João 11
Warren Wiersbe · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 11
Wiersbe - The emphasis in John 11 is on faith; you find some form of the word believe at least eight times in this account (ED: Actually 9x in 8v - Jn 11:15, 25, 26 = twice, Jn 11:27, 40, 42, 45, 48). Another theme is “the glory of God” (John 11:4, 40). (Bible Exposition Commentary) Arnold Fruchtenbaum sees John 11:1-44 as a presentation of the first sign of Jonah writing "The resurrection of Lazarus, recorded in John 11:1–44, is the presentation of the first sign of Jonah (Mt 12:39-40+, Mt 16:4+, Lk 11:29-30+). The Messiah had raised others from the dead, yet all of the other resurrections are covered in just a few verses. But here John the Apostle uses 44 verses to give great detail about the resurrection of Lazarus. Why? This is the sign of Jonah that Yeshua had promised." J C
João 11
Wiersbe has an interesting analysis of John 11-12 as they relate to Lazarus writing "Lazarus represents the salvation of the lost sinner in seven ways. Let's take a closer look at each of these." Below is Wiersbe's summary with a few notes but for the full explanation BORROW Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament and see page 240-242. I. He Was Dead (Jn 11:14) II. He Was Decayed (Jn 11:39) III. He Was Raised and Given Life (Jn 11:41–44) V. He Witnessed to Others (Jn 11:45) VI. He Fellowshipped with Christ (Jn 12:1–2) VII. He Was Persecuted (Jn 12:10–11) QUESTION - Who was Mary of Bethany in the Bible? ANSWER - Mary of Bethany is one of the most beautiful characters in all of Scripture, and we can learn valuable lessons from studying her life. Mary was the sister of Martha, and her brother was Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead. We see Mary three different times in the Bible, beginning with the incident in the home of her sister, Martha (Luke 10:38-42), where Jesus, and presumably the disciples who travelled with Him, were being entertained. Martha was so distressed and “distracted with much serving” and frustrated that her sister wasn’t helping that she actually rebuked Jesus, accusing Him of not caring that Mary sat at His feet while she did all the work. Jesus’ response gives us our first insight into Mary of Bethany. Jesus commended her for “choosing the better,” meaning that Mary’s desire to be near her Lord and hang onto His every word was far more beneficial than running herself ragged with preparations for a meal. Jesus further said that choosing the better thing, learning of the Lord, would not be taken away from Mary. By “choosing the better,” Jesus meant that those whose priority in life is Christ, the knowledge of Him, and nearness to Him have chosen what will last through eternity, such as the “gold, silver and costly stones” referred to in 1 Corinthians 3:11-12. From this incident, we learn that those who are distracted with the mundane and earthly are building upon the foundation which is Christ with “wood, hay and straw,” materials which will not stand the fires that come to us in times of testing, nor will they be remembered in eternity. Martha’s rebuke of Jesus gives us insight into her heart and mind as she tried to make everything perfect and was so distracted that she lost sight of whom she was speaking to. Mary’s silence, which we will see again in another incident, indicates a lack of concern for herself, especially for defending herself. When we focus on Christ, He becomes our greatest passion and our tendency to self-absorption dims and fades. The second incident in which Mary and Martha appear occurs in John 11 with the raising of their brother, Lazarus, from the dead. When Mary hears that Jesus has come and is calling for her, she immediately leaves the assembly of mourners in her home and rushes to meet Jesus. So great is her love for Him and her desire to please and obey Him that she leaves those who had come to comfort her to place herself in the arms of the greatest Comforter mankind has ever known. Jesus sees her great sorrow and weeps along with her, even though He knows her sadness is going to be short-lived and that her brother will be restored to her momentarily. In the same way, when we sorrow and grieve, our greatest comfort is found in Jesus, whose compassion is boundless. When we place our hand in the nail-scarred hand, we find comfort, peace and security, and we learn the truth of Psalm 30:5b: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” The third and final time we see Mary of Bethany is just days before Christ’s crucifixion (John 12:1–8). A meal had been prepared, Martha was again serving while the resurrected Lazarus reclined at the table with Jesus and the disciples. At some point, Mary poured a pint of very expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. In spite of criticism from Judas Iscariot about the waste of the costly substance, Mary said nothing. Rather, Mary allowed Jesus to defend her, which He does, saying that she has kept this perfume for His burial and has done a beautiful act of service to Him. We see two amazing things about Mary here from which we can take our example. First, she seems to know that the time of Jesus’ death on the cross was at hand, a fact that had escaped the disciples in spite of Jesus’ clear declaration of this truth. No doubt Mary contented herself with listening to her Lord and meditating on His words, while the disciples bickered about who would be greatest among them in the kingdom. By doing so, they missed the important truths Jesus was teaching them about His upcoming death and resurrection (Mark 9:30-35). How often do we miss spiritual truths because we are self-focused and overly concerned for our rewards, our status and our reputation among men? Second, we see in Mary a settled conviction and confidence in her Lord, so much so that she is not compelled to defend herself in the face of criticism. How often do we jump at the chance to justify ourselves in the eyes of others who criticize and mock us, particularly where our faith is concerned? But if we, like Mary, make sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to Him our priority, we will have her depth of understanding, her passion for Christ, and her complete faith in His plan for our lives. We may not have Jesus sitting in our living rooms in person, but we have His Word, the Bible, and from it we have all the knowledge and understanding we need to live a life of secure and confident faith like Mary of Bethany.GotQuestions.org QUESTION - How many Marys are in the Bible? ANSWER - Mary was a common female name in Israel during the time of Christ. The New Testament mentions six different women with the name Mary. The Hebrew form of the name is Miriam (or Miryam), given to the sister of Moses. (1) The best-known Mary in the Bible is Mary the mother of Jesus. She was the virgin chosen by God to bear His Son, the Savior of the world. Mary lived in Nazareth, a city of Galilee, when the angel Gabriel made the announcement to her of the virgin birth (Luke 1:26, 56). She married Joseph, a carpenter, but remained a virgin until after Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Matthew 1:25). Scripture reveals Mary as a humble, godly, and blessed woman. Mary was also present at Jesus’ crucifixion. After Jesus’ death, she was cared for by the apostle John (John 19:25–27). (2) A second Mary in the Bible is Mary Magdalene. This Mary was called “Magdalene” to help distinguish her from some of the other women named Mary in the Gospels. Magdala was a city on the southwest coast of the Sea of Galilee. This Mary was a follower of Christ, and Luke 8:2 says Jesus had cast seven demons from her. No doubt this deliverance increased her dedication to and love for the Lord. When Jesus arose from the dead, Mary Magdalene brought the news of the empty tomb to Peter and John, and she has the distinction of being the first person to see the risen Christ (John 20:1, 18). (3) A third Mary in the Bible is Mary of Bethany. This Mary was the sister of Lazarus and Martha. They lived in Bethany, a town near Jerusalem. Jesus and the disciples were frequent visitors in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Mary of Bethany was the one sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to His words while Martha set up