found that he had lain in the grave | heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. four days already. 18 (Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:) 19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she and although Jesus intimated that something should occur to confirm their faith in him, Thomas, with his characteristic slowness to believe, (see John xx. 24— | 29,) plainly intimated that he would lose his own life instead of convincing them; and, with a sort of desperation, suggested that they might as well all go and die together. 17. In the grave four days. It would seem that he was buried on the day of his death. See ver. 39. It was customary to bury the dead soon after life had departed, except when the body was embalmed, on account of the rapid decomposition which took place in that climate. Moreover, Lazarus might have died of some putrid or infectious disease, which rendered even an unusually speedy burial necessary. 18. Was nigh. The nearness of Bethany to Jerusalem was mentioned as explanatory of the fact that many Jews visited Martha and Mary to console them. The family appears to have been well known in Jerusalem. ¶ Fifteen furlongs. About two miles. 19. To comfort. The Jews were wont to comfort the mourners in the way, as they were returning from the grave, and they would bring them back to their own house the day that the party deceased was interred. They comforted them also all the remaining days of mourning, which we find done in this place. Thirty days were allotted for the time of mourning; but, we must not weep for the dead beyond the measure. The three first days are for weeping; seven days for lamentation; thirty days for the intermission from washing their clothes, or shaving themselves."-Lightfoot. The gathering at the house of Martha may have been one of mere ceremony, like that which was so customary; or true and sincere friends may have assembled, to sympathize with the afflicted and console them. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 20. Then Martha, &c. She had the charge of the household, Luke x. 40. She seems first to have learned the approach of Jesus, and, without informing her sister, rushed out to meet him. Or, if his approach was known to both, yet, as commentators have not failed to notice, the conduct of the two sisters was characteristic. Martha had more active energy, and was better prepared to meet Jesus and converse with him. Mary was of a more gentle, delicate cast, energetic rather in enduring than in action, more deeply afflicted by this bereavement, and not so ready to rouse herself from the almost stupefying grief which crushed her spirit. ¶ Mary sat, &c. She preserved the ordinary posture of a mourner. Perhaps she thought Jesus had come too late; and the idea that more seasonable aid might have preserved her brother's life would not unnaturally increase rather than diminish her grief, and add a pang to the bitterness of her woe. 21. My brother had not died. She knew he had power to heal the sick, for he had previously displayed it; and she doubted not he would readily have preserved the life of her brother, if he had been present. For this purpose, she had sent a message to him. But Lazarus seems to have died soon after the messenger left; for Jesus was only about thirty miles distant from Bethany, or about one day's journey; he delayed his visit for two days; and Lazarus had now been dead four days. Martha did not apprehend that Jesus could repair the evil which had occurred; for she knew not yet that he had power to raise the dead, ver. 24, 39. 22. Whatsoever thou wilt ask, &c. Some suppose that Martha thus suggested her belief that Jesus could restore her brother to life, if he would appeal to God for aid. But this seems unlikely, because, when he intimated his intention to perform such a miracle, she 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy | resurrection, and the life: he that brother shall rise again. believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the evidently did not comprehend his meaning, ver. 23, 24; nor is there any evidence that she had any expectation that her brother would then be raised, until the command was actually uttered, "Lazarus, come forth." She referred to other blessings which Jesus might obtain for them, to comfort them in their affliction. 26 And whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die. Believest thou this? she rejoiced; but she viewed the event as far distant, and therefore her grief was not entirely assuaged. 25. I am the resurrection and the life. Some understand this phrase in a sense similar to 2 Tim. i. 10, where it is declared that "our Saviour Jesus Christ- hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." Thus Cappe: "You know that I have brought life and immortality to light; and had you duly attended to my doctrine on the subject, you could hardly have been so much agitated and so disconsolate as you are." Others suppose Jesus to have referred to his power to raise the dead, both to a mortal life, as here, and to an immortal life, as in John vi. 39, 40. "I am able to raise the dead to life again, whensoever I please, whether now or hereafter. One that is a be 23. Thy brother shall rise again. This assurance, in its ordinary import, is full of consolation to the bereaved. Thank God, when our friends depart, or when we depart from them, by death, we need not sorrow without hope; for he hath given assurance of a resurrection to a glorious immortality, and hath confirmed that assurance by raising his Son from the dead. In our deepest desolation, this ray from heaven may cheer us; and we may look forward with hope and confidence to that bles-liever, and faithful disciple of mine, sed reunion in His presence, which such as thy brother Lazarus was, I can, shall never again be subject to interrup- though he be dead and buried, raise tion. In this general sense, Martha him presently to life again."