Introductory Remarks:
"While He was in Perea, Jesus would carry on a public ministry. It was largely designed to prepare the disciples for the ministry that would be entrusted to them [and I might add, to them alone] following his death and resurrection. The incidents that took place were illustrative of truths concerning their ministry. With Galilee hostile to Jesus, and Judea and Jerusalem attempting to stone Him, there was no exception that He would be publicly acclaimed as Messiah, so that He could begin His reign. Christ continued a ministry, not in hope of reversing the trend, but rather to teach the disciples concerning their ministry on His behalf. Thus was Christ to spend the time until His appointed hour came when He must go to Jerusalem to fulfill the plan appointed for Him by the Father" (The Words and Works of Jesus Christ - J. Dwight Pentecost).
"It was stated at the close of the former chapter that our Lord, eluding the fury if His Pharisaic adversaries in Jerusalem, 'went away beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized, and there abode' (10:39, 40). The place was probably somewhere about the well-known fjords [inlet] of the Jordan, and not far from Jericho, which was about eighteen miles distant from Jerusalem. Here we now find Him when intelligence reached Him regarding Lazarus" (David Brown - JFB).
Chapter eleven begins Christ's private ministry; His public ministry is over and now in Perea He begins to minister in private. A question has always arisen in Christian circles when someone claims to be able to heal the sick, can he raise the dead? We will see in this chapter that Jesus is no imposter, but He will display His deity in the raising of Lazarus.
The Death of Lazarus
Verse 1, "Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha."
LGT "Now there was a certain sick [man] Lazarus from Bethany, out of the village of Mary and Martha her sister."
This verse begins with the particle de 'now' interrupting Jesus' retirement in Perea. Mary and Martha were well known in this village, for it was in their home that they entertained Jesus and ministered to His needs.
Verse 2, "(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick)."
LGT "Now it was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick."
This verse is in brackets for it was added for clarification to distinguish this Mary from Magdalene of Luke 7:36 - 50. Also, because of the incident recorded in 12:3, where Mary anointed the feet of Jesus with oil and wiped His feet with her hair.
"John, who records the incident later (John 12:3), had presumably told the story already (no doubt with other stories to be written down eventually in his Gospel) in the companies of Christians among whom he moved. So, on mentioning Lazarus for the first time, he says, in effect, 'You will know whom I mean if I tell you that he was the brother of that Mary who anointed the Lord" (The Gospel and Epistles of John - F. F. Bruce).
"The fact here referred to, though not recorded by our Evangelist till 12:3, was so well known in the teaching of all the churches, according to our Lord's prediction, that it is here alluded to by anticipation, as the most natural way of identifying her; and Mary is first named, though the younger, as the more distinguished of the two. She 'anointed The Lord,' says the Evangelist - led doubtless to the use of this term here, as He was about to exhibit Him illustriously as the Lord of Life" (David Brown - JFB).
Verse 3, "Therefore his sisters sent unto Him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick."
LGT "Therefore the sisters sent to Him saying, Lord, Behold he whom you love is sick."
The message the sisters sent Jesus was short and to the point. They knew they were well regarded by the Lord, who knew them well. The sisters address Jesus as 'Lord', which is the common courteous address, that is, 'sir'. Bruce thinks that is the way these sisters addressed the Lord, however, I think because of their previous meeting with Jesus more was meant by the term 'Lord' than just 'sir;' of course that's my personal opinion, and not worth much.
"He whom thou lovest is sick."
The Greek term for 'lovest' is philies a present active indicative verb meaning 'a dear friend.' The one whom Jesus loves He will not forsake.
Verse 4, "When Jesus heard that, He said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby."
LGT "But Jesus having heard said, This sickness is not unto death but on behalf of the glory of God, in order that the Son of God might be glorified through it."
"This sickness is not unto death,"
"The response that Jesus gives is that 'death is not the final issue', for he will not remain in death" (Vincent). This response of Jesus to His disciples is to relieve any anxiety they might feel by His seemingly lack of concern about Lazarus' disease. Jesus had in His mind what He would later do about the situation, and that Lazarus would die, and He would resuscitate him, that his death would not be permanent.
"But for the glory of God,"
Jesus is saying the first reason they should not get upset is that God would be glorified by it. This 'but' is an adversative but, meaning on the contrary. Jesus, looking forward, is saying that what will transpire when He goes to Lazarus will be to the glory of God. When God is glorified, the Son of God is glorified.
"That the Son of God might be glorified thereby."
Continuing the thought, when God gets glorified, the Son also gets glorified.
"This expression is highly emphatic [forceful]; for we learn from it that God wishes to be acknowledged in the person of His Son in such a manner, that all the reverence which He requires to be given to His own majesty may be ascribed to the Son. Hence we are told formerly, He who doth not honor the Son doth not honor the Father, (John 5:23). It is in vain for Mahomets and Jews, therefore, to pretend to worship God; for they blaspheme against Christ, and even endeavor, in this manner, to rob God of Himself" (John Calvin's Comm. on The Gospel of John).
"It means that the glory of God manifested in the resurrection [David Brown uses the term 'resurrection' but should have used the term resuscitation - recovery - instead] of the dead Lazarus would be shown to be the glory, personally and immediately, of the Son" (David Brown - JFB). Every thing in his statement is true, except for his sloppy use of the term resurrection; when a body is resurrected it is to a new Life everlasting, immortal and unchanging; we will be given a new body for eternity.
Verse 5, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus."
LGT "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and the brother."
This verse is parenthetical [an addition] in order to show His disciples that by naming all three, He was not unconcerned about their problem, and the disciples knew that Jesus was very familiar with this family and that He loved them.
Verse 6, "When He had heard therefore that he was sick, He abode two days still in the same place where He was."
LGT "When therefore He had heard that he is sick, then certainly He remained in the place which He was two days."
Jesus knew exactly what He was going to do, but there was a lesson to be learned for the sisters as well as the disciples. How and when God acts is not dependant on how we feel about the situation; we can pray until we are blue in the face, and God will still act according to His own divine viewpoint. God knows better than we do what is good for us, and what is not. We spoil our kids because we want to keep them from experiencing any hardship, but our Lord does notwork by emotions, He acts by love, and He knows what is best for His children. We as parents should learn not to step in the way of God dealing with our children, because He knows better than we what is best for all His children. Jesus just said, 'I love this family' and he is remaining two more days; this sounds rather hard, but Jesus will soon display God's glory. Of course we should realize that these disciples were not aware of the resurrection as yet, so to them death was the primary concern. They did not have the same viewpoint as we have today of, 'Death where is thy sting, grave where is thy victory.' Jesus had not yet died and taken 'captivity captive.' When Lazarus died he went to Paradise; when any of us die, we go immediately into the presence of the Lord; "We are of good courage, I say, and prefer to be absent from the body and to be at home with the lord" (II Cor. 5:8).