for dinner (Luke 10:38–42). Before Jesus’ arrest, Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus’ head with costly oil. Jesus told those gathered in the room that Mary had done so in preparation for His burial (Matthew 26:6–13). (4) A fourth Mary in the Bible is identified as Mary the mother of James the younger and Joseph and the wife of Clopas (also called Alphaeus in Luke 6:15). She is mentioned in Mark 15:40, Matthew 27:56, and John 19:25 as watching the crucifixion of Christ. She is mentioned again in Mark 15:47 as seeing the place where Jesus was buried. And this Mary appears again in Mark 16:1 and Matthew 28:1 (where she is called “the other Mary”) in connection with the empty tomb, as she was one of the women who brought spices for Jesus’ body and met an angel instead. (5) A fifth Mary in the Bible is Mary the mother of John Mark. She is mentioned in Acts 12:12. She had opened up her home for believers to meet for prayer, and it was during one of their prayer meetings that Peter was miraculously released from prison. This Mary’s son is the author of the Gospel of Mark. (6) A sixth Mary in the Bible is mentioned as a member of the church at Rome. Paul includes her as one of the many people to greet at the end of his letter and describes her as one “who worked very hard” on behalf of the church (Romans 16:6).GotQuestions.org John 11:3 So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." BGT John 11:3 ἀπέστειλαν οὖν αἱ ἀδελφαὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγουσαι· κύριε, ἴδε ὃν φιλεῖς ἀσθενεῖ. KJV John 11:3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. NET John 11:3 So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, "Lord, look, the one you love is sick." CSB John 11:3 So the sisters sent a message to Him: "Lord, the one You love is sick." ESV John 11:3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." NIV John 11:3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick." NLT John 11:3 So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, "Lord, your dear friend is very sick." NRS John 11:3 So the sisters sent a message to Jesus, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." NJB John 11:3 The sisters sent this message to Jesus, 'Lord, the man you love is ill.' NAB John 11:3 So the sisters sent word to him, saying, "Master, the one you love is ill." YLT John 11:3 therefore sent the sisters unto him, saying, 'Sir, lo, he whom thou dost love is ailing;' MIT John 11:3 The sisters sent a message to Jesus: "Lord, take note, he whom you love is sick." he whom You love: Jn 11:1,5 13:23 Ge 22:2 Ps 16:3 Php 2:26,27 2Ti 4:20 Heb 12:6,7 Jas 5:14,15 Rev 3:19 John 11 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SISTERS RELAY NEWS OF LAZARUS' SICKNESS So (oun - term of conclusion) the sisters sent (apostello) word to Him, saying, "Lord (kurios), behold (idou) he whom You love (phileo - "Your dear friend" - NLT) is sick (astheneo) - Jesus is apparently on the east side of the Jordan River in the region known as Perea (see map) and most authorities say He was in a town named Bethabara. The sisters (a joint communique) did not come at this time but instead used a messenger, which makes sense, since they wanted to give care to their brother. In addressing Jesus as Lord (kurios) it is very likely that they do not just mean "Sir" (one nuance of kurios), but that they acknowledge Jesus as Master. It is also interesting that the message was not "Come quickly, he is dying." Instead they in a sense appealed to His love for Lazarus to beckon Him to Bethany. It is most likely the sisters knew that word of the one he loved being sick would bring Jesus to the scene. In saying sick (astheneo) the sister's gave no indication of that he is on "death's door," but Jesus in His omniscience knew that was the case. Notice also that the sisters simply express their need and do not tell Jesus what to do, which is a good example for all our prayers! The love (phileo) Jesus had for Lazarus was that of a friend (so some version render it "Your friend") and is the same word John used later to describe his relation with Jesus as "the other disciple whom Jesus loved (phileo)" (Jn 20:2), John of course referring to himself. As an aside there is nothing inappropriate intended by John's use of love of Jesus for Lazarus, and one is reminded of Jonathan's love for David (1Sa 18:1-3+). Even today it is (and should be) common for brothers in Christ to voice their love for one another (cf 1Jn 2:10, 3:11, 14, 23). In Jn 11:5 there is the other verb for love, agapao used to describe Jesus' love for "Martha and her sister and Lazarus." As an aside, the Father's love for His Son is described with both terms (phileo in Jn 5:20, agapao in Jn 3:35). (See note by Vincent). Newman has an interesting note that "The participle “saying,” (was) a Semitic way of introducing direct discourse." Johann Bengel on why they did not say "come" - “They do not say, come. He who loves needs but know!” However, it is notable that they threw in the exclamatory, attention getting word behold (idou) which adds perhaps a sense of urgency to their message. Clearly, their goal was to attract Jesus' attention in the hope He would come. (Quoted by Vincent) Jamieson adds "a most womanly appeal, yet how reverential, to the known affection of her Lord for the patient. (See Jn 11:5, 11). “Those whom Christ loves are no more exempt than others from their share of earthly trouble and anguish: rather are they bound over to it more surely”"
João 11
Wiersbe - When we find ourselves confronted by disease, disappointment, delay, and even death, our only encouragement is the Word of God. We must live by faith and not by sight. Their situation seemed hopeless, yet the sisters knew that Jesus was the Master of every situation. The promise in Psalm 50:15 finds a parallel here: “And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” (Bible Exposition Commentary) Jonathan Edwards said, “The object of all things is God’s glory; and when God gets His glory - God’s people get their joy!”
João 11
Wiersbe summarizes the timeline -Day 1— The messenger comes to Jesus (Lazarus dies). Day 2—The messenger returns to Bethany. Day 3—Jesus waits another day, then departs. Day 4—Jesus arrives in Bethany. When the messenger arrived back home, he would find Lazarus already dead. What would his message convey to the grieving sisters now that their brother was already dead and buried? Jesus was urging them to believe His word (ED: WHICH THE MESSENGERS WOULD HAVE CARRIED BACK = Jn 11:4 "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God.") no matter how discouraging the circumstances might appear. (Bible Exposition Commentary) Christ—was never in a hurry, never impressed by numbers, never a slave to the clock. -- 6000 Plus Illustrations THOUGHT - The story of Lazarus reminds me of the story of Joni Eareckson Tada who became paralyzed (quadriplegic) from a dive into the shallow waters of Chesapeake Bay. She fought through her disability and depression so that she was able to be used by God to bring hope to all handicapped people and great glory to the God Who allowed her tragic accident. Joni and Lazarus shed new light on what James meant when he commanded us as believers to consider it all joy when we encounter various trials (Jas 1:2-4+)! What affliction has overtaken you? What tragedy have you experienced? Remember the sovereign God Who is jealous for His Name (Ex 34:14+) is able (Heb 2:18+, Heb 7:25+) to take His children's tragedies and turn them into triumphs for them and for His great Name. You can read her incredible, God glorifying story in (BORROW BOOK Joni: The Unforgettable Story of a Young Woman's Struggle Against Quadriplegia & Depression). Joni Eareckson Tada chronicles the agony she went through in the aftermath and how eventually she came to trust in Christ and submit to Him. She ends the book by telling of speaking at a rally to hundreds of young people and her hope that scores of them would come to faith in Christ. Then she adds (see page 178), “But I will be pleased if only one person is drawn to Christ. Even one person would make the wheelchair worth all that the past eight years have cost.” That was many years ago and she is still using her suffering to bring others to faith in Christ.