-Hamevidently understood the assurance of mond. If the latter construction be Jesus; and she expressed faith in his adopted, we must observe that Jesus word. Yet it is manifest that he refer- performs the work by that divine enerred particularly to the immediate resur-gy which the Father imparted; so that rection to mortal life, which was about to be wrought by the divine energy; but she understood him not. 24. At the last day. It is not perfectly clear what precise idea was expressed by this phrase, except so far as it relates to a general, or at least a very extensive, simultaneous resurrection. The Jews had an opinion that when the Messiah should appear the dead would be raised; and this period they termed the last day. But, as they supposed his reign on earth should be perpetual, it is not easy to determine what particular period they assigned to the resurrection. Their ideas, indeed, on the whole subject of a resurrection, were vague; and nothing answering to the Christian doctrine of the resurrection was understood, until proclaimed, brought to light, and demonstrated by Jesus himself. Thus much we may understand by the language of Martha; she believed her brother would live again, and in this it is substantially true, as the scriptures uniformly assert, that God raiseth both Jesus and all mankind from the dead. If the former, then we may understand Jesus to call himself the resurrection and the life, in the same sense in which he calls himself "the way, and the truth, and the life," in John xiv. 6; namely, as the promulgator, and demonstrator, and exemplar of the truth and the resurrection. He gave an example of the truth, by embodying its principles in his life; and of the resurrection, by being himself brought forth from the dead by the power of God. Truly, in both these important respects, he is well denominated the great High Priest of our profession, and the Captain of our Salvation. Heb. ii. 10; iii. 1. 26. Whosoever liveth. He had spoken of the literally dead, and declared that they should live again. He now speaks of them who were still living in the flesh. T Shall never die. Of 27 She saith unto him, Yea, | she arose quickly, and came unto Lord I believe that thou art the him. Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 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. The 29 As soon as she heard that, course he cannot be understood to mean that such persons should be exempted from natural death; for death hath continued to pass upon all men, believers as well as unbelievers, from that day even until now. The meaning is, that he shall enjoy spiritual life here, and be restored to life hereafter. See John vi. 33, 39, 40, Death to such a one will be disarmed of its terrors; and instead of being feared as death, or an extinction of being, it will rather be cheerfully contemplated as "the gate of endless joy," an introduction to a better life. phrase, here rendered never, is eis ton aiona, (el's Tov atova,) and is by some understood to mean that death shall not be perpetual, but that life shall be restored. In any case, a life beyond natural death is clearly denoted. Believest thou this? That is, do you believe that God has commissioned and empowered me thus to cause the dead to live, and to communicate to the living a life which shall actually have no end? His question seems to embrace his whole address, ver. 25, 26. Perhaps he referred especially to his intimation of power to bestow immediate resurrection; but it may be doubted whether Martha' so understood him. See ver. 39, 40. 27. Yea, Lord, &c. This is to be understood as a profession of faith in him as the Messiah, and in his doctrine so far as she comprehended it; yet a portion of what he had just said she did not fully understand; and consequently her faith, like that of all disciples in that day, was imperfect though sincere. T The Christ world. "Thou art the Messiah, the Son of God, he who cometh into the world."-Campbell. By this slight variation in rendering, the meaning of the text is more distinctly exhibited. It will be observed, that Martha not only calls Jesus the Messiah, or Christ, but also applies to him 30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. 31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary that she rose up hastily, and went out, followed her, saying, She the other two titles then well understood to denote the same individual; namely, Son of God, and the coming one, or he that cometh. See Luke vii. 19, 20. This was a strong profession of her unbounded faith in him. 28. She went her way. She left Jesus at a distance from the house, and probably near the grave of Lazarus. See ver. 30. Secretly. Privately; without being overheard by the Jews. Perhaps she feared, if they knew Jesus was near, their anger would be excited, and another scene of violence would occur. John x. 31, 39. The Master -calleth for thee. Probably, he had directed Martha thus to call her sister; but the fact is not mentioned by the evangelist. The word didaskalos, (dıdúonahos,) here rendered master, properly signifies teacher, and is so translated, John iii. 2; Rom. ii. 20; 1 Tim. ii. 7; 2 Tim. i. 11. A different word is used in Matt. xxiii. 8, 10. Mary readily recognized him by this appellation, by which, it would seem, she and her sister had been accustomed to speak of him. 29. Arose quickly. As soon as she knew that Jesus desired her attendance, she hastened to meet him, that she might pour out her sorrows at his feet, and be comforted. 30. In that place, &c. Probably not far from the grave; for when Mary went to meet him, the Jews supposed she was going to the grave, and followed her. He went not into the village, that no unnecessary commotion might be excited among the Jews until he should have accomplished the purpose of his journey. 31. She goeth unto the grave, &c. Frequent visits were made to the graves or sepulchres of the deceased, during the early days of mourning. Three days, they went to the grave for a double purpose, both to lament, and to exa goeth unto the grave to weep | weeping which came with her, he there. groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also mine whether any signs of life might possibly have appeared. On the fourth day and afterwards, all hope of returning life was abandoned, and the bereaved wept the more. "It is a tradition of Ben Kaphra's; the very height of mourning is not till the third day. For three days, the spirit wanders about the sepulchre, expecting if it may return into the body. But when it sees that the form or aspect of the face is changed, then it hovers no more, but leaves the body to itself."-Lightfoot. Supposing that Mary was approaching the grave, again to bewail her loss, the Jews followed her, that they might join in the lamentation, as was usual. 