Bible Commentaries
John 11

Verse 1

Bethany ; on the side of the mount of Olives, about two miles from Jerusalem. Matthew 21:17 .

Verse 2

Mary ; Matthew 26:7 ; Mark 14:3 .

Verse 4

This sickness is not unto death ; not to a death from which he should not be quickly raised to life.

Might be glorified ; by raising Lazarus from the dead. The dispensations of Providence, as well as the instructions of the Bible, are designed to glorify the Son of God, by leading men to honor him as truly divine.

Verse 6

In the same place ; Bethabara, chap John 1:28 ; John 10:40 ; on the east side of the Jordan, about thirty miles north-east of Jerusalem.

Verse 9

Twelve hours in the day ; an appointed season for me and all men to do the work assigned to us by God.

Walk in the day-stumbleth not ; if, in its proper season, a man does that to which God calls him, he is safe, because under God’s protection. The man who makes it his object to learn the will of God, and to do it, however it may affect him and his condition in this world, is like one who travels in the daytime, when he can see objects distinctly, and treat them according to their character. But a man whose great object is himself, and who seeks supremely earthly things, is like one who travels in the night, without sun, moon, or stars. He is in darkness, and liable every moment to fall and perish.

Verse 10

If a man walk in the night , he stumbleth ; if, through fear or selfishness, he neglect the work appointed him by God till the proper time is past, he can no longer perform it in safety.

Verse 16

Thomas-Didymus ; these two words, one Hebrew, the other Greek, mean a twin.

Die with him ; with Jesus. Let us go with him, if it cost us our lives.

Verse 18

Fifteen furlongs ; a little less than two miles. See note Luke 24:13 .

Verse 23

Thy brother shall rise again ; a declaration designedly so worded that it should have a double fulfilment, the present raising of Lazarus being a pledge of the second fulfilment at the general resurrection.

Verse 25

I am the resurrection ; the author of the resurrection, and the giver of temporal and eternal life.

Though he were dead ; more exactly, though he die. The Saviour has in mind the case of those who have, like Lazarus, suffered natural death.

Yet shall he live ; his soul shall still live in blessed communion with God. To the believer, whose soul is made alive by union with God through Christ, the death of the body will be only a sleep, from which it shall be awakened at the resurrection, to a glorious immortality.

Verse 26

Liveth ; yet enjoys natural life.

Shall never die ; the death of the soul. In this and the preceding verse Jesus designedly overlooks the death of the body, as if it were only a sleep in the grave for a season; his design being to direct the thoughts of Martha to himself, as the giver of a higher life than that which he is about to bestow upon her brother.

Verse 28

The Master ; Matthew 23:8 ; Matthew 23:10 .

Verse 33

Was troubled ; greatly moved with sympathy and sorrow.

Verse 35

Jesus Christ tenderly and deeply sympathizes in human sorrow. He delights in soothing hearts that trust in him, and turning their temporary mourning into everlasting joy.

Verse 40

See the glory of God ; as displayed in the mighty work he is about to perform. Compare verse John 11:4 .

Verse 42

Because of the people ; his object in thus speaking to the Father in the hearing of the people was, that they might have this additional evidence that he and his Father were one, and that he did every thing in accordance with his Father’s will; that thus, in view of this new display of his life-giving power, they might be led to believe in him.

Verse 45

Believed on him ; as the Messiah. The exhibitions of Christ in his word and his works, are treated by different persons in very different ways. Some are led to trust in him as their Saviour, and give him their hearts. Others bitterly oppose him, and do what they can to hinder the progress of his cause. Thus, to one his teaching by being received becomes a savor of life unto life, and to another, by being rejected, a savor of death unto death.

Verse 47

What do we? to prevent his increasing influence.

Verse 48

Believe on him ; and receive him as the expected king of Israel. This, they profess to fear, will bring upon them the wrath of the Romans.

Take away both our place and nation ; by the murder of Jesus, they sought to avert this evil. But in this very way they brought it upon themselves. The means which sinners use to save themselves from coming evils, only hasten their approach, and make them more terrible.

Verse 49

Ye know nothing ; nothing about the best way to prevent the people from embracing Jesus as the Messiah, and thus to preserve the nation from ruin. His idea was, that, innocent or guilty, it was best to kill him.

Verse 50

It is expedient ; he thought it better that Jesus should be put to death, than that the nation should be ruined, as the rulers said it would be if the people should follow Christ.

Verse 51

He prophesied ; though the above appears to have been his meaning, yet the Holy Spirit, through his words, expressed the momentous truth, that it was expedient that Jesus Christ, as the Saviour of lost men, should die, the just for the unjust-not for the Jewish nation only, but for all nations, propitiation for the sins of the world, that he might gather into heaven all who should believe and obey him.

Verse 53

From that day ; adopting the counsel of Caiaphas, they sought to kill him.

Verse 54

The wilderness ; the wilderness of Judea, that bordered on the Dead sea and the lower part of the Jordan valley.

Verse 55

To purify themselves ; according to the requirement in Leviticus 22:1-6 .