João 11
Wiersbe - Each experience of suffering and trial ought to increase our faith, but this kind of spiritual growth is not automatic. We must respond positively to the ministry of the Word and the Spirit of God. (Bible Exposition Commentary) Rodney Whitacre offers an interesting analysis of Martha's faith at this juncture writing that "She continues to believe in him even though Lazarus' death seems to call into question the messengers' report that Jesus had said, This sickness will not end in death (Jn 11:4). Moreover, even though Jesus has delayed coming to help, she continues to believe that Jesus is the agent of the gracious God—despite the fact that this graciousness was not present to heal her brother. Her trust in God's love for one that Christ clearly loved (Jn 11:3) is not shaken by what seems like indifference or disregard (cf. Job 13:15; Hab 3:16-19). In this way Martha is an example of stellar faith, which should encourage all believers who face situations in which God seems to be absent or uncaring. The hard parts of life are occasions for learning about God and drawing closer to him. (Jesus Raises Lazarus 11:1-54) Steven
João 11
Wiersbe - The unsaved person is not just sick; he or she is spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1–3; Col. 2:13). When a person is physically dead, she does not respond to such things as food, temperature, or pain. When a person is spiritually dead, he does not respond to spiritual things. She has no interest in God, the Bible, Christians, or church until the Holy Spirit begins to work in her heart. God warned Adam that disobedience would bring death (Gen. 2:15–17)—physical death (the separation of the soul from the body) and spiritual death (the separation of the soul from God). Revelation 20:14 calls hell the second death, that is eternal death. What sinners dead to God’s ways need is not education, medicine, morality, or religion; they need new life in Jesus Christ. (BORROW Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament page 240). Dead (599) apothnesko from apo = marker of dissociation implying a rupture from a former association, separation, departure, cessation + thnesko = die) literally means to die off (that is, to die and thus be away from this earthly realm). Apothnesko speaks of literal physical death (Ro 6:9+) but figuratively (metaphorically) of a believer's death to sin (Ro 6:2+, Ro 6:7+, Ro 6:8+, Col 3:3+), self, Satan, the law (Ro 7:6+, Gal 2:19) and the world (Col 2:20+, cp Gal 6:14+ - crucified used instead of died) which was effected when Christ was crucified and when by faith we believed in Him and in God's reckoning (albeit a "mysterious" teaching) were crucified with Him (Ro 6:6+). It is notable that as life was never meant to be merely existence, death which is the antonym of life does not mean non–existence. The important point is that to die does not mean one is annihilated as some would falsely teach. Everyone who has every been born will continue to exist, either in the presence of God or to experience conscious existence in separation from God (see 2Th 1:9). Summary of apothnesko (1) Literally - To die referring to natural death (opposite of zao = to live), a permanent cessation of all vital functions resulting in the end of life, with a separation of one's soul from their physical body (Mt 8:32, 22:24, 27, 26:35, Heb 9:27, 1Co 15:32, 36; Paul in Php 1:21). Christ's death (Ro 5:6, Ro 5:8, Gal 2:21, 1Co 8:11, 15:3, 2Co 5:15, 1Th 4:14, 1Th 5:10). It should be emphasized that although these passages refer to literal physical death of Christ, they have profound spiritual implications. Note that literal death pictures a separation of the spiritual from the material part of man, the soul from the body. Most of the uses of apothnesko in the gospels refer to literal physical death (exceptions include Jn 6:50 cp Jn 6:58 not die = live forever = speaks of spiritual rebirth, cp Jn 11:26) (2) Figuratively - speaks of separation - of not responding to something due to separation from it (1Co 15:31). Separation from God because of sin (Adam died the day (i.e., when, cp. Ezek 33:12) he disobeyed God, Ge 2:17.), which speaks of spiritual death (Ro 7:9, 1Co 15:22 - Death in this sense describes the present condition of all men for all have sinned - see Ro 5:12). Ro 5:15 speaks of the spiritual death all men suffered because of Adam's sin (cp Ro 5:12). (3) Mixture of literal and figurative - Christ's literal death (first use) and figuratively of death to rule and reign and power of sin (the second use of apothnesko in Ro 6:10, cp similar mixture in 2Co 5:14) Chris Tiegreen - Circumstantial Deceit (from One Year At His Feet Devotional) “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.” John 11:14-15 “Real trust in God is above circumstances and appearances.” —George Müller IN WORD Circumstances don’t get much worse than this. The loved one Mary and Martha had been praying for had died. Jesus was four days late and under fire from those who had come to expect miracles. Mary’s pointed words are sadly resentful: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (v. 32). Defeat apparently reigned. But circumstances don’t tell the whole story. How often in the Gospels were appearances deceiving? Wind and waves threatened to capsize a boat; thousands hungered; disease ravaged its helpless victims; demons held hopeless captives. And, don’t forget, God was executed by men. In all of these situations, those who stared at the problems despaired. Those who stared at the Truth found hope. And hope was fulfilled. An acquaintance of George Müller once told a story of going from England to Quebec for an important engagement. The ship was stuck in the North Atlantic fog and Müller was told by the captain he would by no means make it to his meeting on schedule. Müller’s response? “My eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God who controls every circumstance of my life.” The fog cleared.3 IN DEED Our human tendency is to feel trapped by visible situations. But circumstantial evidence is not the truth of a matter. It is deceptive. God’s assessment is always the truth of every situation. And it doesn’t include our being trapped by superficial appearances. Are circumstances threatening what you know to be God’s plan? They lie. As surely as the North Atlantic fog lifted, and as surely as Lazarus was raised, circumstances are unreliable measures of reality. God’s plan, when believed, is immovable. Those who focused on their problems in the Gospels found those problems to be overwhelming. Those who focused on Jesus found their problems to be illusory. Focus on Jesus. There is no deceit in Him. Just ask Lazarus. John 11:15 and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him." BGT John 11:15 καὶ χαίρω δι᾽ ὑμᾶς ἵνα πιστεύσητε, ὅτι οὐκ ἤμην ἐκεῖ· ἀλλὰ ἄγωμεν πρὸς αὐτόν. KJV John 11:15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. NET John 11:15 and I am glad for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." CSB John 11:15 I'm glad for you that I wasn't there so that you may believe. But let's go to him." ESV John 11:15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." NIV John 11:15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." NLT John 11:15 And for your sakes, I'm glad I wasn't there, for now you will really believe. Come, let's go see him." NRS John 11:15 For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." NJB John 11:15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there because now you will believe. But let us go to him.' NAB John 11:15 And I am glad for you that I was not there, that you may believe. Let us go to him." YLT John 11:15 and I rejoice, for your sake, (that ye may believe,) that I was not there; but we may go to him;' MIT John 11:15 and for your sake it makes me glad I was not there, for you must (learn to) believe. But let us go to him. I am glad: Jn 11:35,36 for: Jn 12:30 17:19 Ge 26:24 39:5 Ps 105:14 Isa 54:15 65:8 2Co 4:15 2Ti 2:10 to: Jn 11:4 2:11 14:10,11 1Jn 5:13 John 11 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: John 2:11+ This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. John 6:69+ “We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” JESUS' PARADOXICAL REJOICING And I am glad (chairo - "I rejoice") for your sakes that I was not there - Note Jesus did not say He was glad Lazarus had died but just that He was not there. For your sakes is the reason He rejoiced, not