32. If thou hadst been here, &c. See note on ver. 21. It has been well observed, that "if the story had been fictitious, its author would not have ventured to put the same words into the mouths of both the sisters, if he wished to preserve their individuality. But, in fact, the agreement in the language is very natural, because the thought it expressed constantly recurred to their minds, and aggravated their grief. They had, perhaps, said the same thing to each other and to themselves" repeatedly. The identity of expression may therefore be regarded as a confirmation of the truth of the narrative. 33. He groaned in the spirit, &c. The original word, rendered groaned, often denotes a violent emotion of anger. But it is here to be taken in a milder sense. Jesus possessed the most tender feelings; and he was powerfully moved, greatly agitated, by the grief of his friends. Hammond well expresses the idea, in his paraphrase: When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also which came with her, he was very passionately affected with it, and appeared to be in great perturbation of mind, which soon broke out into tears, ver. 35." ¶ In the spirit. In his mind. Acts xix. 21. ¶ Was troubled. 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! Grotius suggests that, as the trouble in our Lord's mind is sufficiently indicated in the former member of the sentence, by this phrase "a change in his countenance is to be understood, by which his mental agitation was manifested." 34. Where have ye laid him? Although he who could raise the dead could also know where the dead was, without asking, yet he chose this natural method of leading the company to the grave. 35. Jesus wept. It is a common remark, that this is the shortest verse in the Bible. It is also one of the most important; for herein the strong and fervent love of Jesus was manifested. Will he who wept over human woe on earth, though he knew the mourning would soon be changed to rejoicing,--will he quietly contemplate the endless woe of those for whom he labored and died? God forbid. The compassionate Jesus labored for all, and died for all; and he will be satisfied with nothing short of the salvation of all, as the fruit of the travail of his soul. Ísa. liii. 11. Various conjectures have been offered concerning the special cause why Jesus wept; soine supposing he wept in consequence of sin; others, that his tears flowed at the contemplation of his own approaching sufferings for sin; and others assigning still different reasons. But the most natural and obvious cause may more properly be regarded as the true one. He wept in sympathy with others. His tears were the expression of that christian sympathy which the apostle exhorts his brethren to cultivate; "rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep." Rom. xii. 15. In connexion with this thrilling incident, the remark of Bulfinch is worthy of consideration : "Powerful as was the evidence of raising the dead to life, the evidence of those holy tears speaks more impressively. Tears are the language of truth. An impostor never 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? 38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself, cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 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. wept, at the moment of perpetrating a deception." 36. Behold how he loved him! The Jews did not doubt the sincerity of our Lord's emotion. They attributed it to his love for the dead rather than his sympathy with the living. But he knew that Lazarus would soon live again; we cannot therefore well suppose that he bemoaned his loss. The grief of the sisters was actual and intense; and this it was which moved him. 37. Some of them said, &c. Their question was natural. They admitted that he had performed a miracle, and rightly judged that he had power to perform others. But the prevention of death would not have produced so strong an impression as the restoration of life. He preferred the latter, that the evidence of his Messiahship might be more conclusive. 38. It was a cave. Caves, either natural or artificial, were much used by the Jews as sepulchres. See Gen. xxv. 9, 10; xlix. 29-31; notes on Matt. viii. 28; xxvii. 60. A stone lay upon it. "Shut up with a stone."-Campbell. The entrance, whether at the top or on the side, was closed in the customary manner by a stone, that ravenous beasts might not enter. 39. Four days. Martha seems not to have suspected the true design of Jesus; she supposed he intended to enter the cave that he might once more behold the face of the dead, and suggested that, as life had so long been extinct, the body must be in an offensive state. The reality of the miracle is the more apparent, as so long an interval elapsed between the departure and restoration of life. 40 Jesus saith unto her, said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 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 : 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always but because of the people which stand by, I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 40. Said I not, &c. See ver. 23-26. Jesus had intimated his intention to raise Lazarus, though Martha did not comprehend his meaning. Glory of God. That is, a display of his power and goodness in the miracle about to be wrought. 41. Lifted up his eyes. In an attitude of prayer. Though we know that God is not confined to any particular place, but pervades the universe, and that his spirit is truly around, and about, and within us, yet, when addressing him, it is natural to elevate the eyes from earth to heaven; and it is well to do so, in token of our consciousness that he is above us, infinitely above us, in power, and goodness, and dignity. I thank thee, &c. "It is possible that John has recorded here only the sum or substance of the prayer on this occasion. The thanks which Jesus renders here are evidently in view of the fact that power had been committed to him to raise up Lazarus.”— Barnes. 42. I knew, &c. Jesus both knew that God had imparted to him this divine energy, and that his gratitude was known to God. It needed not that he should utter his thanksgivings audibly. But because of the people, &c. He would not leave a suspicion in their minds that he wrought such a miracle by his own power, or by magic, and therefore publicly acknowledged that this power was bestowed on him by God, and expressed his gratitude for the gift. He had a further purpose, which is immediately announced. That they may believe, &c. While he would not have them render undue honor to him, as though by his own power he wrought the miracle, (Acts iii. 12,) he desired |