John 11 - NIV Grace and Truth Study Bible

11:1–3 The setting in chapter 11 is the village of Bethany, two miles east of Jerusalem. Jesus’ friend Lazarus was seriously ill. Only the apostle John in his Gospel associates Mary and Martha with this village. Verse 2 is a parenthetical statement that identifies Mary with an action that has not yet taken place in this Gospel (12:1–3). The sisters’ message demonstrates great faith in Jesus’ ability to heal. Word of Lazarus’s illness reached Jesus while he was in the Jordan River valley.

11:4–7 Jesus responded to the report of Lazarus’s illness in a way reminiscent of his comments concerning the blind man (v. 4; see 9:3). Jesus’ statement that Lazarus’s sickness would not end in death meant not that Lazarus would not die but that Jesus would restore his life. Lazarus’s resurrection would ultimately bring glory to the Father and the Son. In this narration, John makes sure the reader understands that Jesus’ failure to return at once was not because he did not love the family. Instead of leaving at once, Jesus remained two more days before departing for Bethany (the village near and east of Jerusalem).

11:8–10 There was a clear danger in returning to Judea. Jesus’ comment about 12 hours of daylight is more than just a reference to sunlight. Just as there is a limited amount of daylight, so too the hours for Jesus’ work were limited. If one walks in disobedience to God’s will, they live in spiritual darkness and will stumble and fall.

11:11–16 The disciples misunderstood Jesus’ comment about Lazarus being asleep. John explains Jesus’ words for the benefit of his readers. Jesus cleared up the confusion for the disciples by stating that Lazarus was dead. This is another example of Jesus’ supernatural knowledge. The disciples would have been shocked at Jesus associating joy with Lazarus’s death. His joy, however, was that the disciples’ faith in him would be deepened. Thomas’s response reflected both bravery and extreme pessimism (v. 16).

11:17–24 The reference to “four days” means Lazarus’s death occurred shortly after the messengers departed. Normally the dead were buried on the day of their death. Many in the community would have gathered with the two sisters to mourn with them over the loss of their brother. When Martha heard word that Jesus had arrived, she went out to meet him, but for some reason Mary remained behind. Martha had great faith in Jesus’ ability to heal. She believed that if Jesus had arrived in time, he could have spared them this heartache. In her words there may be a note of disappointment with Jesus. But Jesus turned her thoughts from death to resurrection. She understood Jesus to be speaking of the end-time resurrection at the end of the age (v. 24).

11:25–27 In Jesus’ “I am” statement in verse 25—“I am the resurrection and the life”—he identified himself as the fulfillment of resurrection hope and expectations. This is the fifth of the seven “I am” claims in this Gospel (see Introduction to John). The promise of resurrection and life is not to be found in some distant future event but is available in the person of Jesus. Final death (eternal separation from God) is an impossibility for those who put their faith in him. Physical death is the doorway to greater life with God. Martha’s emphatic response revealed her devotion (v. 27).

11:28–37 Martha informed Mary that Jesus wanted to speak with her. The encounter with Mary is much briefer than the one with Martha. Mary expressed the same regret as Martha concerning Jesus’ failure to arrive in time. Jesus exhibited deep emotions over Lazarus’s death. He did not approach suffering dispassionately. “Jesus wept,” the writer says (v. 35).

11:38–40 Lazarus was buried in a typical first-century tomb cut from the rocky hillside. A large stone was placed over the entrance so that it could be reopened for future burials. A central door led into the burial room, where benches were carved in stone along the inner walls. Jesus’ command to remove the stone concerned Martha. Obviously, she did not expect Jesus to resurrect Lazarus. The fact that Lazarus had been dead four days meant decomposition had set in, and there would be the stench of death when the stone was removed. Jesus reminded her that if she believed, she would see God’s glory.

11:41–48 After the stone was moved, Jesus stopped and prayed. When he concluded his prayer, he called for Lazarus to come out of the tomb. Lazarus emerged wearing the grave clothes, and Jesus instructed the onlookers to remove them. The resurrection of Lazarus is the seventh and culminating sign in this Gospel (see note on 2:9–12). As with so many of Jesus’ signs, the onlookers divided into two camps: some believed in him, while others reported him to the Pharisees. The Sanhedrin supposed that if they did not do something, the numbers of Jesus’ followers would continue to grow, and “everyone” would believe in him (v. 48). They feared that then the Romans would strip away their religious freedom and national identity.

11:49–53 Caiaphas was the high priest from AD 18 to 36. He was only interested in doing what was politically expedient. His words in verse 50 concerning Jesus’ death were prophetic in a way he did not understand. The death of Jesus would result in salvation not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles. The Sanhedrin determined that Jesus must die, and they began to plot to take his life (v. 53).

11:54–57 Jesus’ decision to depart for the village of Ephraim was the result of the Sanhedrin’s decision to kill him. This is another reminder that Jesus, not his enemies, would determine the time of his death. Ephraim was located approximately 12 miles north of Jerusalem. Jesus, however, remained the main topic of conversation in Jerusalem.