because Lazarus had died. He wanted His disciples to witness Lazarus being raised from the grave, not just raised from a sick bed. Such a witness of a man's resurrection would strengthen their faith and achieve His main goal, which was to glorify His Father (Jn 11:4, 40). The One Who controls life could also say He was glad (sometimes rendered "rejoice" and here in present tense "I am rejoicing") in the face of death because He was about to demonstrate His power over the last enemy, death (1Co 15:26, 55+). Presumably if Jesus had been "johnny on the spot," Lazarus would have been healed, thus preventing the far greater miracle of the resurrection. David Guzik on I am glad...that I was not there - Jesus could be glad, even in the death of a dear friend, because He was certain of the outcome. We see at the end of the events of this chapter that grief was comforted, life was restored, many more believed, and the necessary death of Jesus was set in motion. All of these were reasons to be glad. As Bengel notes below, there is no NT record of anyone dying in the presence of Jesus. I find this such a tragic paradox, that during His life no one died, but after His death and resurrection when He sits on the Great White Throne, EVERY soul who stands before Him will die eternally (second death)! The message is clear that you must believe in Him now while you are alive dear reader! Johann Bengel has a fascinating comment - "It accords beautifully with divine propriety that we read of no one having died while the Prince of life was present. If you suppose that death could not, in the presence of Jesus, have assailed Lazarus, the language of the two sisters, Jn 11:21, 32, attains loftier meaning; and the Lord's joy at His own absence is explained." WHY JESUS WAS GLAD So that (hina - purpose clause) you may believe (pisteuo) - Jesus explains the purpose for His delay - it was to grow their faith. The delay was necessary that He might perform a miracle that would help His disciples believe in Him to an even greater degree (Note how often Jesus referred to His disciples as "men of little faith" - Mt 8:26, Mt 14:31, Mt 16:8, Lk 12:28). Beloved, faith is not a static entity but is progressive, something that can be "nourished" and grow. If faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ (which it does - Ro 10:17+), it follows that the more we are in the Word (and the Word is in us; i.e., not just in one ear and out the other!), the more our faith will grow. THOUGHT - If you feel like your faith is small (keeping in mind that even small faith will gain you entrance to heaven), you might check your time in the Word of Christ. Believe (pisteuo) is a key verb in John 11 occuring 8 times (Jn. 11:15; Jn. 11:25; Jn. 11:26; Jn. 11:27; Jn. 11:40; Jn. 11:42; Jn. 11:45; Jn. 11:48) The concept of faith fills John 11 in an "antithetical" way. And so in John 11:1-17 we see the faith of the disciples. In John 11:17-44 we see the faith of two sisters and family and friends. Finally in John 11:45-57 we sadly see the lack of faith of some of the witnesses and of the religious leaders. Which group are you in dear reader? Bob
João 11
Wiersbe - Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Jn 11:21 (New Testament Words) Disappointment, sickness, death, and sorrow are woven into the fabric of our lives, and when they come, we must not be surprised. We must face them honestly and deal with them courageously by faith. Understanding three little words in John 11 can help us. If is the word that hurts. Jesus and his disciples were staying at Bethabara (John 10:40; see 1:28), about twenty miles from Bethany; and it took the sisters’ messenger at least a day to get there. But before that day ended, Lazarus died (11:39) and Jesus knew it; yet he remained where he was! John assures us that “Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (v. 5). But if he loved them, why didn’t he hurry to Bethany and heal Lazarus, or just speak the word and heal from a distance? But God’s delays are not God’s denials, and Jesus had something better planned for the two sisters: Lazarus would glorify God (v. 40). Jesus waited two days and then went to Bethany. Both Martha and Mary (v. 32) used this painful word if when they met Jesus, and you and I have used it too. “If we had taken a different route.” “If I had remembered the appointment.” “If she had never left home.” The word if hurts because it’s a word of unbelief, and unbelief only makes matters worse. When we say if to the Lord, we are saying that he doesn‘t know what he is doing and that we have a better plan. We are looking back instead of looking up. We should say “Lord” but forget about the if. Jesus is here with us (Matt. 28:20). Lord is the word that heals. It is used eight times in John 11, six times by the sisters. To call Jesus Lord is to affirm that he is the Son of God and the Master of everything in our lives, but to call him Lord and question his will is not evidence of strong faith. Jesus had sent his message to the sisters, saying, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). Whenever we are disappointed with the will of God, it’s time to affirm our faith in his wisdom and his love. In spite of what happens and no matter how much we hurt, God loves us, and you can put your own name in verses 3, 5, and 36. Never forget that the will of God comes from the loving heart of God (Ps. 33:11), and though the Lord may hurt us, he will never harm us. He is the Lord of life and death (John 11:25–26) and he will work out everything for our good and his glory. It’s easy to say the word Lord with our lips and yet have reservations in our heart, and this grieves the Lord. Another word must come before Lord. Yes is the word that heartens. Martha’s “Yes, Lord, I believe” (Jn 11:27) was the turning point in the whole occasion. When we say yes to the Lord, and not, “Not so, Lord,” as Peter did (Acts 10:14), we win the smile of his approval and the grace we need to trust him, obey him, and allow him to work. Our yes of faith transforms misery into miracle. When at the grave, Martha began to resist (Jn 11:39–40) until Jesus reassured her, and she agreed to open the grave. Jesus spoke the word and God’s power gave Lazarus life and carried him to the door of the tomb (his feet were bound). God was glorified, not only in the resurrection of Lazarus but also in the faith of the spectators who trusted Jesus (v. 45; see 12:17–19). The next time the situation is difficult, let’s say yes to the Lord and ask that he be glorified. He will take care of the rest and our hearts will be at peace. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. Moving at the Speed of Jesus “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:21 Today's Scripture & Insight: John 11:14–27 Recently, my car needed work. The mechanic’s shop was close, a mile from my home. So I decided to just walk home. But as I shuffled along next to a bustling thoroughfare, I noticed something: Everyone else was moving so fast. This isn’t rocket science. Cars go faster than pedestrians. Zip, zip, zip! As I ambled home, I had a realization: We’re so used to moving fast. All the time. Then, another realization: I often expect God to move just as quickly. I want His plans to fit my speedy timetable. When Jesus lived on earth, His seemingly slow pace sometimes disappointed His friends. In John 11, Mary and Martha sent word that their brother, Lazarus, was sick. They knew Jesus could help (vv. 1–3). But He arrived some four days later (v. 17), after Lazarus had died. “ ‘Lord,’ Martha said to Jesus, ‘if you had been here, my brother would not have died’ ” (v. 21). Translation: Jesus didn’t move fast enough. But He had bigger plans: raising Lazarus from the dead (vv. 38–44). When have you been disappointed that Jesus seemingly didn’t answer a prayer, only to realize He was accomplishing something bigger? How did that realization affect your perception of God and His sovereignty? Father, sometimes I get so impatient. Help me to trust in Your perfect timing and to cling to Your goodness in faith. To learn more about the life of Christ, visit ChristianUniversity.org/NT111. IF— If thou canst do anything.... If thou canst believe.... Mark 9:22, 23. Martha and Mary said, "If thou hadst been here, my brother had not died" (John 11:21). Jesus said, "If thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God" (John 11:40). The father of the demonized boy had the wrong "if." There are