Verse 7, "Then after that saith He to His disciples, Let us go into Judea again."
LGT "Then after this He said to the disciples, Let us go into Judea again."
Jesus said after the two days, 'Let us go into Judea' again. They had just escaped the terror of the Pharisees (10:39), and to the disciple's amazement, He is telling them He is going back, away from His safety in Perea.
Verse 8, "His disciples say unto Him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone Thee; and goest Thou thither again?"
LGT "The disciples saying to Him, Rabbi, The Jews were but now seeking to stone you, and again you go there?"
The disciples did not want Jesus to go back to the hostile territory where for sure He would be persecuted; they probably wondered, 'could he not heal Lazarus from a distance' (Bruce). The disciples were also concerned for their own necks; because they were so closely related to the Lord that what ever happened to Him, would surely happen to them (Calvin).
Verse 9, "Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world."
LGT "Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any one walk around in the day, he does not stumble, because the light of this world he sees."
"Are there not twelve hours in the day?"
Jesus is making reference to what He had said in 9:4, "I must work the works of Him that sent Me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work." There is no fear in the Lord, for He knows that not one thing can happen to Him nor His disciples without the will of His Father. Jesus knew His hour had not yet come. God has given the Son a work to do, and that can't be changed anymore than change the hours in a day.
"If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world."
"The present words have an obvious surface meaning: those who walk in the daytime do not stumble against obstacles because the light of the sun shows them where they are going; people who go out in the dark are liable to stumble because they cannot see obstacles in their path. But there is a deeper meaning, where the true light of the world and not the light of this world is involved: one who shuts his eyes to the true light not only 'has no light' but 'the light is not in him'. The light of the sun shines from the sky; the true light shines within (cf. I John 2:8). In the present context, Jesus must follow the path of the Father's will while life lasts; it may be the eleventh hour of daylight, but that is no reason for staying in retirement" (The Gospel and Epistles of John - F. F. Bruce).
Verse 10, "But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in Him."
LGT "But if any one walk around in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."
"It amounts to this, that the eyes of God will always be attentive to guard those who shall be attentive to His instructions. Hence we learn also that, whenever men overlook and disregard the Word of God, and consequently indulge themselves foolishly, and undertake whatever they think right, the whole course of their life is accursed by God, and vengeance is always ready to punish their presumption and their blind passions" (John Calvin's Comm. on the gospel of John).
"Our Lord's day had now reached its eleventh hour, and having till now 'walked in the day,' He would not miss-time the remaining and more critical part of His work, which would be as fatal, He says, as omitting it altogether; for 'if a man' - so He speaks, putting Himself under the same great law of duty as all other men - if a man 'walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him'. " (David Brown - JFB).
Verse 11, "These things said He: and after that He saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep."
LGT "These things He said, and after this He says to them, Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep: but I go in order that I may awake him."
"Our friend Lazarus sleepeth,"
This is a metaphor [figure of speech for sleep] used by Christ to explain all that the disciples needed to know about death. After the resurrection of Jesus there is no Paradise. "But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep" (I cor. 15:20). Before His resurrection the souls of the saints went to Paradise in the 'Bosom of Abraham' (Luke 16). After the resurrection the souls of saints go directly to the presence of the Lord, "We are of good courage, I say, and prefer to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord" (II Cor. 5:8). Let these verses suffice, it would take more time than I would like here to explain all I believe about body sleep; it would also take me away from the exposition I am working on here. (If anyone is interested, I have a fair exposition on the subject I would be pleased to send to you if you like).
"But I go, that I may awake him out of sleep."
I go in order to wake him out of sleep in order to glorify God.
Verse 12, "Then said His disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well."
LGT "Therefore His disciples said, Lord, if he has fallen asleep he will be saved (recover)."
This verse shows that the disciples did not understand Jesus' use of the metaphor 'sleep.' They said, if he will recover, why risk going to Judea (Brown).
Verse 13, "Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought He had spoken of taking of rest in sleep."
LGT "But Jesus had spoken concerning his death, but they thought that concerning taking of rest in sleep He speaks."
"But they thought He had spoken of taking rest in sleep."
The disciples were not thinking as Christ was; they were thinking that a good rest in sleep when you are sick is a good thing. They were thinking that Lazarus was on his way to recovery.
Verse 14, "Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead."
LGT "Therefore then Jesus said to them plainly, Lazarus died."
Our response to the ignorance of the disciples would have been Hello! Is any body home? Our friend Lazarus is dead; he died; but not the Lord; He is ever gracious and longsuffering to His chosen ones, including you and I. He speaks without the metaphor of sleep now in order that His disciples would realize the situation very clearly.
"In the language of heaven, says Bengal beautifully, 'sleep is the death of the saints; but this language the disciples here understood not. Incomparable is the generosity of the divine manner of discoursing; but such is the slowness of men's apprehension that Scripture often has to descend to the more miserable style of human discourse" (David Brown - JFB).
Verse 15, "And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him."
LGT "And I rejoice on your account in order that you might believe, that I was not there; but let us go to him."
"And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there;"
I rejoice for your sakes that I was not there. Bengal's comment is beautiful and characteristic (to the point): "It accords beautifully with divine propriety (respectability) that we read of no one having died while the Prince of life was present. If you suppose that death could not, in the presence of Jesus, have assailed (overcome) Lazarus, the language of the two sisters vv. 21, 32, attains loftier meaning; and the Lord's joy at His own absence is explained."
"To the intent you may believe."
The verb pistuete 'believe' is an aorist active subjunctive, lit. 'That you might come to believe' (Robertson). The Lord rejoiced at the prospect of helping His disciples grow in grace by becoming stronger in their faith. "Jesus implies that, if He had been present in Bethany, Lazarus would not have died. As it is, however, the disciples will see such a manifestation of the glory of God as will kindle their faith, and for that He is glad. So, He said, Let us go to Him" (Bruce).
"Let us go unto him."
"Most touching. To him, as though he were yet living. Death has not broken the personal relation of the Lord with His friend" (Vincent).
Verse 16, "Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow-disciples, let us also go, that we may die with Him."
LGT "Therefore said Thomas the one called Didymus, Let us go also in order that we may die with Him."
