Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (4.2)

The Gospel Of John

John 11:1-57 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus

v.1 The Jews had told Jesus that "If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly" ( JOH 10:24 ), and Jesus had told them that "the works that I do....bear witness of me" ( JOH 10:25). The raising of Lazarus from the dead was the ultimate work that proved that He was indeed the Christ, the Son of God. Lazarus' resurrection also prepared the Jews for Jesus' resurrection, which would happen in about two months time. When Jesus resurrected, no Jew could say that it was an impossibility. [1]

v.3 [2] These sisters give us an example of what all Christians should do in times of trouble. They did not complain, nor dictate to Jesus what to do. Neither did they say that Lazarus loved Jesus (and therefore deserved help) but that it was Jesus who loved him.

When a man's child falls into the well, it is enough to tell the child's father the simple fact, in the shortest possible manner, knowing that he will immediately do the necessary.

v.4 God often allows sicknesses for His own glory (9:3), and that Jesus would be glorified as the Son of God through Lazarus' resurrection. This reply is very important to help us to have the right perspective whenever we fall sick. This message must have puzzled Martha and Mary greatly. [3]

v.6 [4] It was because Jesus loved them (v.5) that He delayed answering their request - wanting to give them the privilege to witness a resurrection. [5] Though this delay caused great grief to the family, God allowed it for a greater end. This incident gives us an understanding of why God often delays answering our prayers.

v.8 The disciples assumed that Lazarus was going to be well (v.4) and wondered why Jesus wanted to go to Judea, where they had recently attempted to stone Him. In our limited understanding, God's ways often appear to be foolish.

v.9 Instead of giving a direct reply, Jesus answers with a proverb. Using a proverb to reply was quite common among the Jews and other Middle-eastern peoples. Jesus knew the perfect will of God regarding His time on earth. It was limited (i.e., there are twelve hours in the day in which man can work). He knew that it was now the time to go to Judea in spite of the danger. He knew that the safest place to be in was the centre of God's will, i.e., it is as safe as walking in the day. When we walk in the will of God (as revealed in the "light" of God's Word) we will not stumble.

v.10 Once the twelve hours of the day are over. The opportunity to perform work is over. Furthermore, one who is out of God's will is like a man walking in the night - sooner or later, he will stumble.

v.12 [6]   The disciples were still "literalists" who failed to understand that Jesus often spoke of spiritual matters using physical examples. Obviously, Jesus could not be speaking about sleep, because the journey to reach Lazarus would take at least two days. Maybe the disciples were fearful to go to Bethany, and therefore, purposely misunderstood Jesus.

v.15   Lazarus' death was primarily for God's glory and secondarily for the disciples' edification, i.e., that they may believe more (that Jesus is the Son of God).

v.16 Thomas who had a naturally depressive spirit (14:5, 20:24-28), and knowing that Jesus' return to Judea would be dangerous, says "Let us go with Jesus, and die together with Him." When a person becomes a Christian, his basic underlying character still continues, though it is improved gradually by the Holy Spirit.

v.l7 Obviously the corpse was rotten already (v.39). Jesus had delayed His arrival to show God's power. [7]

v.19 [8]   Because of Bethany's proximity to Jerusalem, many of the Jews came to comfort the family members, and they served as witnesses that Lazarus had indeed died.

v.25 [9] Jesus claims that he that believeth in Him, though he were (physically) dead (like Lazarus), yet shall he live again physically on the day of resurrection. [10]

v.26 Verse 25 refers to the physical state; this verse refers to the spiritual.

v.27   True saving faith continues in spite of adverse circumstances; and in spite of imperfect
knowledge. [11]

v.33 [12] Jesus groaned because He sympathised with their sufferings (ISA 53:4), and also because He was troubled at the effect of sin (i.e.. death), and at the lack of faith of Mary. [13]

v.35 This is the shortest verse in the Bible. Though John's Gospel emphasizes Jesus' deity, this verse also reveals Jesus' humanity.

