,” consequently the man who declares that it is possible for a child of God to go to hell makes God a liar. Sixth, from the Shepherd’s “hand” none is able to pluck them, hence the Devil is unable to encompass the destruction of a single one of them. Seventh, above them is the Father’s “hand,” hence it is impossible for them to jump out of the hand of Christ even if they tried to. — Pink, page 144-145.

²² Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.

²³ And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.

²⁴ Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

²⁵ Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me.

²⁶ But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.

Between verses 21 and 22, two and a half months pass. Tabernacles was in October, Dedication (Hanukkah — 1 Maccabees 4:36-59; 2 Maccabees 1:9; 10:1-8) was in late December. At the end of this chapter, Jesus leaves Jerusalem and doesn’t return until Passover in the spring, where He dies.

The feast of dedication is mentioned only in this passage; nowhere else do we read of it. It is not a feast appointed by Jehovah, but a feast of commemoration of the cleansing of the temple after the defilement by Antiochus Epiphanes, and was first appointed by Judas Maccabaeus in the second century before Christ. It is known today as the feast of Chanukah, a feast of joy and gladness. — Gaebelein, page 186

Winter (v. 22) — Jesus’ public ministry is drawing to a close. After John 10, He ministers privately to His disciples preparing for His death and resurrection — as the sacrificial lamb was separated from the flock (Exodus 12:3-6).

Solomon’s porch (v. 23) — a colonnade where teachers and rabbis met to debate theology.

Jesus had demonstrated that He was the Messiah by His words and His miracles (v. 25). He had told the Samaritan woman, the disciples, and the blind beggar He was the Messiah, but not the Jews in Jerusalem. Perhaps because many thought the Messiah would be a military leader.

not My sheep (v. 26) — as shown by their unbelief. They weren’t looking for the truth but were trying to trap Him so they could accuse Him of blasphemy.

The Lord had told them that He was “the Son of Man,” and that as such the Father had “given Him authority to execute judgment” (5:27). He had told them that He was the One of whom Moses wrote (5:46). He had told them that He was the “living bread” which had come down from heaven (6:51). He had told them that Abraham had rejoiced to see His day (8:56). All of these were statements which intimated plainly that He was the promised One of the Old Testament Scriptures.

In addition to what He had taught concerning His own person, His “works” bore conclusive witness to His Messianic office. His works were an essential part of His credentials, as is clear from Luke 7:19-23: And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to Jesus, saying, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” hen the men had come to Him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?’” … Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things you have seen and heard: that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”  These were the precise verifications as to what was to take place when the Messiah appeared — compare Isaiah 35-5-6. — Pink, page 140-141.