"Which is called Didymus, "
The word 'Didymus' in Greek didumos means twin. "Clearly Thomas had a twin brother or sister. Applied two other times (20:24; 21:2). The Aramaic word for Thomas means twin and Didymus is just the Greek equivalent of Thomas. He may even in Greek circles have been called Didymus" (Robertson).
"Let us also go, that we may die with Him."
'With Him' can only mean Jesus, for Lazarus is already dead; so Thomas can only mean that Jesus is going back into Judea, is going to His certain death. Thomas should not have taken the gloomy approach that He did, for he should have known that Christ had to die, for this was His mission; I do believe, however, that Thomas was sincere.
"Judea is the place where the final manifestation of the divine glory in the incarnate Word is to be given; by the same token it is the place of Jesus' death. From the place of withdrawal from the world Jesus goes back to manifest Himself to the world, and to do so more fully than when He went up to Jerusalem for the festival of Tabernacles (John 7:4). Thomas betrays some inkling of this truth, but if His master is to die, he has no wish to survive Him" (The Gospel and Epistles of John - F. F. Bruce).
Jesus the Resurrection and the Life
Verse 17, "Then when Jesus came, He found that he had already lain in the grave four days already."
LGT "Jesus therefore having come found him having been already four days in the tomb."
"If he died on the day that the tidings came of his illness; if he was, according to the Jewish custom, buried the same day (see Luke 7:12; and Acts 5:5, 6, 10); and if Jesus, after two days' farther stay in Perea, set out on the day following for Bethany (some ten hours' journey) - that would make out the four days, the first and last being incomplete" (David Brown - JFB).
Verse 18, "Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:"
LGT "Now Bethany was near to Jerusalem about fifteen furlongs off."
Fifteen furlongs; A furlong was about 202 yards 9inches in length; this would amount to rather less than a mile and three quarters (Bruce).
Verse 19, "And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother."
LGT "And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary in order to console them concerning the brother."
"And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, "
The Jews that came were not hostile to Jesus, for they were friends of this well known family; this family were friends of Jesus, and it would only stand to logic that these Jews would be friendly. This would also provide a wonderful group of witnesses to the miracle Jesus was about to perform.
"To comfort them concerning their brother."
"This was, no doubt, the object which they had in view, but God had another object to accomplish, as we have stated. It is evident from what is here mentioned, that the house of Lazarus and his sisters was greatly respected and honored. Again, as it is natural that the death of friends should occasion grief and mourning to men, this duty, which the Evangelist mentions, ought not to be blamed, unless on this ground, that sinful excess, which prevails in this and in other departments of life, corrupts what is not in itself sinful" (John Calvin's Comm. on The Gospel of John).
Verse 20, "Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him: but Mary sat still in the house."
LGT "Therefore Martha when she heard that Jesus is coming went to meet Him: but Mary was sitting in the house."
"True to the energy and activity of her character, Martha, as seen in the beautiful scene recorded by Luke (10:38-42): But Mary sat [still] in the house - literally, was sitting in the house;' equally true to her placid character. These undersigned touches charmingly illustrate, not only the minute historic fidelity [trustworthiness] of both narratives, but their inner harmony" (David Brown - JFB).
Verse 21, "Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."
LGT "Therefore Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here my brother had not died."
Commentators are split on Martha's words "Lord, if you had been here my brother had not died." Some think she is showing great faith that just by Christ's presence she was assured everything would have gone well for Lazarus, and he would have gotten better. While all agree that Martha displayed certain faith, she was complaining a little that the Lord had delayed in coming, that is, He waited two more days after He received word of Lazarus' illness. I will leave it to the experts to speculate on Martha's exact motives and feelings; what this does show is that Martha is quite practical and comes to the point right away. "As Mary afterwards said the same thing (vs. 32), it is plain they had made this very natural remark to each other, perhaps many times during these four sad days, and not without having their confidence in His love at times overclouded. Such trials of faith, however, are not peculiar to them" (Brown).
Verse 22, "But I know, that even now, whatsoever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee."
LGT "[But] even now I know that as many things You may ask the God, the God will give to You."
Vincent points out that Martha shows her unworthy conception of Christ's character in her use of the word 'ask.' "The verb aitesthei [that Martha uses] is used of an inferior from a superior. 'Erotao' is to ask on equal terms, and hence is always used by Christ of His own asking from the Father, in the consciousness of His equal dignity. Hence Martha, as Trench observes, 'plainly reveals her poor conception of His person, that she recognizes in Him no more than a prophet, when she ascribes that asking (aitesthei) to Him which He never ascribes to Himself."
"We can see now that Martha should have been sitting at Jesus' feet a little more. She says, 'I know that if you ask God.' Martha, don't you realize He is God? He is God, manifest in the flesh. He has been in your home, sat at your table and has eaten your biscuits, but you didn't realize that He was God, did you? Oh, my friend, how we need to spend time at His feet. How we need to listen" (T. T. B. J. Vernon McGee).
Verse 23, "Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again."
LGT "Jesus says to her, Your brother will rise again."
The patience of Jesus with Martha is wonderful; even when she displayed her lack of doctrine in knowing who He is, He shows such tender mercy that He gives her more than she brought forward to Him. When one of our loved ones goes home to be with the Lord, we comfort one another with similar words, for we know they will rise up to be with the Lord. These Jews all believe in the resurrection, but Christ here is speaking of resuscitation to life.
Verse 24, "Martha saith unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
LGT "Martha says to Him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection in the last day."
Jesus is deliberately drawing Martha out in speaking of the resurrection, for what He is about to do is only a type of the resurrection, by raising Lazarus from the dead. Calvin says: "Again, by this reply, Martha intended to ascertain [discover] more than she ventured to expect from the word's of Christ, as if she had said: 'If you mean the last resurrection, I have no doubt that my brother will be raised again at the last day, and I comfort myself with this confident expectation, but I do not know if you direct my attention to something greater."
Verse 25, "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:"
LGT "Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life: the one who believes in Me though he die he will live."
Notice that Jesus uses the article before 'resurrection' and 'life.' This means that He is a particular kind of resurrection and life; we know He means eternal life, for some will resurrect unto eternal death. Jesus is speaking beyond Lazarus to everyone who will believe on Him will have everlasting life and will never die, everlasting death.
"The words I am are very significant. Martha had stated the resurrection rather as a doctrine, a current tenet; Jesus states it as a fact, identified with His own person. He does not say, I raise the dead; I perform the resurrection, but I am the resurrection. In His own person, representing humanity, He exhibits man as immortal, but immortal only through union with Him.