*We never read of Jesus laughing, and only once do we read of Him rejoicing (LUK 10:21 ) because when He came the first time, He came as our sin-bearer ( ISA 53:3 ).

v.36   Jesus was not weeping for Lazarus, because He knew that he would be resurrected! He was weeping for the living – who were faithless.

v.39 [14] This verse reveals to us how frail faith is. Martha had declared her confidence that Jesus could raise Lazarus (v.22, 27), yet now when she "faces" the corpse [15] her faith fails.  

v.40   Jesus reminded Martha of what He had said to her (v.25), and rebuked her of her faithlessness. Jesus told her that if she believed, she would see the glory of God, namely, that Jesus was the Son of God.

v.42 [16]   The purpose of Jesus' miracles were to authenticate Him as the Messiah.

v.43   Jesus cried with a loud voice so that all could hear His command "Lazarus, come forth." and know that it was He who raised His own power. When Jesus comes again. He "shall descend from heaven with a shout and the dead in Christ shall rise" (1 TH 4:16 ).

v.44 We are not told of the details of how Lazarus' rotten corpse is restored. In the same way we do not understand the "mechanics" of our regeneration.

v.45 Was this true saving faith, or mere intellectual belief?

v.46 It is amazing what envy and jealousy can do to men.

The Conspiracy to Kill Jesus

v.47  The great Sanhedrin council met to find ways to destroy Jesus because He had done many miracles. They could not deny Jesus' miracles, and instead of acknowledging Him as the Messiah sought to destroy Him.

v.48 The Sanhedrin believed in a political Messiah and were afraid that as more Jews followed Jesus, the Romans, fearing a rebellion, would react by destroying the temple (i.e., our place) and the Jewish nation. This was probably an excuse because Jesus never preached rebellion nor sought a political kingdom. Furthermore, if He was really the Messiah, then there was no way that the Romans could overthrow His project. The truth is that the Jewish leaders were envious of Jesus' popularity', and feared a loss of their status and income. Men commonly pretend to have very noble reasons for their wicked plans.

v.49 Caiaphas was a Sadducee [17] who hated the Pharisees, and therefore spoke contemptuously to them (''Ye know nothing at all). He was a jealous and ruthless man.

v.50 He pretended to care for the welfare of the people, so that he could sentence Jesus to death. He wanted to do what was expedient, rather than do what was right. Politicians seek to do what is expedient, Christians seek to do what is right.

v.51 Though Caiaphas spoke these words of his own free-will, yet somehow God had "directed" these words to be a prophecy of Jesus' substitutionary atonement (ie, substitute sacrifice for our sins). We cannot reconcile God's sovereignty and man's free-will.

v.52 The children of God that were scattered abroad refer to the Gentiles.

v.54 Jesus spent His time communing with the Father, and privately instructing His disciples.

v.56   The miracles, particularly the raising of Lazarus, had generated much curiosity about Jesus.

-----------------------------
Footnotes

[1] The name '`Lazarus" is the Greek form of the Hebrew name "Eleazar" which means "he whom God helped."

The events of Lazarus' resurrection were such that it excluded all suspicion. Lazarus was a well-known person in Bethany, which was only two miles from Jerusalem (on the eastern slope of the mount of Olives). He was publicly buried, and publicly resurrected after having been kept for four days in the tomb, and was a stinking corpse when he was resurrected. This miracle is recorded only in John's Gospel, because Jesus' ministry around Jerusalem were specially assigned to John, who portrayed Jesus as the Son of God.

Though Lazarus was a godly man, who came from a godly family, an unexpected, serious sickness afflicted him. The godly are not immune to afflictions, because afflictions are very effective “teachers.” Through this death, the Lazarus' family learnt to focus on eternal things, rather than on earthly things.

[2] v.2 There are no less than four Marys in the bible: (a) the mother of Jesus, (b) the wife of Cleophas, (c) Mary Magdalene, and (d) the sister of Martha. To prevent any confusion, this Mary who is the sister of Martha, is said to be the one who anointed the Lord in LUK 10. This statement presupposes that reader of John's Gospel has already read LUK 10.

[3] Jesus could have said "Lazarus will die, and then I will raise him again," but instead He said enough to encourage them to hope, without making them stop praying and seeking God. This is the usual way in which God gives His prophecies. Therefore, those who complain that bible prophecies are not clear enough, do not understand that God desires us to watch and pray.

