Gospel of John- Chap. 11, Pt.1

Gospel according to John, Chapter 11:  Read &/or listen from the Bible.

Part 1:

1/ The Death of Lazarus                            – Jn 11:1-16
2/ Jesus the Resurrection & the Life – Jn 11:17-27
3/ Jesus Weeps                                               – Jn 11:28-37

Part 2:

4/ Lazarus raised from the Death        – Jn 11:38-44
5/ Plot to kill Jesus                                        – Jn 11:45-57

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1/ The Death of Lazarus   – Jn 11:1-16

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”

12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”

16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

Lazarus was the brother of Mary & Martha, so the three were siblings (Jn.11:1-2). Jesus was at Bethabara at the other side of the Jordan River (Jn.10:39-40 & 1:28) where He had gone when the Jews in Jerusalem tried to seize Him. Bethabara was about two days’ journey away from Jerusalem, & Bethany was close to Jerusalem. Reason why His disciples were worried He was going back there. (vs.8)

2/ Jesus the Resurrection & the Life – Jn 11:17-27

17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Lazarus was in the tomb four days which means he die same day Jesus received the news that he was sick. But Jesus knew Lazarus had die even before His trip back to Judea (vs 11 & 14) , also knew was not permanent death but even Lazarus body was decomposing He would restore it & rise him from the dead.

Martha believed Lazarus would rise again in the resurrection at the last days, vs. 24 a future event that has not yet been fulfilled. & in vs. 27 She expressed the same confession that Peter gave. She understood that Jesus was the Messiah.

3/ Jesus Weeps     – Jn 11:28-37

28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”

32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping (G2799= to wail aloud), and the Jews who came with her weeping (G2799= to wail aloud), He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?”  They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”

35 Jesus wept. (G1145= shed tears) 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”

37 And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”

If Jesus knew Lazaro was going to be raise from the dead then why did He weep? Here Jesus manifested Himself in all His humanity. He was moved with compassion for those who mourn the departure of a loved one, for those who were alive & felt the loss of their loved ones. vs.33.  Jesus did not weep for the dead  as the Jews thought vs.36. They recalled Jesus miracles opening the eyes to the blind, so they saw possible for Him to kept Lazarus from dying but never in their minds contemplated the possibility of raising him from the dead, they for sure were about to receive a wonderful surprise!