Bible Commentaries
John 11

Verse 16

[Only the Apostle John supplied information bilingually in the New Testament (cf. John 1:38, John 1:42; John 4:25; John 6:1; John 9:7; John 11:16; John 19:13, John 19:17, John 19:20; John 20:16; Revelation 1:7; Revelation 3:14; Revelation 9:11; Revelation 12:9).]

Verse 24

John 11:24

The Resurrection Day (His Second Coming, -- Cf. "Last Day" singular) 1 Thessalonians 4:13 ff to 1 Thessalonians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 15:23-24 ff; John 14:1-3;

John 5:28; John 11:24; John 6:39; John 6:40; John 6:44;

Verse 28

John 11:28

See Funeral sermon SOF-13

"The Master is Come and Calleth For Thee"

1. The Calls Us To A Life of Faith and Obedience

2 Thessalonians 2:14, Mark 16:16, Hebrews 5:8-9

2. He Calls Us to Help Us in Time of Our Sorrow

1) Friends can sympathize -- 1 Thessalonians 4:18, 1 Thessalonians 4:14

2) Only Jesus can heal the wounds - 1 Peter 5:7, John 14:1

3. The Lord’s Last Call.. To Our Eternal Home

1) We have an appointment with hime -- Hebrews 9:27

2) The Lord has come and called for _ _ _ _ _

3) Philippians 1:23, 2 Corinthians 5:8, Acts 7:55, Acts 7:5

Verse 43

John 11:43

cried with a loud voice -- The dead heard the voice of the Son of God and lived, as Jesus had predicted (John 5:25, John 5:28-29). If Jesus had not specified Lazarus by name, every dead person might have arisen at His command. Jesus probably cried out loudly to make clear that this resurrection was not an act of magic. Wizards typically muttered their incantations and spells quietly (cf. Isaiah 8:19).^{392 - 392} 392. Morris, p. 498. - Constable’s Notes

Verse 44

John 11:44

bound -- The Jews did not wrap their dead so tightly in their grave clothes that Lazarus would have had difficulty doing what John wrote that he did.

The corpse was customarily laid on a sheet of linen, wide enough to envelop the body completely and more than twice the length of the corpse. The body was so placed on the sheet that the feet were at one end, and then the sheet was drawn over the head and back down to the feet. The feet were bound at the ankles, and the arms were tied to the body with linen strips. The face was bound with another cloth -- . Jesus’ body was apparently prepared for burial in the same way (cf. John 19:40; John 20:5, 7). A person so bound could hop and shuffle, but scarcely walk.”³⁹³

While there are similarities between Lazarus and Jesus’ resurrections, we must also remember their significant differences. Lazarus came to life only to die again later as a mortal whereas Jesus arose never to die again, as immortal. Lazarus arose with the same physical body that went into his tomb, but Jesus arose with a spiritual body that could pass through solid objects (1 Cor. 15). Thus Lazarus’ resurrection was only a pale anticipation of the resurrection of Jesus that was to come. Nevertheless it was the greatest of Jesus’ signs.

“If Jesus Christ can do nothing about death, then whatever else He can do amounts to nothing [cf. 1 Corinthians 15:19].”³⁹⁴ 393. Carson, The Gospel -- ., pp. 418–19. - ³⁹⁴ 394. Wiersbe, 1:334. - Constable’s Notes

Verse 56

John 11:56

Lesson: So few today seek Jesus.

Verse 57

John 11:57

Religious rulers give order for Jesus’ arrest.

Envy, and unable to refute His arguments. Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10; Acts 13:45; Acts 17:5