[4] v.5 Mary outshines Martha in LUK 10, but Martha outshines Mary in this chapter. Active-minded Christians like Martha shine better when action is required, while quiet-minded Christians like Mary shine better when meditation is required.

[5] Jesus was going to resurrect Lazarus because He was going to teach that He was the "Resurrection." Previously, He had multiplied the bread before He claimed to be the "Bread of Life," and opened the blind man's eyes before He claimed to be the "Light of the World." Jesus had reserved this spectacular miracle to prepare for His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

[6] v. 11 In the bible Christians' death is often called sleep (eg. GEN 47:30), because a "new day" follows death. Death is not the end, but the beginning.

[7] Jairus' daughter had just died when Jesus resurrected her (MAR 5), while the son of the widow of Naim was being carried to the grave (LUK 7:12).

[8] v.18 A furlong is about one-eighth of a mile. Therefore, Bethany is about two miles from Jerusalem.

[9] v.20 Martha, the active sister, goes out to meet Jesus as soon as she hears that He has been sighted.

v.21  There is a strange mixture of emotions here. Though Martha knew that humanly-speaking even if Jesus had not delayed He would have been too late, there is an element of reproach that Jesus had come so late. Though Martha must have heard how Jesus cured the centurion's servant without being physically present (MAT 8), she laments Jesus' absence. In times of crises, our emotions are often mixed - faith with unbelief, gratitude with ingratitude.

v.22 Her lack of faith (recorded in the previous verse) is immediately followed by great faith. The words of Jesus in v.4 must have left a glimmer of hope in Martha. However, she perceived Jesus as a great prophet, who depended on God to give Him power, rather than as God who could raise Lazarus by His own power.

v.23 This phrase referring to the resurrection of the last day was often used by Jews to comfort the bereaved.

v.24 Martha, like all godly Jews who knew the O.T. well, believed in the resurrection at the lost day.

[10] This is the fifth of the seven "I am's" (6:35, 8:12, 10:9, 10:11,14:6,15:5). Jesus is God, and in Him is life - He needed none to help Him to raise Lazarus. He that has Jesus has life (JOH 14:6). No prophet ever made such a bold claim.

[11] Martha acknowledges three points here: (a) that Jesus is the Christ, (b) that He is the Son of God, and (c) that He came into the world to save. Simple Martha had true saving faith, which the learned Pharisees in Jerusalem did not have.

[12] v.28  After hearing Jesus' wonderful words, Martha hastens home to call Mary. Martha probably did not publicly mention Jesus' presence because some of Jesus' enemies were among the comforters.

v.30 The reason why Jesus did not go into Bethany was probably because the place where He was near to the sepulchre, or maybe He did not want to provoke His enemies. Jewish cemeteries were always outside the city. In most cultures, it is usual for cemeteries to be outside city limits.

v.31 The crowd followed the sisters hoping to be a source of comfort to them, and were rewarded for their kindness when they witnessed Lazarus' resurrection.

v.32 Mary had the same mixed emotions of faith and unbelief as Martha.

[13] Though Jesus was troubled, He was not overly troubled as sinful man is prone to be. Jesus was the perfect man, who had all our human emotions, yet they were all perfectly controlled. It is impossible for us to fully conceptualise human nature that is entirely free from sin and weakness. This verse debunks the Romanist teach that it is advisable to pray to Mary because she is more sympathetic than Jesus.

[14]  v.37  The Jews considered the case closed. Even if they had heard of the raising of Jairus' daughter (MAR 5), this was different because Lazarus had been dead for four days.

v.38  Jesus groaned as He came face to face with the terrible effect of sin, namely, death. This cave probably descended downwards, therefore, a stone lay upon its entrance. All those who struggled to remove the stone were witnesses that Lazarus was indeed buried.

[15] God allows a dead body to rot and stink so that loved ones will put away the body and not make "idols" of their loved one's corpses.

[16] v.41  Jesus thanks God the Father for hearing Him before He said anything. This saying reveals in human language the mysterious unity between God the Father and God the Son (also v.42).

[17] The Saducees do not believe in the resurrection from the dead.