The life. The life is the larger and inclusive [all encompassing] idea. Resurrection is involved in life as an incident by the temporary and apparent triumph of death. All true life is in Christ. In Him is lodged everything that is essential to life, in its origin, its maintenance, and its consummation, and all this is conveyed to the believer in his union with Him. This life is not affected by death. 'Every believer is in reality and forever sheltered from death. To die with full light, in the clear certainty of the life, which is in Jesus, to die only to continue to live to Him, is no longer that fact which human language designates by the name death. It is as though Jesus had said: In Me death is certain it live, and the living is certain never to die' (Godet)" (Vincent's Word Studies in the NT).
Verse 26, "And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?"
LGT "And everyone who lives and believes in Me will in no way ever die forever. Do you believe this?"
"And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die."
Jesus use the strong emphatic double negative 'never' ou me, meaning 'in no way ever.' The phrase 'Shall never die' is lit. 'Never die forever, because He is speaking of eternal death to those who do not believe on Him. In other words, this is a 'forever death' Jesus is speaking of.
"Believest thou this?"
Literally, 'Do you believe what I have just said?' "A sudden test of Martha's insight and faith with all the subtle turns of thought involved" (Robertson).
Verse 27, "She saith unto Him, Yea, Lord: I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world."
LGT "She says to Him, Yes, Lord, I have believed that you are the Christ the Son of God the One who comes into the world."
"Yea, Lord, I believe that Thou art the Christ the Son of God,"
The word 'believed' in Greek is pepisteuka a perfect active form, lit. 'I have believed." The meaning is, being in the perfect tense, 'I have come to believe in the past, and I continue believing even until now. Vincent says, "Martha goes back to her previous belief, which consists in the recognition of Christ as her Lord. Whatever faith she has in this new revelation of Christ rests upon the truth that He is the Anointed, the Son of God, even He that cometh into the world."
"Which should come into the world."
"Did Martha believe what He told her? She could accept it by faith, but she could not understand it, any more than any other disciple of His could understand it before He rose from the dead. But, asked about her faith, she confessed her faith in the person who was speaking to her. Like Andrew, she confessed him as the Messiah (John 1:41); like Nathanael, she confessed him as the Son of God (John 1:49). He was the one whose coming Moses and the prophets foretold (John 1:45); now He had come. The perfect tense (pepisteuka) differs but little in force from the present (pisteuo): 'I have come to believe', she means, 'and now, as a settled attitude of soul, I believe.' (I would have to take issue with Bruce that the perfect tense differs little here. The perfect tense has the sense of security in it, while the present tense could involve unbelief at a later date)" (The Gospel and Epistles of John - F. F. Bruce).
Jesus Weeps
Verse 28, "And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee."
LGT "And having said these things she went away and called Mary her sister secretly saying, The teacher is here and calls you."
Martha went and called secretly to Mary [evidently, Jesus' presence was not yet generally known], because she did not want to cause too great a stir among the multitude of visitors that, as soon as they would hear Jesus was among them, surely the word would get back to the Pharisees, and Martha was fearful for Jesus' life. "The teacher is here and calls you." The term teacher was an affectionate term among the disciples for Jesus.
Verse 29, "As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came unto Him."
LGT "And when she heard she rose up quickly and was coming toward Him."
As soon as Mary heard she joyfully went to Him. Jesus calling for Mary put hope in her depressed spirit.
Verse 30, "Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met Him."
LGT "Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was yet in the place where Martha met Him."
The reason that Jesus was still away from the village of the sisters may have been because He wanted to speak with them first, before the crowd of mourners would surround Him, and make it impossible for Him to greet them and comfort his friends personally.
Verse 31, "The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she arose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there."
LGT "Therefore the Jews the ones who were with her in the house and consoling her, having seen Mary that she quickly arose and went out, followed her supposing that she is going to the tomb in order to weep there."
The friends who were at Mary's house consoling her, met well, but they really were not doing what Mary would wish they would do. This happens a lot when people try to do the right thing for the one they intend on helping. All the secrecy of Martha went for naught. The friends follow Mary, supposing that she is going to the tomb to weep.
Verse 32, "Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell at His feet, saying unto Him, Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."
LGT "Therefore Mary when she came to where Jesus was seeing Him she fell toward His feet saying to Him, Lord, if you would have been here my brother had not died."
Of course the natural reason she fell at His feet, was not because He was King, but because Mary knew Him to be the Son of God.
"She was saying along with Martha that if Jesus had been there, her brother would not have died. This is why Jesus will say later on that it was expedient; it was better, for Him to go away. This incident makes it obvious why it was expedient. As long as He was here in the flesh, He was limited geographically. If He were in your town, He couldn't be in my town. If Jesus had not gone away, He could not have sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. But now that the Holy Spirit has come, He is everywhere. He indwells every believer today. So the Holy Spirit can be where I am, where you are, and on the other side of the world simultaneously. 'Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you' (John 16:7)" (T. T. B. J. Vernon McGee).
Verse 33, "When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,"
LGT "Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping also the Jews who came together with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and troubled Himself."
"When Jesus therefore saw her weeping,"
Her weeping was at the feet of Jesus not at the tomb. The term 'weeping' here is klaiousan meaning to weep or wail out loud. The Jews that were there had professional wailers with them, which is still the custom of the Jews, and in their case it was assuredly 'loud wailing.'
"He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled."
The NT Greek word for 'groaned' is enebrimesato a first aorist indicative meaning 'a charge [accuse], or remonstrance [oppose], accompanied with a feeling of displeasure, to be agitated. Some commentators teach that Christ's agitation in His spirit was because He was displeased at the weeping of the Jews, and the lack of faith with the sister's unbelief. I believe that the context that follows seems to point to the fact that the sphere of His feelings were against Satan and what he had caused in the ruin of the world. I conjecture [suppose] that He was reacting with human sympathy for the ones who were weeping at the awfulness of the human condition. The verb 'was troubled' etaraxen heauton is lit. 'Troubled Himself. The aorist indicative 'troubled' is coupled with the reflexive pronoun 'Himself. "His sympathy with the weeping sister and the wailing crowd caused this deep emotion" (Dods). "Some indignation [annoyance] at the loud wailing would only add to the agitation of Jesus" (Robertson). We have to remember that the humanity that Christ took unto Himself was that of Adam and Eve in their perfect state, uncorrupted by sin.
Verse 34, "And said, Where have ye laid Him? They said unto Him, Lord, come and see."
LGT "And said, Where have you laid him? They said to Him, Lord, come and see."
We should not assume that by this question Jesus did not know the answer. Jesus was being polite to them for He would soon show them His entire divine plan. Jesus allows the people to lead Him to the tomb.
Verse 35, "Jesus wept."