no ifs about what God can do. The ifs are on our side. That harassed father finally got around to the solution: "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief" (Mark 9:24). He confessed unbelief but took sides with his faith. We are so inclined to say, "I doubt, help Thou my faith." We need to stop being iffy and be not faithless but believing. (Vance Havner - BORROW All the Days) John 11:22 "Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." BGT John 11:22 [ἀλλὰ] καὶ νῦν οἶδα ὅτι ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσῃ τὸν θεὸν δώσει σοι ὁ θεός. KJV John 11:22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. NET John 11:22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will grant you." CSB John 11:22 Yet even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You." ESV John 11:22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you." NIV John 11:22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." NLT John 11:22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask." NRS John 11:22 But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him." NJB John 11:22 but even now I know that God will grant whatever you ask of him.' NAB John 11:22 (But) even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you." YLT John 11:22 but even now, I have known that whatever thou mayest ask of God, God will give to thee;' MIT John 11:22 And now I know that as much as you request from God, he will give you." that: Jn 11:41,42 9:31 Mk 9:23 Heb 11:17-19 God will give Jn 3:35 5:22-27 17:2 Ps 2:8 Mt 28:18 John 11 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MARTHA'S FAITH IN JESUS Even now I know (eido) that whatever You ask (aiteo) of God (theos), God will give You - The verb for know (eido) means she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt. Again we see the faith of Martha who understands something of the relationship between Jesus and God, but though genuine, it is still a "defective" faith. It is interesting though that she does not refer to God as Jesus' Father (see Spurgeon's interpretation below). And as
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Wiersbe - To the Christian believer, life is not merely a physical condition or a social experience so much as a person, and that person is Jesus Christ. Paul says that “Christ is our life” (see Col. 3:4), and he wrote to the believers at Philippi, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21). Life is what we are alive to! People “come alive” to that which excites, delights, and satisfies them, that which is at the heart of their very being; and Christians should come alive to anything that relates to Jesus Christ. Resurrection leads to life, and Jesus is both the resurrection and the life. (BORROW He walks with me : enjoying the abiding presence of God PAGE 96) He is also the Cause, Source, or Fountain of the believers’ glorious resurrection and of their everlasting life William
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Wiersbe - Christ is able to raise the dead and meet every need of the new life that follows that miracle, because He is both “the resurrection and the life.” The Lord can move into “dead” and seemingly hopeless human situations, and by His resurrection power, transform people and circumstances and infuse life that makes everything new. Over the centuries this has happened to many local churches and other ministries as well as individual lives, and it can still happen today! If you find yourself in a “dead” situation or if you are feeling a need for personal reviving (Latin, “to live again”), our Lord’s statement in John 11:25–26 is the answer. Paul says that “just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Ro 6:4). Unbelief and sin are connected with the old life of sin, but faith and life are connected with the new life in Christ. This is why Jesus commanded them to remove the grave clothes from Lazarus and give him the freshness and fragrance of new life (John 11:43–44). God’s people need to get out of the grave and the grave clothes and start to manifest the new life in Christ..... I hope you will be able to give an enthusiastic “Yes!” answer to our Lord’s question, “Do you believe this?” (John 11:26). (BORROW He walks with me : enjoying the abiding presence of God PAGE 98) Jesus addressing a multitude of Jews seeking to kill Him stated that "an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment." (Jn 5:28, 29+) (See The Two Resurrections - "First" and "Second" - on a timeline) Rodney Whitacre has an interesting observation on the "I Am" statements - All of the "I am" sayings have to do with Christ as the life-giver, as is clearly the case here where we see that he does not just give life, but is life itself. As is made evident in some of the other "I am" sayings, he gives life by becoming our life (for example, John 6:51; John 15:1). (Jesus Raises Lazarus 11:1-54) He who believes (pisteuo) in Me will live (zao - spiritually) even if he dies (apothnesko - physically) - Note the paradox that a person who dies can still live, referring to eternal life in and with Christ. This great promise of everlasting life that can be obtained simply by believing in Jesus. Believes is in the present tense and all genuine believers will continue to believe in Him. Dies (apothnesko) is in the aorist tense describing the one time event of physical death. As William
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Wiersbe asks At what was He indignant? At the ravages of sin in the world that He had created. Death is an enemy, and Satan uses the fear of death as a terrible weapon (Heb. 2:14–18). No wonder Jesus was indignant! It is not without the stirring of His very life that He gives life to the dead. -- C H Spurgeon Rod Mattoon on the Lord was troubled "which means "stirred, agitated, or disturbed like a pool of water. The Lord is not thrilled with what is going on here. Why? He may be angry at the pain and misery that sin and death have caused. He may also be angry with Satan." The verb for deeply moved was used in extra-biblical Greek to refer to the snorting of a horse preparing for battle so Calvin views it as Jesus gearing up for the conflict as our champion in the battle against sin and death.
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Wiersbe has an interesting comment - The mystery of our Lord’s incarnation is seen by His question in John 11:34. Jesus knew that Lazarus had died (John 11:11), but He had to ask where he was buried. Our Lord never used His divine powers when normal human means would suffice. (Bible Exposition Commentary) John 11:35 Jesus wept. BGT John 11:35 ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς. KJV John 11:35 Jesus wept NET John 11:35 Jesus wept. CSB John 11:35 Jesus wept. ESV John 11:35 Jesus wept. NIV John 11:35 Jesus wept. NLT John 11:35 Then Jesus wept. NRS John 11:35 Jesus began to weep. NJB John 11:35 Jesus wept; NAB John 11:35 And Jesus wept. YLT John 11:35 Jesus wept. Jn 11:33 Ge 43:30 Job 30:25 Ps 35:13-15 119:136 Isa 53:3 63:9 Jer 9:1 13:17 14:17 La 1:16 Lu 19:11,41 Ro 9:2,3 Heb 2:16,17 Heb 4:15 John 11 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: Hebrews 5:7+ (THIS MOST LIKELY DESCRIBES HIS AGONY IN GETHSEMANE) In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud (ischuros - strong) crying ( krauge - wailing or a loud sound accompanied by weeping) and tears (dakruon related to weeping = dakruo in Jn 11:35) to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Luke 19:41 When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept (klaio like Mary in Jn 11:33) over it, JESUS' HUMANITY DEMONSTRATED All that is recorded in John 11:35–37 occurs on the way to the tomb, before it is reached in Jn 11:38. Jesus experienced grief and deep feelings, just as we do. Recall Isaiah 53:3 that prophesied Jesus would be "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." (Isaiah 53:3+) THOUGHT - Jesus knows the valley of sorrow and grief you are walking through dear child of the living God. Jesus (Iesous) wept (dakruo) - Wept is first in the Greek sentence for emphasis. Jesus was quieting weeping (not wailing). It implies the silent tears of sympathy. While there is no record of Jesus ever laughing, there are other passages that speak of His weeping. The weeping we see another reminder of the fact that Jesus was fully Man and experienced all of the emotional aspects of humanity. As Hebrews 4:15+ says "we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." Hebrews 2:18+ adds "since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is (CONTINUALLY) able to come to the aid (boetheo) of those who are (CONTINUOUSLY BEING) tempted." As an aside we have no record of Jesus laughing in the Bible (but see Lk 10:21+). Note that Jesus' reaction teaches a simple principle that it is not sinful to feel or express sorrow. “Tears are liquid emotion, pressed from the heart.” Note the distinction between Jesus wept (dakruo) and Mary's weeping (klaio) the latter referring to a loud expression of grief (even wailing) as when someone dies (Mk 5:38, 39; 16:10; Lk 7:13; 8:52; Jn 20:11, 13 = weeping at death of Jesus; Acts 9:39). And it is used to describe Jesus' reaction in Luke 19:41+ "When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept (klaio) over it." This is the only time Jesus wept loudly and with wailing. While He shed a tear over Lazarus, He knew Lazarus was saved. But when He came to Jerusalem, He wailed because He knew most of the Jews in the city were unrepentant. And so He wept over their unbelief and refusal to receive Him as their Savior. Bob
