11 These things said he: and after that he said to them, Lazarus our friend is at rest; but I go so that I may make him come out of his sleep.
And a number of those who are sleeping in the dust of the earth will come out of their sleep, some to eternal life and some to eternal shame.
And going down on his knees, he said in a loud voice, Lord, do not make them responsible for this sin. And when he had said this, he went to his rest.
Who was put to death for us, so that, awake or sleeping, we may have a part in his life.
For if we have faith that Jesus underwent death and came back again, even so those who are sleeping will come again with him by God's power. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are still living at the coming of the Lord, will not go before those who are sleeping.
See, I am giving you the revelation of a secret: we will not all come to the sleep of death, but we will all be changed.
Jesus, however, was talking of his death: but they had the idea that he was talking about taking rest in sleep.
He said, Make room; for the girl is not dead, but sleeping. And they were laughing at him.
And the holy Writings were put into effect which said, And Abraham had faith in God and it was put to his account as righteousness; and he was named the friend of God.
Be awake to righteousness and keep yourselves from sin; for some have no knowledge of God: I say this to put you to shame.
And, in addition, the dead in Christ have gone to destruction.
Greater love has no man than this, that a man gives up his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do what I give you orders to do. No longer do I give you the name of servants; because a servant is without knowledge of what his master is doing: I give you the name of friends, because I have given you knowledge of all the things which my Father has said to me.
Then he said in a loud voice, Lazarus, come out! And he who was dead came out, with linen bands folded tightly about his hands and feet, and a cloth about his face. Jesus said to them, Make him free and let him go.
So the sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, your dear friend is ill.
Truly I say to you, The time is coming, it has even now come, when the voice of the Son of God will come to the ears of the dead, and those hearing it will have life. For even as the Father has life in himself, so he has given to the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to be judge because he is the Son of man. Do not be surprised at this: for the time is coming when his voice will come to all who are in the place of the dead, And they will come out; those who have done good, into the new life; and those who have done evil, to be judged.
He who has the bride is the husband: but the husband's friend, whose place is by his side and whose ears are open to him, is full of joy because of the husband's voice: such is my joy, and it is complete.
But as for you, Israel, my servant, and you, Jacob, whom I have taken for myself, the seed of Abraham my friend:
And the Lord said to Moses, Now you are going to rest with your fathers; and this people will be false to me, uniting themselves to the strange gods of the land where they are going; they will be turned away from me and will not keep the agreement I have made with them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on John 11
Commentary on John 11 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 11
In this chapter we have the history of that illustrious miracle which Christ wrought a little before his death-the raising of Lazarus to life, which is recorded only by this evangelist; for the other three confine themselves to what Christ did in Galilee, where he resided most, and scarcely ever carried their history into Jerusalem till the passion-week: whereas John's memoirs relate chiefly to what passed at Jerusalem; this passage therefore was reserved for his pen. Some suggest that, when the other evangelists wrote, Lazarus was alive, and it would not well agree either with his safety or with his humility to have it recorded till now, when it is supposed he was dead. It is more largely recorded than any other of Christ's miracles, not only because there are many circumstances of it so very instructive and the miracle of itself so great a proof of Christ's mission, but because it was an earnest of that which was to be the crowning proof of all-Christ's own resurrection. Here is,
Jhn 11:1-16
We have in these verses,
Jhn 11:17-32
The matter being determined, that Christ will go to Judea, and his disciples with him, they address themselves to their journey; in this journey some circumstances happened which the other evangelists record, as the healing of the blind man at Jericho, and the conversion of Zaccheus. We must not reckon ourselves out of our way, while we are in the way of doing good; nor be so intent upon one good office as to neglect another.
At length, he comes near to Bethany, which is said to be about fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem, about two measured miles, v. 18. Notice is taken of this, that this miracle was in effect wrought in Jerusalem, and so was put to her score. Christ's miracles in Galilee were more numerous, but those in or near Jerusalem were more illustrious; there he healed one that had been diseased thirty-eight years, another that had been blind from his birth, and raised one that had been dead four days. To Bethany Christ came, and observe,
Jhn 11:33-44
Here we have,
Jhn 11:45-57
We have here an account of the consequences of this glorious miracle, which were as usual; to some it was a savour of life unto life, to others of death unto death.