CHRIST THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE 1-44. The raising of Lazarus. The last and greatest of the seven 'signs' recorded in this Gospel is related with such photographic minuteness of detail, that it is clear that the evangelist was present. Three points about it are specially noteworthy: (1) that it... [ Continue Reading ]
LAZARUS] i.e. Eleazar, 'God is my help,' a man of good social position, probably a son or near relative of Simon the Leper (Matthew 26:6); not to be identified with the beggar Lazarus of the parable. BETHANY] a village at the Mount of Olives, a little less than 2 m. from Jerusalem, now called El 'Az... [ Continue Reading ]
St. John assumes that the fact of the anointing is already known in a general way from the synoptists (see Matthew 26:6; Mark 14:3, and cp. Luke 7:36), but since their narratives are somewhat obscure and confusing, he intends to give later on (John 12:1.) a more accurate account.... [ Continue Reading ]
LOVEST] The love which Christ bore to the whole human race did not prevent Him from forming special friendships.... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT UNTO DEATH] i.e. not unto _permanent_ death. BUT FOR THE GLORY OF GOD, etc.] Lazarus was allowed to die that God might be glorified by his resurrection. So the blind man was born blind that God might be glorified by his eyes being miraculously opened (John 9:3).... [ Continue Reading ]
TWO DAYS] Our Lord waited two days, (1) that the death of Lazarus might be an indisputable fact: cp. John 11:39; (2) that there might be time for a competent number of witnesses to assemble: cp. John 11:42. There is a seeming want of tenderness to the sisters in allowing Lazarus to die, and then mak... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LIGHT] i.e. the sun.... [ Continue Reading ]
SLEEPETH] because Lazarus was soon to be awakened as from sleep: cp. Mark 5:39.... [ Continue Reading ]
A secondary object of the miracle was the strengthening of the disciples' faith.... [ Continue Reading ]
DIDYMUS] i.e. 'twin,' is the correct translation of the Aramaic 'Thomas.' Perhaps he was twin brother of Matthew with whom he is coupled (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18; Luke 6:15). He here figures as the pessimist of the apostolic circle; in John 20 as the sceptic. Yet his love and devotion to our Lord ar... [ Continue Reading ]
THE GRAVE] RV 'the tomb.' In Palestine burial took place on the day of death. The possession of a private tomb by the family of Lazarus is an indication of wealth. The poor were buried in cemeteries (2 Kings 23:6).... [ Continue Reading ]
Visits of condolence were paid with great ceremony for seven days after a death.... [ Continue Reading ]
SAT _still_] RV 'still sat.' Sitting was the attitude of grief. 'After the body is carried out of the house, all chairs and couches are reversed, and the mourners sit on the ground on a low stool.'... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN NOW] marvellous faith under the circumstances. She believes that Jesus can raise Lazarus, but dare not express the hope that He will.... [ Continue Reading ]
A belief in a future resurrection was at this period professed by all pious Jews, and was not peculiar to the Pharisees. The expression 'the Last Day' is peculiar to St. John.... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM THE RESURRECTION, AND THE LIFE] These solemn words, which are used most appropriately in the Burial Service, not only refer to the raising of Lazarus to a natural life, but indicate that Christ is also the author of the resurrection to eternal life. HE THAT BELIEVETH] The words apply primarily... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL NEVER DIE] because death to Christians is not really death. Death did not break the living union between the soul of Lazarus and His Redeemer, nor will it break that of other believers. 'The souls of the righteous are in the hand of God; there shall no torment touch them.'... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SON OF GOD] When used, as here, as a popular title of the Messiah, this expression implies a special nearness to God, but not necessarily actual divinity. WHICH SHOULD COME] RV 'even he that cometh.' 'He that cometh' was a common title of the Messiah: cp. John 6:14; Matthew 11:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
