Charles Ellicott Commentary John 11:44

"He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go." — John 11:44 (ASV)

And he that was dead came forth.—“Wonder at a wonder within a wonder!” is Basil’s comment on these words; and many of the older commentators regard the power to move, when bound hand and foot, as itself a miracle. But this seems not to be necessary, and if it is not necessary, it should not be invoked. (Compare the note on John 6:21.) The grave-clothes may have been bound around the limbs separately, as in the Egyptian mummies, and this would not prevent motion; or (and this is more probable) the body may have been “wrapped in a linen cloth,” which encompassed the whole, except the head (Matthew 27:59), but still left motion possible.

The word rendered “grave-clothes” is used nowhere in the New Testament except in this passage. It means properly the bands or straps by which the linen sheet was fastened to the body, and which kept the spice from falling out. (Compare John 19:40.) We find it used elsewhere for straps and thongs generally. They were made of rushes, linen, and other materials. The word is used once in the Greek of the Old Testament, where it means the belts by which beds are secured (Proverbs 7:16).

And his face was bound about with a napkin.—For the word “napkin,” compare the note on Luke 19:20. It means here the cloth placed around the forehead and under the chin, but probably not covering the face.

Loose him, and let him go.—This command is in itself strong proof that the earlier part of the verse should not be interpreted as a narrative of miraculous incidents.