João 11
John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 11
MacArthur - Contrary to the teaching of some, Christ’s response indicates that sickness and even death may sometimes be God’s will for His people (cf. Jn 21:19; Ex. 4:11; Job 1; 2). (See John Commentary) Recall that when disciples saw the blind man in John 9, they immediately thought it was related to sin, and they may have initially thought that about Lazarus, but there is no suggestion Lazarus' sickness was related to sin. It is interesting to observe parallels in the John 9 passage and the passage in John 11, for we read.... As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth (Cf SICKNESS OF LAZARUS). 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” (NO QUESTION WITH LAZARUS' SICKNESS - THEY MAY HAVE LEARNED THEIR LESSON!) 3 Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him (THAT IS GOD WOULD BE GLORIFIED). 4 “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day (COMPARE "TWELVE HOURS IN THE DAY"); night is coming when no one can work. 5 “While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world (COMPARE John 11:9).” (John 9:1-5+) But (term of contrast) - In a sense this term of contrast actually introduces the purpose of the sickness. What is being contrasted? On one hand He describes sickness which He knows will lead to death. The contrast is with the glory of God. At first this does not make sense, but Jesus will go on to explain more and then to demonstrate how this event will bring glory to God. THE PRIMARY GOAL OF LAZARUS' RESURRECTION For the glory (doxa - "praise") of God - Who does "God" refer to in this context? Jesus clearly is God (the God-Man) and it was for His glory (as explained in the next clause "the Son of God may be glorified"), but it was also for the glory of God the Father in Heaven. As Jesus declared in His great prayer to His Father "I glorified (doxazo) You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do." (Jn 17:4) The "work" Jesus would soon accomplish of raising Lazarus from the dead would glorify the Father. John explains the actualization of the glory of God in John 11:40 Jesus declaring to Martha "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” NOTE - The effect of miracles was to cause the people to glorify God, to express a proper opinion of Him - See Mt 9:8; Mt 15:31; Mk 2:12; Lk 5:25, 26; Lk 7:16; Lk 13:13; Lk 17:15; Lk 18:43; THOUGHT - How do you (I) respond when affliction, trial, trouble, etc comes into our life? Do we respond with grumbling or gratitude (Jas 1:2-3)? Do we see the obstacles as opportunities to glorify Him?
João 11
MacArthur - The delay did serve several purposes: it strengthened the sisters’ faith in the Lord by forcing them to trust Him; it made it clear that Lazarus was truly dead (cf. the discussion of v. 17 in chapter 39 of this volume) and hence that Jesus’ raising of him was indeed a miracle; and, as always, Jesus operated according to God’s timetable, not man’s. Lowell
João 11
MacArthur - The twelve hours in the day symbolize the duration of the Lord’s earthly ministry as allotted by the Father. Just as no one can lengthen or shorten a day, so the disciples’ concern could not extend the time allotted to Jesus, nor could the Jews’ hostility shorten it. The one who walks in the day need not fear that he might stumble; thus Jesus was perfectly safe for the prescribed time of His life (Jn 7:30; 8:20). The night, signifying the end of His earthly ministry (cf. Jn 12:35), would come at the precise time set by God’s eternal plan, and only then would the Lord stumble in death. (SEE John Commentary) Steven Cole on the one who walks in the day “sees the light of this world.” - There is a double reference here. On one level, Jesus is saying that those who walk during daylight hours do not stumble in the dark. But on a deeper level, since Jesus is the Light of the world (Jn 8:12), those who walk in the light of His presence and His purposes do not stumble. It’s always wise to make decisions based on whether you can do it with the assurance of God being with you because you are seeking to do His will. (Using Time Rightly John 11:7-16) Henry
João 11
MacArthur - Alarmed by the news of the most astonishing miracle yet performed by Christ, and understanding the public effect of it, the Pharisees were galvanized into action. They did not have the authority to act on their own (since the Sadducees were the majority party and controlled the Sanhedrin), so along with some of the chief priests (former high priests and members of important priestly families) the Pharisees convened a meeting of the full council (the Sanhedrin). The Sanhedrin was the ruling body of Israel and had wide-ranging authority in civil and criminal, as well as religious, matters (though the Romans withheld the right of capital punishment [Jn 18:31]). (See John Commentary - click for full page) Recall that this is at least the third significant sign Jesus carried out before the Jewish leaders - (1) paralyzed man healed (Jn 5:1-14) and (2) a man congenitally blind healed (Jn 9:1-34). They rejected both of these miracles, discounting them because Jesus had performed both on the Sabbath! Lazarus was not raised on the Sabbath so they could not use that as an excuse. While they were not at Lazarus resurrection, they had eye witnesses of the "sign" of the resurrection of Lazarus and accepted their testimony. But their hearts were so hardened to the truth that even a man rising from the dead (cf Lk 16:31+) could not convince them that Jesus was the Messiah, the Savior of Israel! Their unbelief was not based on insufficient evidence that Jesus was the Messiah. These hypocrites knew that the resurrection of Lazarus and many Jews believing in Jesus was the proverbial "last straw" and that they must take action which they continue to do in Jn 11:48 Signs (semeion) have the function to point to something or point the right way. Signs point to something beyond themselves. The signs were many and they were clearly pointing to Jesus as the Messiah, except to those who were too blind to see or had hearts too hardened to receive the signs! The sign of Lazarus resurrection was pointing to a deeper spiritual truth, to the truth that even as Lazarus had no power to give himself physical life, but needed the supernatural power from the Spirit of God, so too, all those who are spiritually dead need the exercise of that same supernatural power! “It is the Spirit Who gives life; the flesh profits (ABSOLUTELY) nothing. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life." (Jn 6:63+), Steven
João 11
MacArthur explains that Caiaphas "did not say this on his own initiative does not mean that he was forced to act against his will; he was no puppet, and was responsible for his own wicked words. But God providentially invested those words with a meaning that he did not intend. In his capacity as high priest and hence technically by office God's spokesman (cf. Num. 27:21; 2 Sam. 15:27), God ordained an opposite meaning when Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation. He spoke cynical words of political expediency, claiming that Jesus must die to preserve the Sanhedrin's power and the nation's existence. However, Caiaphas unwittingly spoke prophetically of Christ's sacrificial death (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Peter 2:24). God sovereignly turned his wicked, blasphemous words into truth (cf. Gen. 50:20; Ps. 76:10; Prov. 16:9; 19:21; Acts 4:27-28). (See MacArthur Commentary) Bob
João 11
MacArthur adds "the children of God who are scattered abroad referred to the Jews of the Diaspora, those who lived outside of Palestine. They, too, would be gathered into the body of Christ's redeemed people (cf. Acts 2:5, 41; 11:19). But in a wider sense, it referred to the salvation of the Gentiles (cf. Acts 10:16; Acts 12:32; Isa. 42:6; 49:6; 56:6-8; Acts 9:15; Acts 10:1-11:18 esp Acts 11:17-18+; Rom. 1:16) and their union with the Jews in the church (1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:28; Eph. 2:11-18; 3:6; Col. 3:11). (See John Commentary) Bob