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Wiersbe - Our Lord’s weeping reveals the humanity of the Saviour. He has entered into all of our experiences and knows how we feel. In fact, being the perfect God-Man, Jesus experienced these things in a deeper way than we do. His tears also assure us of His sympathy; He is indeed “a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isa. 53:3). Today, He is our merciful and faithful High Priest, and we may come to the throne of grace and find all the gracious help that we need (Heb. 4:14–16). (Bible Exposition Commentary) Alfred Edersheim speaks to the continual juxtaposition of the truths of the humanity and the deity of Jesus in the Gospels - It has been observed, that by the side of every humiliation connected with the Humanity of the Messiah, the glory of His Divinity was also made to shine forth. The coincidences are manifestly undesigned on the part of the Evangelic writers, and hence all the more striking. Thus, if he was born of the humble Maiden of Nazareth, an Angel announced His birth; if the Infant-Saviour was cradled in a manger, the shining host of heaven hymned His Advent. And so afterwards—if He hungered and was tempted in the wilderness, Angels ministered to Him, even as an Angel strengthened Him in the agony of the garden. If He submitted to baptism, the Voice and vision from heaven attested His Sonship; if enemies threatened, He could miraculously pass through them; if the Jews assailed, there was the Voice of God to glorify Him; if He was nailed to the cross, the sun craped (cover or shroud) His brightness, and earth quaked; if He was laid in the tomb, Angels kept watches, and heralded His rising. When General William booth was the head of the Salvation Army, one of their missionaries wrote back from England, wanting to come home. He said, “Gen. Booth, I've tried everything.” Gen. Boothe sent back this two word reply: “Try Tears!” Ps. 126:5-6 Wept (1145) (dakruo from dakru = tear - see dakruon) means to shed tears. John 11:35 is the only NT use of dakruo. In classical usage, in the Septuagint, and in Josephus, dakruō is used alone to mean “cry,” “weep,” or “shed tears.” It is also used with a direct object to mean “to weep for” something or someone. Dakruo means ‘to shed tears’, as in lament before some calamity. There are 3 uses in the Septuagint - Job 3:24; Ezek. 27:35; Mic. 2:6 ILLUSTRATION - A mission executive from the United States was visiting a school in Kenya where he was listening as teenage girls shared how they had been blessed by hearing the Bible in their own language. One girl testified that the verse that had the greatest impact on her was Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Another said that the verse that had the greatest impact on her was John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” She said that when she wept in the night, she knew that Jesus was weeping with her. The mission executive wondered why these two girls were mourning and weeping. He thought that maybe they had chosen these verses to share because they were short and easy to remember. But the school’s teacher leaned over and whispered to him that both of these girls had lost their parents to AIDS. Jesus’ compassion comforted them in their losses. In the same way, the Teacher calls you to come to Him with your tears. He cares for you and He will cry with you. Come to Him! (Steven Cole) In a study of the King James Version of the Bible someone gathered the following facts: "The Scriptures contain 3,586,489 letters, 773,692 words, 31,173 verses, and 1,189 chapters. The word 'and' occurs 1,855 times, but the word 'revered' only once. Ezra 7:21 contains all the letters of the alphabet except 'J.' The longest verse is Esther 8:9, and the shortest in the English language is John 11:35." Knowing miscellaneous facts about the Bible is fine. But far better is the diligent searching of its truths for knowledge. (ED: EVEN BETTER IS KNOWING THE ONE WHO WROTE THE BOOK!) IMAGERY OF TEARS Dictionary of Biblical Imagery - page 2840 TEARS SEE ALSO - MOURN, MOURNING; WEEPING. Tears are a manifestation of strong emotion, usually of grief. In the Bible, whereas tears are uncontrollable with “weeping,” when associated with “crying” they are more frequent and multi-caused. Tears are shed as marks of humility (Ps 80:5; Acts 20:19), frustration (Jer 9:1) and disappointment (Lam 1:16). While the actual Hebrew and Greek words for tears occur only thirty-six times in the OT and NT, tears are often implied. However, in texts where other verbs of weeping are used, these are sometimes translated with a phrase that includes tears (more commonly in recent versions than in the KJV). The tears in Genesis 27:38 become explicit in Hebrews 12:17. Even more indirect expressions such as “dried up” (Ps 69:3) or “poured out” (1 Sam 1:15; Job 30:16; Ps 22:14; 42:4; Lam 2:11, 19) may reflect contemporary notions of the physiology of tears. Characters in biblical narrative shed tears in a wide variety of circumstances: entreaty, whether on one’s own behalf (Gen 27:38) or for the sake of others (Esther 8:3; Mk 9:34), especially in prayer to God (1 Sam 1:10; 2 Sam 12:22; 2 Kings 20:3; Job 16:16, 20; Lam 2:18–19); joy (Gen 43:30); grief for loved ones who have died (Rebekah for her nurse, Gen 35:8; David for Absalom, 2 Sam 18:33; Rachel for her children, Jer 31:15 and Mt 2:18; Mary for Lazarus, Jn 11:33; disciples for Jesus, Mk 16:10 and Jn 20:11; friends for Dorcas, Acts 9:39 NEB); grief for national apostasy (Ps 119:136) or disaster (Is 16:9; Lam 1:2, 16; Lk 23:28; though Ezek 24:16 hints that tears may be insufficient); depression or spiritual longing (Ps 42:3); maltreatment (Ps 31:9; Eccles 4:1; Acts 20:19); exile anticipated (Jer 9:18) or realized (Ps 137:1); physical suffering interpreted as divine disfavor (Ps 6:6–7; 39:12); and remorse (Peter in Mt 26:75). Often we cannot pinpoint a single emotional source. Mixed emotions are ascribed to the elders in Ezra 3:12, and the tears of the woman who was forgiven much (Lk 7:38, 44) surely spring from joy and gratitude mingled with compunction. In many passages, commentators read tears as tokens of contrition and penitence even when these feelings are not explicitly named. Christ weeps for his dead friend Lazarus (Jn 11:35), for a spiritually unresponsive and therefore doomed Jerusalem (Lk 19:41) and in his own inner struggles (Heb 5:7, an allusion to Gethsemane and perhaps to other, unrecorded episodes). Beyond these specific scenes, he is identified as the “man of sorrows … acquainted with grief” of Isaiah 53:3 (KJV), and already in earliest Christian times some of the psalms of lament were read as referring to him. His tears are a mark of his humanity, both part and symbol of his self-emptying. Christ’s tears of compassion for his people are foreshadowed in the OT by those of Jeremiah, both in his prophecy (Jer 9:1; 13:17; 14:17) and in the book of Lamentations ascribed to him (Lam 2:11; 3:48–49). Paul is a follower of Christ in this respect, moved to tears by the strength of his caring for his converts, whether in person (Acts 20:31) or in writing (2 Cor 2:4). Tears associated with sorrow for one’s sin are, for obvious reasons, especially prominent in homiletic and devotional traditions. Peter’s tears after denying his Lord, the