Z C 1,2. The sign. Occasion.
D 3-5. The purpose. The glory of God.
C 6-44. The sign. Performance.
D 45,46. The Consequences. Belief of some and opposition of others.28 A.D.
John 11)
1 Now a certain man was sick (pointing to the great weakness and exhaustion, the result of active disease, rather than the disease itself), named Lazarus (same as Eleazar = God's help, high priest of Aaron), from Bethany, of the town (or walled village. About 25 miles from Jerusalem) of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
3 Therefore his sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." (lit. is weakening = is sinking)
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, "This weakness is not to death, but for the purpose the glory of God, in order that the Son of God might be glorified through." (He wants to make a point that nobody dies. Flesh body does, not the spiritual body)
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
C E1 6-16. Departure of the Lord. E2 17-44. Arrival of the Lord.
E1 F G 6. Days (lit). Abode.
H 7. The Lord's proposal. "Let us go".
J 8. Disciples. Discussion.
F G 9,10. Day (fig.). Work.
H 11-15. The Lord's proposal. "Lut us go".
J 16. Disciples. Acquiescence.6 When He had heard therefore that he was sick, He abode two days still in the same place where He was.
7 Afterward said He to His disciples, "Let us go into Judaea again."pr> 8 His disciples say to Him, "Rabbi, the Jews (Judean Kenites) just now were seeking to stone you; and You go there again?
9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? (reckoning from sunrise to sunset, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) If any one walk in the day, he stumbles not, because he sees the light of this world. (i.e. the sun naturally, the Sun of righteousness metaphorically.)
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
11 These things said He: and after that He says to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep."
12 Therefore said His disciples, "Lord, if he sleep, he shall be saved."
13 However Jesus spoke concerning his death: but they thought that He had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14 Then said Jesus to them plainly, "Lazarus died. (This shows that death had taken place some time before, probably soon after the message was sent by the sisters.)
15 And I am glad on account of you that I was not there, to the intent you may believe (more strongly); nevertheless let us go to him."
16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus (= a twin, a Greek word with the same meaning as Thomas), to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with Him. (i.e. the Lord, not with Lazarus. Thomas realized that to return to the neighborhood of Jerusalem meant certain death. He was doubtful)
E2 K L 17,18. Arrival near Bethany.
M 19. The Jews present.
N 20-22. Martha.
O 23-27. Resurrection. Promise.
K L 28-30. Arrival near Bethany.
M 31. The Jews Present.
N 32. Mary.
O 33-44. Resurrection. Performance.
17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the tomb four days already. (To leave no doubt)
18 Now Bethany was near to Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: (1 3/4 miles)
19 And many from among Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, met Him: but Mary was sitting in the house.
21 Then said Martha to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would have not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever You will ask of God (used of our prayers, never of the Lord's address to the Father. Neither Martha, the disciples or the Jews understood the claim of 10:30), God will give it to You. (Now that's faith.)
O P 23. The Lord's promise (Lazarus).
Q 24. Martha (knowledge).
P 25,26-. The Lord's promise (all believers).
Q -26. Martha (belief).23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother shall rise again."
24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection in the last day." (She misunderstood.)
P R 25-. Resurrection. "I am", &c. Declaration concerning Himself.
S -25-. Life. "
R -25. Resurrection for the dead saints. Declaration concerning His own.
S 26-. Life for living ones. "25 Jesus said to her, "I am (emphatic) the resurrection,
and the life: (He is the Author of life)
he that believes in Me (these words refer to 1 Thess. 4:16), though he were dead, shall live: (It doesn't matter if the flesh is dead, you are alive spiritually)
26 And whosoever is alive and believes in Me shall by no means to the age, die.
Do you believe this?
27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord: I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of God (cp. Peter's confession in Matt. 16:16), which should come into the world."
28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister saying secretly, "The Master is come, and calls for you."
29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came to Him. (Shows obedience.)
30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met Him. (i.e. the cometary)
31 The 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 goes to the grave to wail (Contrary to what Christ is trying to teach)there."
32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."
O T1 n 33,34-. The Lord. Groaning.
o -34. The Jews. Answer.
n 35. The Lord. Weeping.
o 36. The Jews. Remark.
U 37. What some said.
T2 p 38-. The Lord.
q -38. The grave described.
p 39-. The Lord. Command.
q -39. The dead described.
U 40. What the Lord said.
T3 r 41-. Lazarus. Dead.
s -41,42. The Lord. Request.
r 43,44-. Lazarus. Called.
s -44. The Lord. Command.
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. (Gr. embrimaosmai, to snort as a horse, from anger; hence, to show strong emotion. He was trying to document death has no power and they weren't getting the point)
34 And said, "Where have you laid him?"
They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."
35 Jesus shed tears. (Tears of joy and anger. He's about to bring back the order of Melchizedek back into being.)
36 Then said the Jews, "Behold how He loved him!"
37 And some of them said, "Could not this One, Which opened the eyes of the blind [man], have caused that even this man should not have died?"