LGT "The Jesus wept."
Robertson says, "This is the shortest verse in the Bible but no verse carries more meaning in it." (I suppose Robertson is referring to Christ's humanity with the emotional feelings).
"The Greek word for 'weep' is different in this verse than in verses 31, 33. "Wept, edakrusen, is a different verb from that in verse 31. From dakrou, tear. And meaning to shed tears, to weep silently. Only here in the New Testament. Kaleo, to weep audibly, is used of our Lord in Luke 19:41. 'The very Gospel in which the deity of Jesus is more clearly asserted, is also that which makes us best acquainted with the profoundly human side of His life" (Godet).
"If you want to know how God feels about the death of your loved ones, look at this. He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. Death is a frightful thing. And you can be sure that He enters into sympathy with you. His sympathy was for the living. He knew what He was going to do for the dead. 'Jesus wept.' While John's Gospel is written to show us the deity of Christ, here Jesus is shown in all His humanness" (T. T. B. J. Vernon McGee).
"It will perhaps be objected, that the passions of men are sinful, and therefore it cannot be admitted that we have them in common with the Son of God. I reply, there is a wide difference between Christ and us. For the reason why our feelings are sinful is, that they rush on without restraint, and suffer no limit; but in Christ the feelings were adjusted and regulated in obedience to God, and were altogether free from sin. To express it more fully, the feelings of men are sinful and perverse on two accounts; first, because they are hurried along by impetuous [reckless] motion, and are not regulated by the true rule of modesty; and, secondly, because they do not always arise from a lawful cause. Or, at least, are not directed to a lawful end. I say that there is excess, because no person rejoices or grieves, so far as is sufficient, or as God permits, and there are even some who shake themselves loose from all restraint. The vanity of our understanding brings us grief or sadness, on account of trifles, or for no reason whatever, because we are too much devoted to the world. Nothing of this nature was to be found in Christ; for He had no passion or affection of His own that ever went beyond its proper bounds; He had not one that was not proper, and founded on reason and sound judgment" (John Calvin's Comm. on The Gospel of John).
Verse 36, "Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him!"
LGT "Therefore the Jews said, Behold how He loved him."
It is true that Jesus did love Lazarus, however, He was not weeping for Lazarus, but in sympathy for the sisters and his other loved ones; Christ was 'weeping with those who weep.' Even though Jesus was true humanity, He would never, knowing what He knows, weep for the dead, and neither should we. Some of the Jews were in sympathy and others will miss the point altogether, as we will soon see.
Verse 37, "And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?"
LGT "But some of them said, Was not able this [Man] the One who opened the eyes of the blind [man], to have caused that also this [man] should not have died."
It had been three months since Christ healed the blind man so it left quite an impression on those Jews who looked on. Their conclusion is correct, Jesus was able to do whatever He pleased, but He was only pleased to the will of His Father. "These Jews share the view expressed by Martha (verse 21) and Mary (verse 32) that Jesus could have prevented the death of Lazarus" (Robertson). Vincent adds: "This saying of the Jews, 'have caused that even this man should not have died' may have been uttered ironically [sarcastically], in which it throws light on the meaning of groaned in the spirit (verse 33) and of groaning in Himself in the next verse. But the words may have been spoken sincerely."
Lazarus Brought to life
Verse 38, "Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it."
LGT "Therefore Jesus again groaning in Himself comes to the tomb: Now it was a cave and a stone was lying on it."
"Groaning in Himself, cometh to the grave."
Jesus again is groaning in Himself the same as verse 33, but there it is said that 'He groaned in His spirit', which has the same meaning; the speculation concerning His powers stirred the Lord's spirit. The grave was a tomb, which was a cave. "The use of a cave for burial was common (Genesis 23:19). Either the body was let down through a horizontal opening (hardly so here) or put in a tomb cut in the face of the rock. The stones were used to keep away wild animals from the bodies" (Robertson).
"In the fourth century a church was built over the crypt [tomb] which was believed to be the tomb of Lazarus; it was called the Lazareion (from which is derived the Muslim name of the village, El Azariyeh). The opening in the hillside which is shown to visitors today as the tomb may or may not be authentic, but if it is, its present condition tells us little about its appearance or arrangement in ad 30" (The Gospel and Epistles of John F. F. Bruce).
Verse 39, "Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto Him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days."
LGT "Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha the sister of him who has died says, Lord, already he stinks, for he is a fourth-day man [or dead man]."
The command of Jesus was a simple task the men could easily do, that is, to remove the stone from the doorway; however, it brings Martha to respond.
"Lord, by this time he stinks; for he hath been dead four days."
Martha is concerned about opening the tomb and exposing her brothers corrupting body to the public. Robertson says that this is a natural response from Martha despite her strong faith.
Verse 40, "Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?"
LGT "Jesus says to her, Said I not to you that if you should believe you will see the glory of God?"
Jesus says to Martha, didn't I tell you in verse 22 f. that I would raise Lazarus; all you have to do is have faith in Me and you will see the Glory of God displayed. Jesus does not depend on the faith of His subjects in order to act, as the Pentecostals teach, He waits for faith in order to find his subjects worthy of His action, in order for them to appreciate His actions. If by faith we don't realize and subscribe to God whatever happens in our lives is for our benefit, we are losers, and our faith is null and void.
Jesus is urging Martha to be able to see that 'He is the resurrection and the life' (vs.25), and that by His resuscitating Lazarus, it will be a type of the resurrection of all believers unto eternal life, and that in this miracle they would all be witnesses to the glory of God.
Verse 41, "Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me."
LGT "Therefore they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted [His] eyes upward and said, Father, I thank you that You heard Me."
"Then they took away the stone"
First they take away the stone. The Phrase "From the place where the dead was laid" is not genuine. "They took away the stone, without the explanatory gloss of the Textus Receptus (the received text of 1876) 'from the place where the dead was laid' (not genuine) [Robertson}
"And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me."
This prayer is for the benefit of everyone watching in order that God should receive all the glory. How different from that imposter 'Benny Hinn;' Benny Hinn not only cannot perform miracles, but when he pretends to do one, he publicizes himself to the point of making a true believer want to heave. Jesus has the power to raise Lazarus by Himself, however, Jesus is not a phony, and He rightly gives all the praise to His Father. Jesus prays publicly that the bystanders 'might believe in Him that sent Me.' Whenever Christ wanted to commune with His Father he would go away by Himself privately. Jesus thanks His Father, the first thing any believer should do when he or she prays, is first off, thank God. The mind that is truly thankful cannot be greedy and self absorbed.
Verse 42, "And I knew that Thou hearest Me always: but because the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent Me."
