Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 11

Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

In God's book, towns are most remarkable for saints that dwell in them. The town of Mary and her sister Martha. A day will come when a city will be more illustrious for a saint than for a Caesar – be more renowned for deeds of faith than for deeds of battle. It was the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

(It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

Therefore his sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick.

They did not say anymore. They felt that it was quite enough to tell him that Lazarus was sick, and they left it to the tender heart of Jesus to do whatever seemed good in his sight. Some prayers would be all the better if they were shorter – all the better if they did not so much declare our own will as declare our confidence in the good will of Christ. I like the omissions of Martha's and Mary's prayer.

Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

To many people, it may have seemed an event of no particular importance that a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, but great consequences often depend upon what appear to us to be very minor matters, and we must not despise the least of the Lord's people, nor think slightingly of anything that concerns them.

When a king or an emperor is ill, the news is published in all the papers; but when a friend of the Lord Jesus, a man named Lazarus of Bethany, was sick, that event was recorded in the Bible because of something very remarkable which was to follow that sickness.

Lazarus was a son of God, and grace makes greater distinctions than earthly rank and worldly honours ever can make.

(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

So you see that those whom Jesus loves may be themselves ill, or may have dear ones who are ill; yes, and the illness may be sent by God as a token and testimony of his affection for them. Men polish gems, but they do not take the trouble to polish common pebbles, and God sends affliction to his own beloved ones for their good and for his own glory.

When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death,-

That was not to be the end of it; God had quite another purpose in view in allowing Lazarus to be sick: This sickness is not unto death,-

But for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

Jesus knew that Lazarus would die, but he also knew that his death would only be a kind of interlude; the great design of God was not to take Lazarus home at that time, but to glorify his Son in the resurrection of Lazarus from the dead.