38 Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself comes to the grave.
It was a cave (natural or artificial), and a stone lay against it.
39 Jesus said, "You take away the stone."
Martha, the sister of him that was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time he stinks: for he has been dead four days." (The Rabbis taught that the spirit wandered about for 3 days, seeking re-admission to the body, but abandoned it on the 4th day, as corruption began then.)
40 Jesus said to her, "Said I not to you, that, if you would believe, you should see the glory of God?" (i.e. the manifestation of the same glory which Christ was raised. Cp. Rom. 6:4. Eternal life)
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid.
And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank you that You have heard Me. (15 times used this term in praying. Next to Chapter 17, this is the longest prayer recorded of our Lord.)
42 And I knew that You hear Me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that You have sent Me. (If you have seen the Son, you have seen the Father. He didn't have to say communicate, but they needed something to see the truth.)
43 And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth."
44 And he that was dead came forth (by divine intervention), bound hand and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. (A sweat-cloth, to hold the mouth closed)
Jesus saith to them, "Loose him, and let him go."
45 Then many of the Jews (mixed - our brother Judah, along with Kenites) which came to Mary, and had regarded with wonder the things which Jesus did (referring to these 2 special miracles; for how could Lazarus, when restored to life, come forth, bound, as he was, hand and foot, and his eyes covered, except by a further exercise of Divine power? Thus there was a great increase of disciples, which alarmed the rulers.), believed on Him.
46 But some of them went off to the Pharisees (temple spies - nethanim, Kenites), and informed them the things which Jesus had done.
A V 47-. The Chief Priests. Council.
W -47,48. Consultation.
V -49. The High Priest {Caiaphas).
W 49-53. The Decision.47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council (the Sanhedrin was the supreme national court. It consisted of 71 members, originating, according to the Rabbis, with the 70 elders, with Moses as their head [Num. 11:24]. Its sittings were held in the "stone chamber" in the temple precincts.), and said,
"What are we to do? (i.e. something must be done. What can we do to stop this?) for this Man does many signs. (Gr. semeion. A characteristic of John's Gospel)
48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both of ,u>us (not Gods. In the name of our religion. They claimed for themselves what belonged to God), place (no doubt the temple was meant, the center and source of all their influence and power) and nation." (They claimed the nation which they ruled as their own. See Luke 20:14.)
49 And one of them, named Caiaphas (= depressing. Had been appointed 6 months before. Appointed by Romans, not God), being the high priest that same year, said to them,
"You know nothing at all, (a double negative, i.e. you do not grasp the position; you do not see how critical it is.)
50 Nor consider that it is to your interest, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish." (Ps. 22)
51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied (the Jews considered an ex cathedra utterance of the High Priest as inspired. Here Caiaphas was used by God, as Balaam was, Num. 22) that Jesus was about to die for that nation; (Salvation message. God is in control. God will use who soever He chooses, even if the enemy sits on the throne to find out who you will listen to. God is still on the Throne and in control. God's going be in charge of the priesthood.)
52 And not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that had been scattered,. (10 northern tribes, Acts 2:9)
53 Then from that day (i.e. the day the council came to their awful decision) forth they took counsel together in order that they might kill Him. (i.e. on some judicial pretense. The raising of Lazarus, followed, as it was, by so many becoming believers, brought the malignity to the Pharisees to a climax. It was the last of the 3 miracles that so exasperated them, the others being those on the impotent man, and on the man being born blind.)
54 Jesus therefore was walked no more openly among the Jews; (Because of the Kenites)
D X1 11:-54. Departure. Ephraim.
Y1 11:55-12:19. Hostility manifested.
Z1 12:20-26-. Greeks, The hour come. Glorification.
X2 12:-36. Departure. Concealment.
Y2 12:37-50. Hostility explained.
Z2 3:1-17:26. Disciples. The hour come. Glorification.
X3 18:1. Departure. Gethsemane.
Y1 A1 11:55,56. Passover. People, Concourse.
B1 11:57. Hostility. Chief Priests' command.
A2 12:1-9. Passover. Bethany. Anointing.
B2 10,11. Hostility. Chief Priests' counsel.
A3 12-18. Passover. People. Meeting.
B3 19. Hostility. Chief Priests' perplexity.but went from there to a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim (= double fruitfulness, payment of firstfruits. If it is to be identified with the modern Ophrah, it is about 16 miles n.e. of Jerusalem. Cp. 2 Chron. 13:19), and there abode with his disciples.
55 And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, in order to purify themselves. (i.e. from Levitical uncleanliness. See Num. 9:10 and Act 21:24.)
56 Then they were seeking for Jesus, and spoke with one another, as they stood in the temple, "What do you think, that He will in no way come to the feast?"
57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where He were, he should shew it, that they might take Him.