LGT "And I knew that you are always hearing Me, but because of the crowd the one standing around I said [it], in order that they might believe that you sent Me."
The whole purpose of Jesus' prayer is for the glory of God, intended for the people to hear and give God the glory. 'That they may believe', is a first aorist active subjunctive, pisteusosin meaning 'that they might come to believe' (Robertson).
"This is an anticipation, lest any one should think that He did not stand so high in favor with the Father, as to be able easily to perform as many miracles as He chose. He means, therefore, that there is so great an agreement between Him and the Father, that the Father refuses Him nothing; and even that He had no need to pray, because He only executed what He knew that the Father had enjoined; but in order that men may be more fully assured that this is truly a divine work, for this reason He called on the name of the Father" (John Calvin's Comm. on the gospel of John).
Verse 43, "And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth."
LGT "And these things having said, with a great voice He cried, Lazarus, hither forth [or out]."
Jesus didn't touch Lazarus with His hand He raised Him with His voice. Many commentators say that this is a type of the last resurrection when all the dead will be raised by the sound of His voice; of course, when the last resurrection occurs, that will be to a new resurrection body, but here it was a resuscitation of Lazarus back with his mortal body, to die again. I don't remember who it was that said that Jesus' power was demonstrated here in two ways, 1) when He called Lazarus' name he came out immediately, and 2) if Jesus had not called Lazarus by name, all the dead would have come out. I do not know if this is true, however, I do know that God's glory was surely displayed on this day by our Lord.
Verse 44, "And 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."
LGT "And came out the one who had been dead bound feet and the hands with grave clothes and his face with a handkerchief bound about. Jesus saying to them, Loose him and let him go."
"Notice that for Lazarus, life was restored to the old body. He came out still wrapped in all the grave clothes. When our Lord rose from the dead, He left all the grave clothes in place just as they had been wrapped around His body, including the napkin around His head. He came right out of them. Why? Because He came out in a glorified body. They didn't need to roll away the stone for Jesus to come out. It was rolled away so the people on the outside could look in and see that the tomb was empty. His glorified body could leave the sealed grave and it could also enter a room with all the doors locked" (T. T. B. J. Vernon McGee).
The Plot to Kill Jesus
Verse 45, "Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on Him."
LGT "Therefore many out of the Jews who came to Mary and beheld the things which He did believed on Him."
Some of the Jews were the ones who came with her assuming she was going to the tomb to weep for her brother; others were curiosity seekers; I believe the latter group were the ones who went to turn in the Lord to the Pharisees. It would seem impossible that this miracle would not have a profound impression on all who witnessed it. We will see by the next verse that on some of the hardened unbelievers the miracle stirred them to rage against Christ.
Verse 46, "But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done."
LGT "But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus did."
I believe this is that latter group that joined out of curiosity and not the group that came along with Mary.
"You would think the crowning miracle would have turned these skeptics to Jesus, but it did not. Our Lord had said previously, you remember, ' If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead' (Luke 16:31). That is the reason that God does not rend the heavens and come down in spectacular display. That is the reason God does not go about performing miracles today. After the church leaves the earth, during the Great Tribulation Period, and into the Millennium, there will be a period of great miracles, but even that will not convince people. Today we are asked in a quiet way to put our trust in Him even though the mob and the majority turn from Him. People complain that the crowd isn't going after Jesus. Friend, it never did! He died, He was buried, He rose again from the dead, and that is the Gospel. We don't need a miracle. The problem is not in the lack of evidence. The problem is the unbelief of man" (T. T. B. J. Vernon McGee).
Verse 47, "Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? For this man doeth many miracles."
LGT "Therefore gathered together the chief priests and the Pharisees a council [Sanhedrin]: and said, What are we doing? Because this man is doing many signs [miracles]?"
"Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council,"
Because of the news they had just received regarding Christ's latest miracle [raising Lazarus], they gather a council together to try and stop God's power. There has been some question brought to my attention regarding the constituency that made up the Sanhedrin Council. The following should be enough to explain who they were:
"The chief priest were of the Sadducean party. This should be constantly kept on mind in reading both John's narrative and the Synoptists [Matthew, Mark and Luke]. The Sadducees, represented by the chief priests, are the leaders in the more decisive measures against Christ. Throughout this Gospel the form of expression is either the chief priests alone, or the chief priests and the Pharisees. The only mention of the Pharisees in the history of the passion is Matt. 27:62, where also the expression is the chief priests and the Pharisees. The chief priests are the deadly enemies of Christ (Matt. 26:3, 14). Similarly, in the Acts, the opposition to the Christians is headed by the priests and Sadducees, who represent the same party. In the two instances where the Pharisees appear, they incline to favor the Christians (v. 34; 28:6)" [Vincent's Word Studies in the NT).
"The Sanhedrin, the supreme court of the Jewish nation, comprised seventy-one members, including the high priest, who presided over it by virtue of his office. The chief priests (the high priest, the captain of the temple and the members of the leading priestly families), together the party of the Sadducees, to which most of them belonged, formed a majority of the court; the Pharisees constituted an influential minority" (The Gospel and Epistles of John - F. F. Bruce).
"And said, What do we?"
Lit. 'What are we doing? He is active and we are idle (Robertson). "It is plain that the members of the court were desperately afraid that Jesus' presence and activity in and around Jerusalem would attract a large following and, whether with or without His approval, spark off a popular rising" (Bruce). "What are we doing? By these words they accuse themselves of sloth, as if they said that it is on account of their [Pharisees and Sadducees] doing nothing, that Christ continues to make advances, because by active exertion they may stop His progress. Such is the confidence of wicked men, by which they claim to everything, as if it were in their power to do as they please, and as if even the result of the work depended on their wishes" (Calvin).
Because of the significance of the treachery of the members of this council I believe further description would be helpful. McGee describes these Sadducees and Pharisees thus: "You can see here that the problem for these bloodhounds of hate was not lack of evidence. His enemies said, 'He doeth many miracles.' They couldn't deny His miracles. This is a diabolical group. The chief priests at this time were largely Sadducees who were the 'liberals' in that they did not accept miracles or the supernatural - which included resurrection. The Pharisees were the religious conservatives and the political rightists of that day. The two parties were absolutely opposed to each other in every way; yet here they join together in their hatred of Jesus Christ and in their determination to put Him to death. You might label this the first ecumenical movement. If men can get rid of Jesus Christ, they will join with even those of opposing views in their antagonism toward Him. This is the trend of the hour. The majority is attempting to get rid of Christ as He is revealed in the Word of God. It is the minority that accepts Jesus Christ as He is."
