John 11 · KJV
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John 11

Lazarus is ill

Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judæa again. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

Word reaches Jesus that his friend Lazarus of Bethany, brother of Mary and Martha, is ill; Jesus says the illness is for God's glory, yet waits two more days. Then he tells the disciples that Lazarus has "fallen asleep" and, when they misunderstand, says plainly that he is dead. Thomas urges the others to go with Jesus and die with him.

What does this mean?

"Sleep" was a common way of speaking about death. "Didymus" means "twin" in Greek, as Thomas does in Aramaic. "Twelve hours in the day" means daylight lasts long enough for the work given.

Historical context

Bethany was a village on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, close to Jerusalem. The disciples' fear is reasonable: the authorities there had just tried to stone Jesus (10:31). Verse 2 refers ahead to Mary's anointing of Jesus, told in 12:1-8.

Why does it matter?

Jesus' delay is deliberate and puzzling, and the narrator stresses that he loved the family. The story is the longest of John's signs and the turning point of the Gospel: it brings Jesus back near Jerusalem and triggers the decision to kill him.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

"I am the resurrection and the life"

Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Jesus arrives to find Lazarus four days in the tomb, and Martha meets him, saying that if he had been there her brother would not have died. When Jesus says Lazarus will rise, she agrees he will rise on the last day. Jesus answers, "I am the resurrection and the life," and Martha confesses that he is the Christ, the Son of God.

What does this mean?

"Furlongs" (KJV) or "stadia" (WEB): fifteen stadia is just under three kilometres (about two miles). "The last day" refers to the general resurrection expected at the end of the age.

Historical context

Jewish mourning customs included days of visits from family and friends to console the bereaved. Some later rabbinic writings record a belief that the soul lingered near the body for three days, which would make "four days" mean death was beyond doubt. Burial normally took place on the day of death.

Why does it matter?

Martha's confession is one of the fullest statements of faith in the Gospel and anticipates its stated purpose in 20:31. Jesus' "I am" saying moves the hope of resurrection from a distant future to his own person.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Jesus weeps

And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. 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 goeth unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

Mary comes to Jesus, followed by the mourners, falls at his feet and repeats Martha's words. Seeing her weeping, Jesus is deeply moved, asks where Lazarus has been laid, and weeps. Some see how he loved Lazarus; others ask why the man who healed the blind could not have prevented this death.

What does this mean?

"Groaned in the spirit" (KJV) translates a strong Greek word that can express anger or indignation as well as deep emotion. Interpreters differ on what moved Jesus: grief, anger at death itself, or frustration at unbelief.

Historical context

Mourning was public and loud. Families sometimes hired professional mourners, and friends gathered for days. Many of "the Jews" here are simply mourners from Jerusalem who came to comfort the sisters, so the term is not hostile in this scene.

Why does it matter?

"Jesus wept" (verse 35) is the shortest verse in most English Bibles. The scene shows Jesus' human grief alongside the confident claims of the previous section, a combination the Gospel does not try to resolve.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Lazarus raised from the dead

Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 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 thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

At the tomb, a cave sealed with a stone, Jesus orders the stone removed despite Martha's protest that there will be a smell. He prays aloud, thanking the Father, and calls in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man walks out, still bound in grave cloths, and Jesus tells them to free him.

What does this mean?

"He stinketh" (KJV) means decay would have begun. "Graveclothes" (KJV) or "wrappings" (WEB) were strips of linen used to bind a body, and a separate cloth covered the face.

Historical context

Tombs around Jerusalem were often caves or chambers cut into rock, closed with a large stone, and used for several family members. Bodies were wrapped in cloth with spices, not embalmed in the Egyptian manner.

Why does it matter?

John presents this as the greatest of Jesus' signs, a preview of his own resurrection. The details invite comparison with Jesus' tomb in chapter 20, where the stone is already moved and the grave cloths are left behind. The voice calling the dead recalls 5:28.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

The council plots against Jesus

Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves. Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? 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.

Many who saw the raising believe in Jesus, but some report it to the Pharisees, and the chief priests and Pharisees call a council, fearing that the Romans will destroy "our place and our nation". The high priest Caiaphas says it is better that one man die for the people. From then on they plan to kill Jesus, who withdraws to a town called Ephraim.

What does this mean?

"Our place" probably means the temple. "Expedient" (KJV) means advantageous. The narrator says Caiaphas "prophesied" without realising it: he spoke of political convenience, but the words held a deeper meaning.

Historical context

The council (Sanhedrin) was the leading Jewish body in Jerusalem, made up of chief priests, elders and scribes. Caiaphas was high priest from about AD 18 to 36, appointed by the Romans; an ossuary inscribed with the name of a Caiaphas family was found in Jerusalem in 1990. The location of Ephraim is uncertain, probably north-east of Jerusalem.

Why does it matter?

This is a key example of John's irony. The council's fear for the nation reflects the real danger of Roman reprisals, but the Gospel sees in Caiaphas' words the meaning of Jesus' death: gathering scattered children of God into one.

Editorial notes, not scripture.

Translation

KJVTraditional biblical languageWEBContemporary English

Chapters

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21

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Reading

Translation

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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

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