John Gill Commentary John 11

Now a certain man was sick
Very likely of a fever; Nonnus calls it a morbid fire, a hot and burning disease:

[named] Lazarus of Bethany ;
for his name, which the Ethiopic version reads "Eleazar", and the Persic version "Gazarus", (See Gill onLuke 16:24); and for the place Bethany, (See Gill on Matthew 21:1), (See Gill onMatthew 21:17).

The town of Mary and her sister Martha ;
where they were both born, as well as Lazarus, or at least where they dwelt; of the former, some account is,given in the next verse, and of the latter, (See Gill on Luke 10:38).

It was [that] Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment ,
&c.] Not the woman in (Luke 7:37), as some have thought, whose name is not mentioned, and which history is not related by John at all: but Mary in (John 12:3), who is both mentioned by name, and along with Lazarus her brother, and with whom all the circumstances of the affair suit; and though the fact was not yet done, yet John writing many years after it was done, and when it was well known, proleptically, and in a parenthesis, takes notice of it here.

and wiped his feet with her hair ;
instead of a napkin, after she had anointed them with oil; (See Gill on Luke 7:37), (See Gill on John 12:3).

Whose brother Lazarus was sick ;
this is observed, to show how well they were all acquainted with Christ, and affected to him.

Therefore his sisters sent to him
Both the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, sent to Jesus; they did not go themselves, being women, and theplace where Jesus was, was at some distance; and besides, it was necessary they should abide at home, toattend their brother in his sickness, and therefore they sent a messenger, or messengers to Christ,

saying, Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick ;
for it seems that Lazarus was in a very singular manner loved by Christ, as man, as John the beloved disciplewas; and this is the rather put into the message by the sisters, to engage Jesus to come to his assistance;and they were very right in applying to Christ in this time of need, who is the physician, both of the bodiesand souls of men; and are greatly to be commended both for their modesty and piety, in not prescribing toChrist what should be done in this case: and it may be further observed, that such who are the peculiarobjects of Christ's love, are attended in this life with bodily sickness, disorders, and diseases, which aresent to them, not in a way of vindictive wrath, but in love, and as fatherly chastisements; which, as theyare designed, so they are overruled for their good; and are to be considered, not as instances of wrath, butas tokens of love.

When Jesus heard that ;

That his friend Lazarus was sick,

he said ;

either to his disciples, or to the messenger or messengers that brought the account to him, and that on purpose to yield some relief to the afflicted family when it should be reported to them:

this sickness is not unto death ;

it was to issue in death, but not in death which was to continue, or under which Lazarus was to continue till the general resurrection; for though he should die, yet he should be so quickly restored again to life, that it scarcely deserved the name of death. The Jews distinguish between sickness and sickness; there are some that are sick, the greater part of whom are, (Myyxl) , "for life"; and there are others that are "sick", the greater part of whom are, (htyml) , "for death" ^F26 , or are sick unto death, whose sickness issues in death; but this of Lazarus's was not to be unto death, at least not finally:

but for the glory of God ;

of his power and goodness in raising him again:

that the Son of God might be glorified thereby ;

that is, that his glory, as the Son of God, might be made manifest in the resurrection of him from the dead; see (John 2:11) .

FOOTNOTES:

• F26: T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 71. 2.

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus .
] Not only with an everlasting love, a love of complacency and delight, an unchangeable one, and which never varies, nor will ever end, with which he loves all his people alike; but with a very great human affection, and which was very singular and peculiar to them: these were the intimate friends, and familiar acquaintance of Christ, whom he often visited, at whose house he frequently was when in those parts; they were very hospitable to him; they kindly received him into their houses, and generously entertained him, and which he returned in love to them: hence Nonnus paraphrases the words, Jesus loved the women, (filoxeinouv) , "who were lovers of hospitality", by the law of kindness.