Verse 48, "If we let Him thus alone, all men will believe on Him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation."
LGT "If we let Him alone thus, all men will believe on Him, and will come the Romans and take us away both the place and the nation."
"If we let Him thus alone,"
If we continue to let Jesus perform these miracles and do nothing about it, He will win the people to follow Him, and possibly spark off a revolution.
"All men will believe on Him:"
Even the Pharisees and Sadducees did not deny Christ's miracles; the difference they see in their attitude concerning Jesus' miracles and the common people's attitude is that they believe that the people will not only believe the miracles are true, but they will also believe in the Christ that performs them. This is the great fear of this ruling class of Jews.
"And the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation."
In this phrase both place and nation have the article, and it means by 'place' topon, our Temple [our job], and by 'nation' ethnos our heritage [our birthright], patriotism. These Jews remember their history of the Babylonian captivity and their being scattered about unto all the nations. "While we trifle, this Man, by His many miracles, will carry all before Him; the popular enthusiasm will bring on a revolution, which will precipitate [hasten] the Romans upon us, and our all will go down in one common ruin. What a testimony to the reality of our Lord's miracles, and their resistless effect, from His bitterest enemies! But how low the considerations are by which their whole decision is influenced - the fear of a national break-up, which would endanger their own position and interest!" (David Brown).
McGee notes on this phrase, "They feared there would be a mass turning to Jesus Christ, which would bring a revolution. This would provide an occasion for Rome to pounce on them. They moved from a basis of fear. Fear is the motivation which keeps a great many people away from Jesus today. Even in our churches Christians lack the intestinal fortitude to stand on their two feet for the truth of Scripture and for men who teach it as the Word of God."
Verse 49, "And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,"
LGT "But a certain one of them Caiaphas, a high priest being of that year, said to them, You know nothing at all."
Caiaphas was high priest [and scheming politician - McGee] for eighteen years (Josephus Antiquities 18. 35, 95). This cruel high priest steps in and is going to solve the whole dilemma facing the Sanhedrin council that because of Jesus they might lose their jobs and their nation.
"Ye know nothing at all,"
"Caiaphas was the son in law of Annas and successor and high priest for 18 years (A.D. 18 to 36). So he took the lead in this meeting. Ye know nothing at all (Humeis ouk oidate ouden). In this he is correct, for no solution of their [the Sanhedrin] problem had been offered" (Robertson).
Verse 50, "Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not."
LGT "Nor consider that it is profitable for us in order that one man should die on behalf of the people and that the whole nation should perish not."
"What Caiphas has in mind is the giving of Jesus to death to keep the nation from perishing at the hands of the Romans. Politicians are often willing to make a sacrifice of the other fellow" (Robertson).
"That one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not."
Caiaphas was right in one thing, it was better for One Man to give His life for the people, however, not in the same way as Caiaphas meant. Caiaphas meant to kill Jesus as a sacrifice for the people, but Jesus would give His life a sacrifice acceptable to God for all people.
"Like most members of the chief-priestly group, Caiaphas belonged to the party of the Sadducees. According to Josephus, Sadducees had a reputation for rudeness, even among one another, and of this has been seen in the abruptness with which Caiaphas now broke in on his colleagues; agitated chatter: 'You know nothing at all' (or, more freely, 'you don't know what you are talking about'). You ought to consider, he went on, that it is better that one man should die than the whole nation should be destroyed. If the safety of the nation could be secured by one man's death, it was a matter of prudential calculation that that one man should die. In such a situation, he would die 'for the people'. (In this sentence the Jewish community is referred to both as the laos people, and the ethnos, the nation.) Justice took second place to prudence [good sense]: it was a pity that a man should die unjustly, but if the choice lay between the death of one and the destruction of a nation, then the Sanhedrin should be in no doubt which decision to take. The high priest may not have intended to use language which could be interpreted in a sacrificial sense, but his words could very well mean that Jesus was to be 'devoted' to death as a scapegoat, a sacrificial offering, to ward off disaster from the people" (The Gospel and Epistles of John - F. F. Bruce).
Verse 51, "And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;"
LGT "And these things of himself he said not, but being high priest of that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die on behalf of the nation,"
"And this spake he not of himself:"
John means 'not wholly of himself.' He speaks the truth that Christ would die on behalf of the people but it is not what He intended of himself, the Holy Spirit prophecies through him.
"But being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation."
"Whatever the high priest's intention was, John views his words as overruled to express a nobler purpose than he himself had in mind. He implies that Caiaphas prophesied involuntarily by virtue of his office. In earlier days the high priest of Israel declared the will of God by the operation of the Urim and Thummim; and there is some evidence that even later the occasional gift of prophecy was believed to attach to the office, so John treats his words as a prophecy of the vicarious [sensationally unique] character of Jesus; death, and adds something not implicit [understood] in the priest's language - that Jesus' death would be endured not only for the Jewish nation but for all mankind (cf. John 6:51, 'For the life of the world'). In particular, Jesus' death would effect the bringing together into a unity, into a united community, of the widely dispersed 'children of God'. The 'children of God' (according to John 1:12) are those who believe in Jesus' name, children of the new birth" (The Gospel and Epistles of John - F. F. Bruce).
Verse 52, "And not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad."
LGT "And not on behalf of the nation alone, but in order that the children of God who have been scattered abroad He might gather together unto one."
"The meaning here is not the Diaspora (Jews scattered over the world), but the potential children of God in all lands and all ages that the death of Christ will gather 'into one'. A glorious idea, but far beyond Caiaphas" (Robertson). "The Jews were no longer a people, only one of the nations of the world. He wishes to set the Gentiles over against the Jews, and this distinction was national. Moreover, John points out in this word the fact that the work of Christ was not to be for any people as specially chosen of God, but for all nations" (Vincent).
"They begin to rationalize and say that Jesus should die rather than the nation die at the hand of Rome. It is interesting to note that although they did succeed in putting Jesus to death, in spite of this, the nation perished when Titus destroyed it in A.D. 70. We find a strange thing here: Caiapha's accurate prediction because he was high priest that year! Caiaphas was a scheming politician and later we will meet his father in-law, Annas, who was also a mean rascal and the power behind the throne. That Caiaphas had the gift of prophecy should not fool us. Like Balaam in the Old Testament, this rascal could utter a true prophecy" (T. T. B. J. Vernon McGee).
Verse 53, "Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put Him to death."
LGT "Therefore from that day they took counsel in order that they might kill Him."
The plot to kill Jesus was sparked off by Caiapha's little speech, but a certain faction of them has always wanted Him dead; the raising of Lazarus just brought every thing to a head.
