John11

Jesus, upon hearing of his friend Lazarus's sickness, intentionally delays his arrival in Bethany. When he finally comes, Lazarus has been dead for four days. After comforting Martha and Mary and declaring himself "the resurrection, and the life," Jesus miraculously calls Lazarus forth from the tomb, raising him from the dead. This profound sign leads many to believe, but also prompts the chief priests and Pharisees to plot Jesus's death.

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Lazarus is Sick; Jesus Delays

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

And it was that Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

The sisters therefore sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

But when Jesus heard it, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby.

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

When therefore he heard that he was sick, he abode at that time two days in the place where he was.

Then after this he saith to the disciples, Let us go into Judæa again.

The disciples say unto him, Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him.

These things spake he: and after this he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus is fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

The disciples therefore said unto him, Lord, if he is fallen asleep, he will recover.

Now Jesus had spoken of his death: but they thought that he spake of taking rest in sleep.

Then Jesus therefore said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said unto his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

Jesus Encounters Martha and Mary

So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already.

Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off;

and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.

Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary still sat in the house.

Martha therefore said unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

And even now I know that, whatsoever thou shalt ask of God, God will give thee.

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live;

and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Believest thou this?

She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I have believed that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, even he that cometh into the world.

And when she had said this, she went away, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Teacher is here, and calleth thee.

And she, when she heard it, arose quickly, and went unto him.

(Now Jesus was not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met him.)

The Jews then who were with her in the house, and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going unto the tomb to weep there.

Mary therefore, when she came where Jesus was, and saw him, fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

and said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto him, Lord, come and see.

Jesus wept.

The Jews therefore said, Behold how he loved him!

But some of them said, Could not this man, who opened the eyes of him that was blind, have caused that this man also should not die?

"Lazarus, Come Forth!"

Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

Jesus saith, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time the body decayeth; for he hath been dead four days.

Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou believedst, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou heardest me.

And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the multitude that standeth around I said it, that they may believe that thou didst send me.

And when he had thus spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

Many therefore of the Jews, who came to Mary and beheld that which he did, believed on him.

But some of them went away to the Pharisees, and told them the things which Jesus had done.

The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many signs.

If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.

But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

nor do ye take account that it is expedient for you that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

Now this he said not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for the nation;

and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God that are scattered abroad.

So from that day forth they took counsel that they might put him to death.

Jesus Withdraws; Passover Approaches

Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed thence into the country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there he tarried with the disciples.

Now the passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, to purify themselves.

They sought therefore for Jesus, and spake one with another, as they stood in the temple, What think ye? That he will not come to the feast?

Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given commandment, that, if any man knew where he was, he should show it, that they might take him.

Study Notes for John 11

Verse 1

Bethany was a small village near Jerusalem. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were clearly beloved friends of Jesus, setting the stage for one of John’s seven great “signs.”

Verse 2

This parenthetical note identifies this Mary as the one who later anointed Jesus (John 12:3), suggesting the recipients of the Gospel were already familiar with her story.

Verse 3

The sisters’ message is simple and trusts Jesus' love for Lazarus, but it is not a direct command, leaving the response entirely up to the Lord.

Verse 4

Jesus defines the purpose of the delay: this event is designed not merely to heal, but to manifest God's *glory* and confirm Jesus' divine identity as the Son of God.

Verse 6

The deliberate two-day delay is crucial. By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been dead four days, ensuring that no one could claim he was merely in a coma (a common Jewish belief was that the soul lingered for three days).

Verse 8

The disciples express legitimate fear. Jesus had recently narrowly escaped stoning in Jerusalem (John 10:31), highlighting the danger of returning to Judea.

Verse 9

This analogy of walking during the day refers to following God's appointed time and will. As long as Jesus is acting within God's timing, he is safe from stumbling or harm.

Verse 11

Jesus uses 'sleep' as a common euphemism for death, a usage the disciples misunderstand (v. 12). The New Testament often uses this metaphor to emphasize that death for believers is temporary, awaiting resurrection.

Verse 14

Jesus uses plain language to clarify the situation, emphasizing the reality of the death necessary for the subsequent miracle to have its full impact on their faith.

