John 11:1–44

 ¹ Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. ² It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. ³ Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” ⁴ When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. ⁷ Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” ⁸ The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?” ⁹ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. ¹⁰ But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” ¹¹ These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” ¹² Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” ¹³ However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. ¹⁴ Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. ¹⁵ And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” ¹⁶ Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” ¹⁷ So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. ¹⁸ Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. ¹⁹ And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. ²⁰ Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. ²¹ Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. ²² But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” ²³ Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” ²⁴ Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” ²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” ²⁷ She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” ²⁸ And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” ²⁹ As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. ³⁰ Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. ³¹ Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.” ³² Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” ³³ Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. ³⁴ And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Jesus wept. ³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” ³⁷ And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” ³⁸ Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. ³⁹ Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” ⁴⁰ Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” ⁴¹ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. ⁴² And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” ⁴³ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” ⁴⁴ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

Commentary 

Vs. 1-3 ¹ Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. ² It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. ³ Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” 

 At this time Jesus was still beyond the Jordan, and so when Lazarus the brother of Mary and Martha, whom Jesus loved became seriously ill they sent word to Him to come (vs. 1, 3). Now the Scripture notes that it was that Mary who had anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick (vs.2.). These women and their brother then were all well known and beloved by the Lord Jesus Christ. Now Bethany was a small town about 2 miles east of Jerusalem. 

Vs. 4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 

Now when the news of Lazarus came to Jesus His response was not one of shock, or grief, but rather, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Thus, Lazarus’ sudden illness was not a happen chance, but rather it was being done for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it! Lazarus illness then was most unique, for who could have imagined that through an illness and death the Son of God would be glorified! Now when Jesus specifically says here that Lazarus’ illness is not unto death, He did not say that Lazarus would not die, but rather that death (i.e. a permanent separation from life) would not be his finial outcome. 

Vs. 5-6 ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 

 Clearly verse five is given as a backdrop to verse six so that people do not infer from the Lord not immediately coming to them that He did not care about them, for clearly Jesus did, and so it is here stated that He loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus (vs. 5). Therefore, Jesus’ remaining where He was for two more days was so that the glory of God would be accomplished through Lazarus first dying and then being laid to rest in a tomb, before being raised from dead by the Lord Jesus Christ! Thus, Jesus had to wait until it was clear to all there that Lazarus had died, and so there would be no doubt, nor refuting afterwards when He raised Lazarus from dead! 

Vs. 7-10 ⁷ Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” ⁸ The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?” ⁹ Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. ¹⁰ But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 

 And so it was when the time came for Jesus to raise Lazarus from the dead He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” ^{vs. 7} The disciples though were immediately taken aback by Jesus wanting to return to Judea again, for they said to Him, …“Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?” ^{vs. 8} Now in answering them Jesus will draw an analogy from every day occurrences, by pointing out to them that in an average day there are twelve hours of daylight, and so it is that during these hours that man can easily move about without fear of stumbling, for he sees the light of this world, and thus is guided safely by it (vs. 9). Therefore in saying as much Jesus is essentially saying that His wanting to go to Judea again is His being guided by the Will of His Father, and so there is no cause for concern on the disciples part, because God the Father will not allow God His Son to stumble, i.e. be taken at this time by Jews while He is doing His Will. For the time of His Crucifixion has not yet come. However, Jesus also goes onto say that, “But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” ^{Vs. 10} Now by saying that Jesus is now referring to those who are not guided by God, but only by their own self-will and desires, and so they stumble into sin, or into error, because the light (i.e. dawn of God) is not in them (consider Isaiah 8:20). 

Vs. 11 ¹¹ These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” 

Having brought forth some great Spiritual truths Jesus now tells the disciples that Lazarus sleeps, but He is going to go to Lazarus to wake him up. Clearly here Jesus is referring to Lazarus being dead, (vs. 14), however His use of the metaphor sleep to describe this may be even more in tune with Lazarus’ then Spiritual condition, that he had not yet been awakened to the glorious good news of the Gospel! And so, in raising Lazarus from the dead he would not only be awakened to it, but he himself would bear true witness of it! 

Vs. 12-13 ¹² Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” ¹³ However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. 