Verse 54, "Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with His disciples."
LGT "Jesus therefore no longer publicly walked around among the Jews, but went away from there into the country near to the desert, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with the disciples."
"Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews;"
Jesus was not hiding because of the death threats, it just was not the time appointed by the Father for Him to die. Bruce says that the decision of the Sanhedrin was unknown to Jesus; I don't think Jesus was unaware of their intentions at all. David Brown says, "How could He walk around among the Jews unless He wanted to die before His time." McGee says, "This is the beginning of the end, friend. They are openly trying to put Jesus to death and are openly hostile."
"But went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with His disciples."
"Up here, in the wilderness, Jesus would be free for the moment from the machinations [plotting] of the Sanhedrin while He faced the coming catastrophe at the Passover. He is not far from the mount of temptation where the devil showed and offered Him the kingdoms of the world for the bending of the knee before him. Is it merely fancy to imagine that the devil came to see Jesus again here at this juncture with a reminder of his previous offer and a present plight of the Son of God with the religious leaders conspiring His death? At any rate Jesus has the fellowship of His disciples this time. But what were they thinking?" (Word Pictures of the NT - A. T. Robertson)
Verse 55, "And the Jews' Passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves."
LGT "Now was near the Passover of the Jews, and many went up into Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover on order that they might purify themselves."
"This is the third Passover mentioned in John's Gospel. The first (2:13 ff.) was early in Jesus' ministry, before the arrest of John the Baptist (cf. 3:24). It was Jesus' first visit to Jerusalem after His baptism, and during it He performed certain 'signs' which brought forth a limited measure of faith on the part of many and encouraged Nicodemus to pay his famous visit to Him by night. The second Passover recorded by John (6:4) fell in the course of Jesus' Galilaean ministry; He did not go up to Jerusalem on this occasion, but His discourse on the 'Bread of Life' reproduced in this context (6:26 ff.) is based on Old Testament themes which were prominent in the synagogue service at this time of year. Now comes the third Passover; its approach found Jesus no longer in Galilee, but back in Judea, where He had been since the Feast of Tabernacles of the previous autumn. During these six months He had visited Jerusalem for the festivals - Tabernacles in October (7:1 ff,) and Dedication in December (10:22 ff.). Otherwise He stayed in more remote parts - first in the Jordan valley (10:40), from which He went to Bethany to raise Lazarus from the dead, and now at Ephraim.
If the first of the three Passovers fell in AD 28, 'forty-six years' after Herod began rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple (2:20), this third Passover would be that of AD 30. John's repeated designation of the Passover as 'the Jews Passover' - a form of words which he uses for other festivals too - suggests that he envisaged Gentiles as making up a substantial proportion of his reading public.
The necessity of ceremonial purification (e.g. after contact with a corpse) before keeping the Passover is laid down in Numbers 9:6 ff. Josephus confirms that pilgrims came up about a week before Passover and indicates that they spent the days in Jerusalem before the feast undergoing the appropriate purificatory rites" (The Gospel and Epistles of John F. F. Bruce).
"We can form a sufficiently accurate idea of all the circumstances attending it at the time of our Lord. On the 14th of Nissan every Israelite who was physically able, not in a state of Levitical uncleanness, nor further distant from the city than fifteen miles, was to appear in Jerusalem. Though women were not legally obliged to go up, we know from Scripture (I Sam. 1:3-7; Luke 2:41, 42), and from rules laid down by Jewish authorities (Josephus wars, 9,429; and Mishna Pes. Ix 4), that such was the common practice. Indeed, it was a joyous time for all Israel. From all parts of the land and from foreign countries the festive pilgrims had come up in bands, singing their pilgrim psalms, and bringing with them burnt- and peace- offerings, according as the Lord had blessed them; for none might appear empty before Him (Exod. 23:15; Deut. 16:16, 17). How large the number of worshippers was, may be gathered from Josephus, who records that, when Cestius requested the high-priest to make a census, in order to convince Nero of the importance of Jerusalem and of the Jewish nation, the number of lambs slain was found to be 256,500, which, at the lowest computation of ten persons to every sacrificial lamb, would give a population of 2,565,000, or, as Josephus himself puts it 2, 700,200 persons, while on an earlier occasion (AD 65) he computes the number present at not fewer than three millions. Of course, many of these pilgrims must have camped outside the city walls. Those who lodged within the walls were gratuitously accommodated, and in return left their hosts the skins of the Passover lambs and the vessels which they had used in their sacred services. In such festive 'company' the parents of Jesus went to, and returned from this feast 'every year,' taking their 'holy child' with them, after He had attained the age of twelve- strictly in accordance with Rabbinical law - when He remained behind, 'sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions' (Luke 2:41-49). We know the Lord Himself afterwards attended the Paschal feast, and that on the last occasion He was hospitably entertained in Jerusalem, apparently by a disciple (Matt. 26:18; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13), although He seems to have intended spending the night outside the city walls (Matt. 26:30, 36; Mark 14:26, 32; Luke 22:39; John 18:1)" (The Temple its Ministry and Services - Alfred Edersheim).
Verse 56, "Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that He will not come to the feast?"
LGT "Therefore they were seeking Jesus and were saying among one another standing in the temple, What do you think? That in no way will He come to the feast?"
"Then sought they for Jesus,"
After His great miracle of raising Lazarus the Jews were standing around speaking among themselves how they would find Him. Calvin says that the people were seeking Him to hear Him, but the tyranny of the priests prevented Him from appearing openly.
"What think ye, that He will not come to the feast?"
These Jews who came from all around the country were curious as to whether or not Jesus would expose Himself publicly; everyone knew the Sanhedrin were seeking to kill Him. They use the double negative ou me, meaning 'in no way or by no means' will He show Himself; it would be suicide.
Verse 57, "Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where He were, he should shew it, that they might take Him."
LGT "Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment in order that if any one knew where He is, he should show [it], that they might take Him."
The chief priests and the Pharisees made it a public proclamation that any one who knew the whereabouts of this Jesus they should come forth and tell. Everyone in the area was well aware of this proclamation, however it might not have been public knowledge the intentions of the Sanhedrin, 'that they might take [and kill] Him.
Edersheim notes on this verse: "The practical resolution adopted at that meeting had apparently been, that a strict watch should henceforth be kept on Christ's movements, and that every one of them, as well as the names of His friends, and the places of His secret retirement, should be communicated to the authorities, with the view to His arrest at the proper moment."
"At this point John's Gospel has reached the breaking point. We are approaching the last week of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ" (McGee).
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