Matthew Henry Commentary John 11:33-46

"When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews [also] weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, and said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. The Jews therefore said, Behold how he loved him! But some of them said, Could not this man, who opened the eyes of him that was blind, have caused that this man also should not die? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus saith, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time the body decayeth; for he hath been [dead] four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believedst, thou shouldest see the glory of God? So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou heardest me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the multitude that standeth around I said it, that they may believe that thou didst send me. And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 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. Many therefore of the Jews, who came to Mary and beheld that which he did, believed on him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them the things which Jesus had done." — John 11:33-46 (ASV)

Christ's tender sympathy with these afflicted friends appeared in the troubles of His spirit. In all the afflictions of believers, He is afflicted. His concern for them was shown by His kind inquiry after the remains of His deceased friend. Being found in fashion as a man, He acts in the way and manner of the sons of men. It was shown by His tears.

He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Tears of compassion resemble those of Christ. But Christ never approved of that sensibility of which many are proud, while they weep at mere tales of distress, but are hardened to real woe. He sets us an example to withdraw from scenes of giddy mirth so that we may comfort the afflicted. And we do not have a High Priest who cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmities.

It is a good step toward raising a soul to spiritual life when the stone is taken away, when prejudices are removed and overcome, and a way is made for the Word to enter the heart. If we take Christ's word and rely on His power and faithfulness, we will see the glory of God and be happy in the sight. Our Lord Jesus has taught us, by His own example, to call God Father in prayer, and to draw near to Him as children to a father, with humble reverence, yet with holy boldness.

He openly made this address to God, with uplifted eyes and a loud voice, so that they might be convinced that the Father had sent Him as His beloved Son into the world. He could have raised Lazarus by the silent exertion of His power and will, and the unseen working of the Spirit of life; but He did it by a loud call. This was a figure of the gospel call, by which dead souls are brought out of the grave of sin, and of the sound of the archangel's trumpet at the last day, with which all who sleep in the dust will be awakened and summoned before the great tribunal.

The grave of sin and this world is no place for those whom Christ has quickened; they must come forth. Lazarus was thoroughly revived and returned not only to life but also to health. The sinner cannot quicken his own soul, but he is to use the means of grace; the believer cannot sanctify himself, but he is to lay aside every weight and hindrance. We cannot convert our relatives and friends, but we should instruct, warn, and invite them.