 The disciples then were not yet understanding what Jesus was saying about and intending to do through Lazarus (vs. 12-13), and so they only say to Jesus, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” ^{Vs. 12} 

Vs. 14-15 ¹⁴ Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. ¹⁵ And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” 

 And so here Jesus plainly tells them that Lazarus is dead (vs. 14). Having said as much Jesus now tells them that He was glad that He was not there, so that they may believe that He alone has the Authority and Power to raise us all from the dead, by His raising Lazarus from the dead. For if Jesus had been there no doubt the appeals to spare Lazarus from death would’ve come, and nowhere in the N.T. did Jesus ever refuse a plea from someone to save their loved one from death when He was there in their presence. That said, we must not now infer that Jesus will also spare our loved ones from death, for then no one would ever die! Therefore, in allowing Lazarus to die and then raising him from the dead, we are to be confident of is His raising us all who believe in Him, who have died, from the dead, on the last day! 

Vs. 16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” 

 When Thomas (also called Didymus) who was referred to as the twin heard Jesus say that He was going back to Judea to raise Lazarus, in spite of the Jews there wanting to kill Him, he in a moment of rashness burst out saying to the other disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.” ^{Vs. 16} Like Peter then, Thomas too could be very zealous for the Lord. 

Vs. 17 “So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.” 

 When Jesus arrived at Bethany, He found out the Lazarus had been dead already four days, and thus wrapped in grace clothes and placed in a tomb which was then sealed. There was then no doubt in anybody’s mind (including the disciples) that Lazarus was dead, and had been dead four days. 

Vs. 18-19 ¹⁸ Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. ¹⁹ And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 

 Now Bethany was just two miles from Jerusalem where the Jews had recently sought to kill Jesus, (vs. 18). Nonetheless many Jews had come to Bethany, before Jesus arrived, and joined the woman who were comforting Martha and Mary over the death of their brother Lazarus.  

Vs. 20 “Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.” 

 When news reached Martha, that Jesus was coming she immediately went out to meet Him, however Mary likely being too distraught (or maybe even upset at the Lord, vs. 31-32) remained in their house where they were mourning. 

Vs. 21-22 ²¹ Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. ²² But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” 

 When Martha met Jesus’ she was conflicted, for she truly believed that if the Lord had been there than Lazarus her brother would not have died (vs. 21). That said, Martha now moves from grief to hope and says to Jesus, “But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” ^{Vs. 22} 

Vs. 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 

 When Jesus heard Martha say that, He told Martha that her brother Lazarus will rise again. For that is why He has now come. 

Vs. 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 

 Martha though did not understand that Jesus was not referring to the resurrection of the just and the unjust at the last day, (which obviously she believed in), but that He now intended to raise Lazarus from the dead. 

Vs. 25-26  ²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 

 When Jesus heard Martha say that He now used that moment to bring forth a great and profound truth about Himself, and what faith in Himself does for everyone who believes in Him! First then is that the Lord Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life, for it is by Jesus Christ’s then future resurrection from the dead that all of us who believe in Him have eternal life! Therefore, Jesus goes onto say that, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. ²⁶ And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” And so here the Lord Jesus Christ is referring to His Second Coming when those who believe in Him that have died through the centuries are raised from the dead to be with Him, while those who are then living at the Lords return likewise will be caught up in air with them to be with the Lord forever! Thus, they who are then living will not experience death, just as those who died naturally before the Lords return will never experience spiritual death! It’s a profound statement Jesus makes but it is crucial to having faith in Him, for unless one believes in the Lord Jesus Christ’s Resurrection from the dead, and thus His Sovereignty and Power over death, they cannot have everlasting life from Him (Rom. 10:9-10). Therefore, when Jesus said these things to Martha, He asked her, (just as He asks us all), “Do you believe this.” 

Vs. 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”  

 Now in answering Jesus, Martha clearly believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, who has come into the world, however as to His Authority and Power over the Resurrection, to give life as He wills, she clearly did not yet have a frame of reference, and so she could only honestly answer as far as her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ had then taken her. Which again is why Jesus allowed Lazarus to die, for both she and all of His disciples needed to see this aspect of His Person clearly demonstrated before them. We however do not as we have Now Jesus’ Word, and countless other Scriptural testimonies, including and most importantly the Testimony of His Holy Spirit which verifies and certifies that all these things are true! 

