John Calvin Commentary John 11

And one named Lazarus was sick. The Evangelist passes on to another narrative, which contains a miracle eminently worthy of being recorded. For not only did Christ give a remarkable proof of his divine power in raising Lazarus, but he likewise placed before our eyes a lively image of our future resurrection.

This might indeed be said to be the latest and concluding action of his life, for the time of his death was already near. We should not wonder, therefore, if he illustrated his own glory in an extraordinary manner in that work, the memory of which he wished to be deeply impressed on their minds, so that it might seal, in some respects, all that had gone before.

There were others whom Christ had raised from the dead, but he now displays his power on a rotting corpse. But the circumstances which tend to magnify the glory of God in this miracle will be pointed out in their proper place and order.

Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. The probable reason why this circumstance is mentioned is that Lazarus had not acquired as much renown among believers as his sisters had; for these holy women were accustomed to entertain Christ with their hospitality, as is evident from what is related by the Evangelist Luke (Luke 10:38). It is truly too ridiculous a blunder to suppose that monks, and such paltry groups as the Papists have, made this small town or village a castle.

It was that Mary who anointed the Lord. It is a similar display of ignorance to imagine that this Mary, the sister of Lazarus, was the woman of wicked and infamous life, who is mentioned by Luke (Luke 7:37). This mistake was caused by the anointing, as if it were not evident enough that Christ was anointed on various occasions and even in different places.

The woman who was a sinner, of whom Luke gives an account, anointed Christ in Jerusalem, where he lived; but Mary later anointed him in Bethany, which was her own village. The past tense used by the Evangelist, who anointed, must be understood as referring not to the time of the event he is now relating, but to the time when he wrote. It is as if he had said, “It was this Mary who later poured the ointment on Christ’s head, which caused a murmuring among the disciples” (Matthew 26:7).

Lo, he whom thou lovest is sick. The message is short, but Christ might easily learn from it what the two sisters wished; for, under this complaint, they modestly state their request that he would be pleased to grant them relief.

We are not forbidden, indeed, to use a longer form of prayer; but our principal object ought to be to pour into the bosom of God all our cares, and everything that distresses us, so that he may afford deliverance. Such is the manner in which the women act towards Christ: they plainly tell him their distress, and as a consequence, they expect some alleviation.

We ought also to observe that, from Christ’s love, they are led to entertain a confident hope of obtaining assistance, he whom thou lovest; and this is the invariable rule of praying correctly. For where the love of God is, deliverance is certain and near, because God cannot forsake him whom he loveth.

Now Jesus, having heard this, said, This sickness is not to death. He intended by this reply to free his disciples from anxiety, so that they might not misunderstand when they saw him showing so little concern about the danger of his friend. Therefore, so that they might not be alarmed about the life of Lazarus, he declares that the disease is not deadly and even promises that it will be a further opportunity to promote his own glory. Though Lazarus died, yet as Christ soon afterward restored him to life, he now declares, looking to this result, that the disease is not to death.

But for the glory of God. This clause is not contrasted with death as if it were an argument that would always hold. For we know that, even though the reprobate die, the glory of God is displayed no less strikingly in their destruction than in the salvation of believers.

But Christ strictly meant, in this passage, the glory of God that was connected with his office. The power of God, displayed in the miracles of Christ, was not intended to strike terror but was kind and gentle.

When he says that there is no danger of death because he intends to display in it his own glory and the glory of his Father, we should inquire for what purpose and with what intention he was sent by the Father: namely, to save and not to destroy.

For the glory, of God, that the Son of God may be glorified. This expression is highly emphatic, for we learn from it that God wishes to be acknowledged in the person of his Son in such a way that all the reverence he requires to be given to his own majesty may be ascribed to the Son. Thus, we were told previously,

He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father,
(John 5:23).

It is in vain for Muslims and Jews, therefore, to pretend to worship God, for they blaspheme against Christ and even attempt, in this manner, to rob God of himself.

And Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus. These two things appear to be inconsistent with each other: that Christ remains two days beyond Jordan, as if he did not care about Lazarus's life, and yet the Evangelist says that Christ loved him and his sisters. For, since love produces anxiety, he ought to have hastened immediately.

As Christ is the only mirror of God's grace, we are taught by this delay on his part that we ought not to judge God's love from the condition we see before our eyes. When we have prayed to him, he often delays his assistance, either to increase still more our ardor in prayer, or to exercise our patience and, at the same time, accustom us to obedience.

Let believers then implore God's assistance, but let them also learn to suspend their desires if he does not stretch out his hand to help them as soon as they think necessity requires. For, whatever his delay may be, he never sleeps and never forgets his people. Yet let us also be fully assured that he wishes all whom he loves to be saved.