Albert Barnes Commentary John 11

A certain man was sick. The resurrection of Lazarus has been recorded only by John. Various reasons have been conjectured why the other evangelists did not mention such a notable miracle. The most probable reason is that at the time they wrote, Lazarus was still living. The miracle was well known; yet, to have recorded it might have exposed Lazarus to opposition and persecution from the Jews .

Besides, John wrote for Christians who were outside of Palestine, while the other Gospels were written chiefly for those in Judea. Therefore, there was a greater need for him to provide a detailed account of the miracle, while the others did not consider it necessary or proper to record an event so well known.

Bethany was a village on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives (see Barnes on Matthew 21:1).

The town of Mary was the place where she lived. Simon the leper also lived there (Matthew 26:6), and our Lord spent a considerable part of His time there when He was in Judea.

The event recorded in this chapter occurred nearly four months after those mentioned in the previous chapter. The earlier events took place in December, and this one occurred as the Passover in April approached.

It was that Mary, etc. See Barnes on Matthew 26:6, Luke 7:36, also on Luke 7:37-50.

Whom you love (John 11:5). The members of this family were among the few special and intimate friends of our Lord. He was much with them and showed them marks of special friendship (Luke 10:38–42), and they bestowed on him special proof of affection in return. This shows that special attachments are lawful for Christians, and that those friendships are particularly lovely when they are tempered and sweetened with the spirit of Christ. Friendships should always be cemented by religion, and one main purpose of those attachments should be to aid one another in the important work of preparing to die.

Sent to him. They believed that he had power to heal him (John 11:21), though they did not then seem to suppose that he could raise him if he died. Perhaps there were two reasons why they sent for him: one, because they supposed he would be wishing to see his friend; the other, because they supposed he could restore him. In sickness we should implore the help and presence of Jesus. He alone can restore us and our friends; he alone can perform for us the role of a friend when all other friends fail; and he alone can cheer us with the hope of a blessed resurrection.

This sickness is not unto death. The word death here is equivalent to remaining in death, as in Romans 6:23: The wages of sin is death—permanent or unchanging death, opposed to eternal life. Jesus evidently did not intend to deny that Lazarus would die. The words which he immediately adds show that Lazarus would expire, and that Jesus would raise him up to display the power and glory of God.

Compare John 11:11. Those words cannot be understood on any other supposition than that he expected to raise him up. The Savior often used expressions similar to this to fix the attention on what he was about to say in explanation. The sense may be expressed as follows: "His sickness is not fatal. It is not designed for his death, but to provide an opportunity for a significant display of the glory of God, and to furnish a lasting proof of the truth of religion. It is intended to exhibit the power of the Son of God, and to be a proof at once of the truth of his mission; of his friendship for this family; of his mild, tender, unique love as a man; of his power and glory as the Messiah; and of the great doctrine that the dead will rise."

For the glory of God; that is, so that God may be honored .

That the Son of God, etc. The glory of God and of his Son is the same. That which promotes the one promotes also the other. Few things could do this more than the miracle that follows, demonstrating at once the lovely and tender character of Jesus as a man and a friend, and his power as equal with God.

He remained two days. Probably Lazarus died soon after the messengers left him. Jesus knew this (John 11:11) and did not hurry to Judea, but remained two days longer where he was, so that there might be no possibility of doubt that Lazarus was dead, and so that when he arrived there, Lazarus had been dead four days (John 11:39). This shows, moreover, that he intended to raise him up. If he had not, it could hardly be reconciled with friendship to remain away like this, without any reason, from an afflicted family.

Where he was. At Bethabara (John 1:28; John 10:40), about 30 miles from Bethany. This was about a day's journey, and it makes it probable that Lazarus died soon after the message was sent. One day would have been taken for the message to reach him; two days he remained; one day would have been taken for him to travel to Bethany; so that Lazarus had been dead four days (John 11:39) when he arrived.