copious outpouring by the woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears (identified in tradition with Mary Magdalene, the weeper at the tomb) and the penitential cries found in the psalms attributed to David (e.g., where tears seem a natural expression of the “broken and … contrite heart” of Ps 51:17)—these are the chief texts used in making a firm link between tears and repentance. There are, however, occasions of weeping when the genuineness of the emotion is uncertain. The tears shed in Jeremiah 3:21, for example, are little more than an attempt to avert the justifiable wrath of God. Very often the context of disobedience and idolatry in which such weeping is set throws in doubt its sincerity. Scripture suggests that God will relieve people of their tears, unless one is guilty of an irrevocable misdeed (the case of Esau, Heb 12:16–17) or unrepentant despite distress (Mal 2:13 in the more traditional reading). It is true that David’s infant son dies (2 Sam 12:22–23), but the Lord sees Hezekiah’s tears and heals him (2 Kings 20:5 par. Is 38:5). “Thou hast delivered … mine eyes from tears,” says the psalmist (Ps 116:8 KJV), and the tears of “Rachel” will end in the exiles’ return (Jer 31:16). Indeed there is assurance that “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Ps 30:5 KJV), and that “they that sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Ps 126:5 KJV); this hope is echoed in Luke 6:21 and John 16:20. The point is not merely that the dismay represented by tears will eventually be replaced by joy, but that tears can be a path to joy and are therefore good. Somewhat related in exegetical tradition is Psalm 84:6, “Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well”; despite the different metaphor (water replacing drought), the miracle is similar. But the word bākā’, treated in the KJV as a place name, is translated literally in the LXX, and the subsequent Vulgate rendering vallis lacrymarum gave rise to the familiar English phrase “vale of tears,” which has become a metaphor for the whole of our earthly pilgrimage. Already in Isaiah the idea of an end to weeping is given an eschatological turn (Is 30:19; 35:10; 51:11; 65:19; and esp. Is 25:8: “The LORD God will wipe away tears from off all faces”). This last image is quoted twice in the book of Revelation (Rev 7:17; 21:4). Visual images associated with tears include eyes dimmed (Ps 38:10), a face disfigured by weeping (Gen 43:31; 2 Sam 12:20; see DEFORMITY) and the image of exaggerated flow—a fountain (Jer 9:1, 18) or river (Ps 119:136; Lam 2:16, 18) of tears, enough to drench a bed (Ps 6:6) or fill a wineskin (Ps 56:8). This last image (nō’d, KJV “bottle”) may begin as a play on nōd (“wandering”) in the preceding hemistich, but the conceit that develops of God’s preserving the tears of sufferers becomes the dominant theme of the verse, being paralleled in the succeeding clause. Beyond the purely visual are such figures as that of tears contaminating one’s drink (Ps 102:9) or replacing food and drink (Ps 42:3; 80:5; 127:2, “bread of sorrows”). See also BURIAL, FUNERAL, SADNESS & MOURNING, LAMENT PSALMS; BIBLIOGRAPHY. T. Collins, “The Physiology of Tears in the Old Testament,” CBQ 33 (1971) 18–38, 185–97; I. Hausherr, BORROW Penthos: The Doctrine of Compunction in the Christian East (1944) (Cistercian Studies 53; Kalamazoo, MI: Cistercian, 1982); F. F. Hvidberg, BORROW Weeping and Laughter in the Old Testament: A Study of Canaanite-Israelite Religion (Leiden: Brill; Copenhagen: A. Busck, 1962); M. Ross, BORROW The Fountain and the Furnace (New York: Paulist, 1987). Henry Blackaby - When It's OK to Cry Jesus wept. John 11:35 How often do heroes show their emotions? Do you recall many movies where the hero, especially if it was a man, cried? In the old westerns, a cowboy could lose his friends, his ranch, and his family, but as long as nothing happened to his horse, he wouldn’t shed a tear. He’d simply wince, scowl, and reach for his gun. Times have changed, somewhat. Now it’s okay for real men to show emotion, but we’re still a little embarrassed when they do, aren’t we? Jesus showed tremendous self-control when he was baited by the Pharisees and taunted by the crowds. The Bible doesn’t record that he cried when soldiers pounded spikes into his hands and feet. The Bible never tells of Jesus’ weeping for his own suffering, but it tells us he wept for other people’s pain. Lazarus and his sisters were three of Jesus’ closest friends. After Lazarus died, Jesus saw the sorrow of Mary and Martha, and it moved him deeply. Jesus could, and would, bring Lazarus back to life. Nonetheless, John records that Jesus was “deeply moved in spirit and troubled” when he saw Lazarus’s family and friends overcome by grief and despair (John 11:33). Lazarus had been Jesus’ friend too; Jesus wept with them. Jesus didn’t weep because Lazarus had died, for Jesus was about to raise him back to life. Jesus wept because he saw the anguish and hopelessness of his friends. Your family and your friends will go through times of pain and loss. Because you care deeply, you’ll want to do something to help. You may grow frustrated when you can’t think of the right words to say. Perhaps your compassion will move you to seek answers to their suffering or to find ways to alleviate their pain. But there may be times when there is little you can do to change their circumstances. Sometimes the best thing you can say is nothing; the best thing you can do is simply to listen and share their sorrow (1 Corinthians 12:26). Tears aren’t always a sign that you’ve lost your self-control. Sometimes they show that you, like Jesus, have the capacity for true compassion. (BORROW - The experience : a devotional and journal : day by day with God) Jesus Cried Jesus wept. — John 11:35 Today's Scripture: John 11:21-35 A friend whose young daughter was killed in a car accident in May 2005 told me: “I cried easily before Natalie’s accident. . . . Now I am always crying. Sometimes the tears just slip out.” Anyone who has suffered such intense personal tragedy understands what she is talking about. Is there anything wrong with crying? Or do we have biblical evidence to suggest that it’s okay to cry? Jesus gives us the answer. Lazarus, a close friend of His, had died. When Jesus arrived at the home of Lazarus’ sisters, they were surrounded by friends who had come to console them. Jesus saw Mary and Martha and their friends mourning, and He too was overcome. Sorrowing with them, “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Sadness, tears, and mourning are familiar territory for everyone on this earth—even for Jesus. His tears tell us that it’s okay if tears “just slip out.” And they remind us that the reason tears of sorrow will be extinct in eternity is that “there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain” (Rev. 21:4). God shall wipe away all tears; There’s no death, no pain, nor fears, And they count not time by years, For there is no night there. —Clements Heaven—no pain, no night, no death, no tears. God’s Tears Jesus wept. — John 11:35 Today's Scripture: John 11:28-37 In C. S. Lewis’ story The Magician’s Nephew, Digory recalled his terminally ill mother and how his hopes were all dying away. With a lump in his throat and tears in his eyes, he blurted out to Aslan, the great lion who represents Christ, “Please, please—won’t you—can’t you give me something that will cure Mother?” Then, in his despair, Digory looked up at Aslan’s face. “Great shining tears stood in the Lion’s eyes. They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory’s own that for a moment he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself. ‘My son, my son,’ said Aslan. ‘I know. Grief is great.Only you and I in this land know that yet. Let us be good to one another.’” I think of Jesus’ tears at Lazarus’ grave (John 11:35). I believe He wept for Lazarus as well as for Mary and Martha and their grief. Later, Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44). And He knows and shares our grief today. But as He promised, we will see Him again in the place He’s preparing for us (John 14:3). In heaven, our grief will end. “God will wipe away every tear from [our] eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (Rev. 21:4). He knows our burdens and our crosses, Those things that hurt, our trials and losses, He cares for every soul that cries, God wipes the tears from weeping eyes. —Brandt If you doubt