Verse 16

Thomas (meaning 'twin,' *Didymus* in Greek) shows a mixture of pessimism and fierce loyalty, believing they are all walking toward certain death alongside their friend Lazarus.

Verse 17

The fact that Lazarus had been in the tomb four days confirms the definitive nature of his death, removing any possibility of resuscitation or misdiagnosis in the eyes of Jewish tradition.

Verse 18

Fifteen furlongs is about 1.8 miles. This proximity to Jerusalem explains the large number of Jewish mourners present (v. 19), making the miracle a public, verifiable event.

Verse 20

Martha’s action shows her characteristic energy and initiative, contrasting with Mary, who remains passive in the house (a reflection of typical mourning customs).

Verse 21

Martha’s statement reflects the common belief that Jesus’ power was limited by physical distance, yet it is immediately followed by a profound affirmation of faith (v. 22).

Verse 24

Martha affirms the orthodox Jewish belief in a general resurrection at the end of time, showing her hope is theological but generalized, not specific to this moment.

Verse 25

Jesus’ seventh and greatest 'I Am' statement in John: 'I am the resurrection and the life.' He is not merely the agent of resurrection, but the source and embodiment of eternal life itself.

Verse 27

Martha’s confession is one of the most complete in the Gospels, paralleling Peter's confession (Matt 16:16). She recognizes Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God.

Verse 33

The Greek word translated 'groaned in the spirit' (*embrimaomai*) suggests deep indignation and emotional turmoil, often directed against the power of death and the sorrow it causes.

Verse 35

Jesus wept. This shortest verse in the Bible shows Jesus' perfect humanity and empathy. He grieves not only for Lazarus but for the pain and destruction that death brings to humanity.

Verse 37

The mourners, having witnessed Jesus' previous signs, question why his power did not extend to prevention, revealing their limited understanding of God's timing.

Verse 38

Jesus again groans, indicating the great spiritual conflict involved in confronting death, the final enemy (1 Cor 15:26).

Verse 39

Martha’s pragmatic concern confirms that decomposition had begun, reinforcing the reality of the miracle about to occur and highlighting her momentary lapse of faith.

Verse 40

Jesus reminds Martha of the foundational principle of faith necessary to witness the display of God's power, linking belief directly to seeing the divine glory.

Verse 41

Jesus’ public prayer is instructional, not necessary for God to hear Him. It confirms that the ensuing miracle is performed through the authority granted by the Father.

Verse 44

Lazarus emerged still bound in linen grave clothes, indicating the immediate and complete restoration of life. The command to 'Loose him' symbolizes the church’s role in freeing those called to new life.

Verse 45

This spectacular miracle immediately divides the witnesses: many believe, but others rush to inform the hostile religious authorities.

Verse 48

The council fears that a popular uprising centered on Jesus will provoke a violent reaction from Rome, resulting in the loss of their limited self-governance ('our place and nation').

Verse 49

Caiaphas, the high priest, speaks cynically, advocating for political expediency—sacrificing one man to preserve the status quo.

Verse 51

John interprets Caiaphas's political calculus as divine prophecy. Because of his office, the high priest unknowingly declared God’s plan for the sacrificial death of Jesus.

Verse 52

The scope of Jesus' death extends beyond Israel ('that nation') to include all of God's 'scattered children'—a reference to the future inclusion of Gentiles into the unified body of Christ.

Verse 54

Jesus withdraws from public ministry near Jerusalem to the city of Ephraim, demonstrating careful timing before His final voluntary entrance into Jerusalem for the Passover.

Verse 55

The Passover pilgrimage required ritual purification, explaining why many people arrived early in Jerusalem, creating a public atmosphere of anticipation regarding Jesus’ whereabouts.

Verse 57

The chief priests and Pharisees formalize their hostility by issuing a public warrant for Jesus' arrest, confirming the high level of danger He faced.

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John11

Lazarus is Sick; Jesus Delays

Jesus Encounters Martha and Mary

"Lazarus, Come Forth!"

The Plot to Kill Jesus

Jesus Withdraws; Passover Approaches

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