_Now a certain man was sick named Lazarus of Bethany_ LAZARUS The English reader would at first sight hardly recognize the New Testament “Lazarus” as identical with the Old Testament “Eleazar. ” The two words are, however, the same. In the dialect of the Jerusalem Talmud, words that begin with an... [ Continue Reading ]
_Are there not twelve hours in the day?_ --What does this sentence mean here, following John 11:7? Why was it introduced? I do not know that we who are living easy and comfortable lives can quite solve that question. But many a patriot and confessor who has been concealing himself from the anger of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Our friend Lazarus sleepeth_ SWEET SLEEP I. We have A SWEET RELATIONSHIP DECLARED. 1. “Our friend.” Behold here wondrous condescension. Our Lord does not turn to His disciples and say “Your friend sleepeth,” but places Himself side by side with them in their affection and says “Our friend.” It s... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes that! was not there_ I. THE SAVIOUR IS ALWAYS ALIVE TO THE WELFARE OF HIS PEOPLE--“for your sakes.” Here is love beyond compare. Is He abased? “For our sakes He became poor.” Does He suffer? “He bears our sorrows, and for us He dies.” Does He go away?... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then said Thomas which is called Didymus_ THOMAS A very few verses contain the sum of all we know about Thomas. They tell us nothing of his history. His travels, sufferings, missionary toils, death; tradition speaks of these One account says he preached the gospel in Persia, and was buried in Ode... [ Continue Reading ]
_When Jesus came_ CHRIST’S HELP IS SURE, IF DELAYED He usually reserves His hand for a dead lift. When our faith begins to flag, and hang the wing when our strength is gone, and we have given up all for lost, “Now will I arise,” saith the Lord, “now will I be exalted, now will I lift up Myself” ... [ Continue Reading ]
_The Master is come and calleth for thee_ THE MASTER I. THE PROPRIETY OF THIS TITLE AS APPLIED TO OUR LORD. 1. He has a peculiar fitness for the office. He is the Master, _i.e._, the Teacher. Put the two together. A master teacher must have (1) A masterly mind. All minds are not cast in the same... [ Continue Reading ]
_When Mary was come she fell down at His feet, saying unto Him, Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died (see _John 11:21_)_ CHRIST’S DELAY TO INTERPOSE AGAINST DEATH 1. Mary fell at His feet; formerly she was willing to sit at them. The soul is never, as amid such desolation, const... [ Continue Reading ]
_When Jesus therefore saw her weeping_ CHRIST CONCEALING HIS GLORY In this history our Saviour appears under two very different aspects. As the sun, on some days, sometimes shines out in full strength, and sometimes is clouded over, and yet is still the same fountain of light, so it is with our S... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus wept._ - The word is different from that used to express weeping in John 11:33; but this latter is used of our Lord in Luke 19:41. The present word means not the cry of lamentation, nor the wail of excessive grief, but the calm shedding of tears. Men have wondered to find in the gospel, which... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold how He loved him_ CHRIST’S LOVE TO MAN This is seen I. IN HIS ORIGINAL ENGAGEMENT IN HIS FAVOUR. By covenanting to live with us, die for us, and take our happiness into His hands. II. IN HIS ASSUMPTION OF HUMAN NATURE. 1. He passed by the higher nature of angels. 2. He took our nature... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself cometh to the grave_ THE BURIAL OF LAZARUS “It was a cave,” such as that rocky neighbourhood abounds with, “and a stone lay upon it. ” Among some nations the bodies of the dead were burned, and the ashes consigned to urns. This was never a Jewish custom,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus said, Take ye away the stone_ TAKING THE STONE AWAY I. GOD NEVER PERFORMS AN UNNECESSARY ACT. We know most of God in Christ, and Christ never spoke an unnecessary word or did an unnecessary deed, although He had omnipotence at His command. Had this merely been delegated to Christ as a man i... [ Continue Reading ]
_If thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God._ THE SOUL’S ORGAN OF SIGHT I. THE DUTY ENJOINED. Faith is 1. A transaction between God and the soul. 2. A voluntary process. 3. Is to be exercised regardless of apparent difficulties. 4. Is to be employed in connection with corres... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus lifted up His eyes and said_ THE WORDS OF CHRIST AT THE GRAVE OF LAZARUS I. THOSE HE ADDRESSED TO HEAVEN (John 11:41). In these we have 1. His recognition of God as His Father. He was the Son of God in a higher sense than any other has been or will be. (1) In mutual resemblance. “The expr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Lazarus come forth._ A royal command befitting the majesty of God. (_St. Cyril._) THE SCENE Look at our Lord by this grave. How truly man, partaker of our common nature! The sight of the tomb awakens all His grief; the sufferings of these two sisters, clinging to each other, touch His loving hear... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then many of the Jews … believed on Him._ But some went their ways to the Pharisees DIFFERENT EFFECTS OF THE SAME REVELATION ON DIFFERENT, MEN 1. Many believed. In their ease (1) The moral end of the miracle was then answered. They saw the “glory of God.” (2) The end of Christ’s mission was an... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council_ THE SANHEDRIM I. The NAME συνέδριον. Sanhedrin is more accurate than Sanhedrim, though this is more frequently used, and means a sitting together, an assembly. II. SIGNIFICATION: the supreme, theocratico-hierarchical court of the Jews... [ Continue Reading ]
_From that day forth they took counsel together for to put Him to death_ I. THE CROWNING CRIME OF HUMANITY 1. It was sanctioned by religion. A religious institution is often the corruptest, and a religious man the worst. 2. It was pursued with deliberation. When murder is perpetrated by the impu... [ Continue Reading ]