John 11 - Holman KJV Study Bible

11:1-57 The raising of Lazarus is ­Jesus' seventh and climactic messianic miracle in John's Gospel (see note at 2:11). This sign (recorded only by John) anticipated ­Jesus' own resurrection and revealed Him as "the resurrection, and the life" (11:25). Resurrections are rare in the OT (by Elijah, 1 Kings 17:17-24; by Elisha, 2 Kings 4:32-37; 13:21) and in the Gospels (Jairus's daughter, Mark 5:22-24,38-42; the widow's son at Nain, Luke 7:11-15). The raising of Lazarus served as the final event that triggered the Jewish leaders' resolve to arrest ­Jesus and try Him for blasphemy (11:45-57).

11:1-2 The introduction of Lazarus is similar to 5:5. Lazarus (which means "whom God helps") was a common name. Bethany, was east of the mount of Olives less than two miles from Jerusalem (11:18; cp. Matt. 21:17; 26:6). The mention of Mary and her sister Martha and the reference to Mary's anointing of ­Jesus anticipates chapter 12 and seems to presuppose that readers knew these women, perhaps from Luke's Gospel (Luke 10:38-42).

11:6 Puzzling as ­Jesus' delay seems, it served to reveal God's glory (v. 4) since it enabled ­Jesus to perform an even "harder" miracle (v. 17).

11:9 Most people worked as long as there was daylight; once it was dark, work was over.

11:11 Sleepeth means "died," as the following interchange makes clear (v v. 12-14). The OT equivalent is "slept with his fathers." Occasionally, death is depicted as a deep sleep from which we will be awakened (Dan. 12:2).

11:16 On Didymus, "Twin," see note at 1:38.

11:17 Burial usually followed shortly after death, so Laz­arus had been dead four days.

11:18 On Bethany, see note at v. 1.

11:19 The presence of many from Jerusalem implies this family had considerable social standing.

11:20 Seated in the house was the customary posture for those mourning a deceased loved one (Job 2:8,13). Mary continued grieving, while Martha greeted her guest hospitably (cp. Luke 10:38-42).

11:24 Martha's belief in end-time resurrection agreed with Pharisaic beliefs (Acts 23:8), popular Jewish opinion, and ­Jesus' teaching (5:21,25-29; 6:39-44,54).

11:25 On I am the resurrection, and the life, see notes at 5:26 and 6:35,48.

11:27 Martha's reference to the one who would come into the world took up the messianic expression derived from Ps. 118:26 (cp. 12:13).

11:28 The Master was a natural way for a disciple to refer to ­Jesus before His resurrection (v. 8; 1:38,49; 3:2; 4:31; 6:25; 9:2; 20:16).

11:33 ­Jesus was upset in the face of human suffering and death (12:27; 13:21). Groaned connotes anger (cp. Lam. 2:6; Dan. 11:30), and troubled means agitated (Esther 4:4).

11:35 ­Jesus wept, or perhaps even better, "burst into tears," as the term is regularly translated in extrabiblical sources.

11:38 On groaning, see note at v. 33.

11:39 While the Jews used spices at burials, this did not prevent decomposition of the body, as Martha pointed out.

11:41-42 ­Jesus' prayer finds an OT antecedent in Elijah's prayer (1 Kings 18:37). Compare 6:11.

11:43 ­Jesus raised Lazarus not by magic, incantations, or spells, but by the power of His word.

11:44 John did not record Lazarus's reaction or any of the immediate aftermath of his raising (but see ). Instead, he immediately focused on the plot against ­Jesus.

11:47 On the council, see notes at 3:1 and 7:45-52.

11:48 Our place almost certainly refers to the temple. Similar concerns resurface in Acts 6:13-14 and 21:28, where the temple is referred to as "this holy place" or "this place." They also feared loss of the Jews' semi-autonomous status as a nation. Ironically, what the Sanhedrin sought to prevent by killing ­Jesus still came to pass when the Romans razed the temple and sacked Jerusalem in a.d. 70 (see note at 2:13-22).

11:49 Caiaphas was high priest for 18 years (a.d. 18–36), longer than any other first-century high priest.

11:50-51 Die for the people invokes memory of the Maccabean martyrs (2 Macc. 7:37-38). In the typical double meaning used in John's Gospel, Caiaphas's pronouncement anticipated the substitutionary atonement ­Jesus was to render. As the Jewish high priest, Caiaphas prophesied, speaking better than he knew.

11:52 The scattered children of God refers to the Gentiles (see note at 3:3-8).

11:55 This is the third and final passover mentioned by John. See note at 2:13. People went to purify themselves from any ceremonial uncleanness that would prevent them from celebrating the holy feast (Num. 9:4-14; 19:11-12).

11:56-57 On the timing of ­Jesus' arrest, see note at 2:4. On the temple, see note at 2:14.