For three days the mourners used to visit the grave, believing that the soul hovered round, fain to re-enter and reanimate its fleshly tenement. On the fourth day, it was thought, the soul departed and decomposition began.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE GROANED] i.e. He sorrowed in sympathy with the mourners. But RM 'He was moved with indignation,' i.e. at the havoc wrought by death in thus cutting off a young life. Our Lord regarded not only sin, but also disease and death, as part of that kingdom of Satan which He came to destroy. Their domini... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS WEPT] An exquisitely human touch, showing that the evangelist, with all his insistence upon Christ's divinity, has a firm grasp of His true humanity. Contrast with the sympathetic tears of Jesus the Stoic ideal of indifference to human emotion. In Jesus the strength of a man was united to the... [ Continue Reading ]
COULD NOT THIS MAN] Probably a hostile criticism, imputing to Jesus lack of love or lack of power.... [ Continue Reading ]
A STONE LAY UPON IT] which implies that it was an underground vault, or, 'a stone lay against it' (RV), which implies that it was a cavern hewn in the side of a hill. The tomb now called that of Lazarus 'is a deep vault like a cellar, excavated in the limestone rock in the middle of the village, to... [ Continue Reading ]
Martha thinks that Jesus wishes to take a last look at His friend, and she seeks to dissuade Him, fearing that, putrefaction having already begun, the corpse will present a fearful spectacle. The apparent failure, for the moment, of her half-formed faith is true to life. 41, 42. This prayer of Jesu... [ Continue Reading ]
HAST HEARD ME] RV 'heardest me,' viz. four days ago in Peræa, when I prayed that Lazarus might be raised to life.... [ Continue Reading ]
I SAID _it_] viz. that Thou didst hear My prayer that Lazarus might be raised.... [ Continue Reading ]
CAME FORTH] doubtless with difficulty, his legs being bound together by grave-clothes. Hence the command 'Loose him.' It is possible, however, that the legs of Lazarus were swathed separately after the Egyptian manner. 45, 46. The Gk., interpreted strictly, means that _all_ the Jews who were presen... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT DO WE?] i.e. Why are we doing nothing?... [ Continue Reading ]
A MEETING OF THE SANHEDRIN AGAINST JESUS. As in the synoptics, the chief priests, i.e. the Sadducees, take a more prominent part than the Pharisees in compassing the death of Jesus. Similarly in the Acts it is mainly the Sadducees who are hostile to the infant Church. The hostility of the Sadducees... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ROMANS SHALL COME] They feared that Jesus would be proclaimed king by the people, and that the Romans would thereupon inflict summary judgment upon the nation. OUR PLACE AND NATION] i.e. our position in the State, and the very existence of the nation. Others understand 'our place' to be Jerusale... [ Continue Reading ]
CAIAPHAS] In full Joseph C, a Sadducee. See on Matthew 26:3. THAT SAME YEAR] i.e. high priest in that memorable year in which Jesus was crucified. The expression does not imply that the high-priesthood was an annual office. YE KNOW NOTHING] see John 18:14. Caiaphas speaks somewhat contemptuously of... [ Continue Reading ]
IN (RV 'into') ONE] i.e. into one Church. THE CHILDREN OF GOD] i.e. the Gentiles. SCATTERED ABROAD] The unity of the human race has been destroyed by sin. The death of Christ, by abolishing sin, reëstablishes its unity.... [ Continue Reading ]
Retirement to Ephraim. Attitude of the multitudes at Jerusalem. Suppressed excitement. 54. To avoid the snares of His enemies, and to secure a short season of undisturbed communion with His disciples, Jesus retires to Ephraim, perhaps Ephrain or Ephron (2 Chronicles 13:19), or Ophrah (1 Samuel 13:17... [ Continue Reading ]
TO PURIFY THEMSELVES] No man could eat the Passover while ceremonially unclean (see John 18:28; Numbers 9:10; 2 Chronicles 30:17), hence the Passover pilgrims assembled in Jerusalem some time beforehand to purify themselves by ablutions, shaving the head, and sacrifice. In some cases the process las... [ Continue Reading ]
Jesus was still too popular to be taken publicly.... [ Continue Reading ]