Vs. 28-29 ²⁸ And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” ²⁹ As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 

 Having declared her faith to the Lord Jesus Christ, in, and about His Person, Martha now goes out and calls her sister Mary, saying to her, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” ^{Vs. 28} And when Mary heard that she quickly arose from her mourning and come to Him!  

Vs. 30 “Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him.” 

 Now all these things occurred outside of the town of Bethany, where Martha met Him, for Jesus had not yet come into the town. 

Vs. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.” 

 Now when Mary suddenly got up and departed from the house the mourning Jews there, assumed that she was going to go to Lazarus’ tomb and weep there. And so, they also got up and followed her. 

Vs. 32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 

 When Mary came to Jesus all her devested emotions poured out before Him, for she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” ^{Vs. 32} 

Vs. 33 “Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.” 

 Seeing then Mary weeping, and Jews with her weeping, Jesus groaned in His spirit and was troubled. For to see people whom He loved in such grief and despair was not only very upsetting to Him, but also in some ways raised His ire at sin and death itself, at how impartial and unjust it often is, and how through the centuries mankind because of sin has had to live with the consequences of it. 

Vs. 34-35 ³⁴ And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Jesus wept. 

 Having regained His composure inside Himself, Jesus now asks them where they have laid Lazarus, and when they told Him come and see, Jesus experienced His own grief over the death of His friend, and so here in the shortest verse in the Bible it states, Jesus wept (vs. 35). 

Vs. 36-37 ³⁶ Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” ³⁷ And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” 

 When the Jews saw that Jesus wept, some of them began to say, “See how He loved him!” However, others were not as moved, but only found fault with Jesus in not preventing Lazarus’ death, saying, ““Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” ^{Vs. 36-37} 

Vs. 38 “Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.” 

When Jesus heard their words, once again He groaned within Himself, and arriving at the tomb, there was a cave with a stone laid against it where they had laid Lazarus. Which was then a common practice for burying the dead. 

Vs. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” 

 Standing then before the tomb, Jesus now tells them to take away the stone from the tombs entrance. However, Martha, Lazarus sister now cautions Jesus not to do so, saying to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” 

Vs. 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 

 Jesus though is unmoved by Martha’s timid request not to open the tomb, for Jesus knowing what He is about to do now says to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Thus, referring back to when Jesus told her that He was the Resurrection and the Life (vs. 25) for He alone has the Authority and Power to do and grant such things. Now in Jesus’ Words is stated the everlasting principal that faith must always precede sight. For we walk by faith not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). 

Vs. 41-42 ⁴¹ Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. ⁴² And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 

 And so it was at Jesus’ Word they removed the stone from the tombs entrance. It was then that Jesus lifted His eyes up towards heaven and prayed to the Father thanking Him for hearing Him and for what He was about to do. Now please note that in praying to the Father Jesus says that the Father always hears Him, there is then no disconnect between the Will of God the Father and God the Son! Now Jesus said all these things openly, not that He needed to do so for the Father to hear Him, but rather so that we might all believe that the Father sent Him! This miracle then that Jesus was about to perform is the undeniable confirmation of His Person! 

Vs. 43-44 ⁴³ Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” ⁴⁴ And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.” 

 Having prayed to the Father openly, Jesus now cries out with a loud voice, saying, “Lazarus, come forth!” And so it was at Jesus’ Word, Lazarus who had died and been dead for four days, came out still bound hand and foot in the graves clothes that they laid him to rest in! Even Lazarus’ face was wrapped in a cloth (which would’ve made it impossible for him to breath, and thus only to have been in a coma or some other similar state). Having then raised Lazarus from the dead in their very presence Jesus now commands that they loose him from the graves clothes and let him go! Can you then imagine the wonderous awe and joy the disciples must have felt at seeing such a miraculous sight, of Lazarus their beloved one being raised from the dead by our beloved Savior, truly this must have marveled them all! However, as we will see it will be this undeniable miracle and sign that Jesus performed that will seal His fate.

Scripture Quotations

New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.