that Jesus cares, remember His tears. The Gift Of Tears Jesus wept. —John 11:35 Today's Scripture & Insight: John 11:32-44 I called a longtime friend when his mother died. She had been a close friend of my mother, and now both had passed on. As we spoke, our conversation slipped easily into a cycle of emotion—tears of sorrow now that Beth was gone and tears of laughter as we recalled the caring and fun person she had been. Many of us have experienced that strange crossover from crying one moment and laughing the next. It’s an amazing gift that emotions of both sorrow and joy can provide a physical release in this way. Since we are made in God’s image (Gen. 1:26), and humor is such an integral part of almost every culture, I imagine that Jesus must have had a wonderful sense of humor. But we know that He also knew the pain of grief. When his friend Lazarus died, Jesus saw Mary weeping, and “He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.” A short time later, He too began to weep (John 11:33-35). Lord, You have made us to laugh, to cry, to yearn, to love—and to miss those who have gone before us. Help us to love even more deeply, confident in Your goodness and in the resurrection You promise. Our loving heavenly Father, who washed away our sins, will also wipe away our tears. Rick Renner - The Smallest Verse in the Bible Jesus wept. —John 11:35 When I was a teenager, we played games in our youth group that helped us memorize Bible verses. Often our Sunday school teacher or youth leader would ask us Bible questions to see how well we really knew God’s Word. A question often asked, and one that nearly everyone in the group could answer, was this: “What is the shortest verse in the Bible?” Everyone in the group would simultaneously yell out, “I know, I know!” So the teacher would ask, “All right, what is it?” Almost in chorus, the teenagers would shout, “Jesus wept!” Everyone in the group knew the answer to that one! This little verse is found in John 11, where Jesus had just received information that Lazarus, one of His dearest friends, had died. Several days later, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the city where Lazarus lived with his two sisters, Mary and Martha. As Jesus approached the city, Mary and other friends who had gathered met Him. John 11:33 tells us, “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.” The Greek New Testament makes it clear that Jesus was deeply troubled when He arrived in Bethany. Perhaps He was troubled because of the disbelief of those who were present or because of what Satan had attempted to do to His dear friend. But one thing is sure: What Jesus was experiencing wasn’t just a matter of human emotions, for the Bible says He “groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.” The word “troubled” comes from the Greek word taresso, which depicts one who is deeply stirred. This describes a deep, inward form of prayer when Jesus’ spirit hooked up with the Holy Spirit in a powerful, supernatural expression of the Father’s will and released the anointing required to meet the need of that moment. I understand this type of deep stirring even from my own prayer life. There are times when prayer is too deep for words, and it may be expressed as groanings or with tears as the Holy Spirit takes hold together with me and helps me pray from my spirit what my mind cannot articulate (see Romans 8:26). It was in this state of being that Jesus said, “… Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.” Immediately John 11:35 states: “Jesus wept.” The word “wept” is the Greek word dakruo, which refers to an abrupt release of tears. So when the Bible says Jesus wept, it means He actually burst into tears and sobbed. It was a torrent of tears. His emotions were gripped by the moment as He looked upon the unbelief of attenders and realized that death that seized His friend. But in that moment, Jesus pushed beyond it all, lifted His voice, and declared, “Lazarus, come forth” (v. 43)! The Greek here is a command with no hint of a suggestion or any option. What He was commanding, He expected to take place. An interpretive translation of this verse could read: “Lazarus, come out—now!” And just as Jesus had commanded, it came to pass. John 11:44 tells us, “And he that was dead came forth.…” That day was quite revealing about Jesus. It let us know that Jesus was not always stoic about the issues that He faced in His earthly ministry. There were several episodes in the four gospels where Jesus demonstrated emotion: anger with merchants in the temple (see John 2:14–16), sadness that His disciples did not believe (see Matthew 8:26), and joy when His disciples got it right (see Matthew 16:17). We also see that Jesus experienced fleeting moments when He was tempted to be troubled. But rather than give in to that unproductive moment of emotion, Jesus rose above it, took authority over the situation, and turned the moment around for the glory of God. What could have ended in tears ended in victory because Jesus lifted His voice and gave a command! What are you facing right now? Do you feel the temptation to be gripped with paralyzing emotions? This story lets us know that Jesus was tempted with that too. Do you feel tugged by tears? Tears tugged Jesus’ emotions too. Is your voice of authority needed to bring a change to the situation you have found yourself in right now? Jesus’ voice was needed too. He understands completely when you cry, and He knows what it means when you need to push beyond the emotion in order to release faith into a situation. If you have been gripped by emotion in a particular challenge you’re currently facing, I urge you to spend some time today with the Lord and pour out your heart to Him. Once you’ve worked that emotion out of your soul, it will be time for you to lift your voice and take action. Let the authority embedded in your spirit speak! And when your voice releases that authority that is yours by right as a child of God, don’t budge an inch! Speak, as Christ spoke, giving no hint of suggestion or a different option. Command in the name of Jesus what you expect to take place! Just as Jesus rose to the moment, took authority over the situation, and turned it around for the glory of God, this can become your moment to rise to victory. What could have ended in tears can end in victory! J Oswald Sanders - Human in Every Sense John 11:35 Our Lord’s consenting to be subject to human limitations was part of the mystery of His great self-humiliation. While in His incarnate state He did not renounce His divine powers, His knowledge was so subject to human limitations that He submitted to the ordinary laws of human development. He was no exception to the rest of humanity. He acquired His knowledge through the ordinary channels open to the other boys of His day: through instruction, study, and reflection. It would appear that He even voluntarily renounced knowledge of certain future events. “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father” (Mark 13:32). Like us, Jesus was not self-sustained but needed prayer and communion with His Father for the support of His spiritual life. In all the great crises of His life, He resorted not to the counsel of men but to prayer to His Father for guidance (e.g., Luke 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28). He was subject to human limitations of power. He obtained the power for His divine works not by drawing on His inherent deity but by depending on the anointing Spirit (Acts 10:38). (ED: See also The Holy Spirit-Walking Like Jesus Walked!). One of the strongest evidences of the reality of His humanity was His experience of human suffering. He knew the salty taste of pain. Every nerve of His body was racked with anguish. Though He was God’s Son, He was not exempt from suffering (Hebrews 5:8). His sufferings of body and of spirit have formed the theme of many books. The fact that He was sinless made Him more sensitive to pain than His sinful contemporaries, for the latter deserved pain as a consequence of sin. We read of His being in agony. The events of His death on the cross assure us of His ability to sympathize with human suffering. He displayed the ultimate in human perfections. Both friend and foe acknowledge Him as the only perfect man. All attempts to depict a perfect character in human history, other than those of the four evangelists concerning Jesus, have failed. To conceive and portray a perfect character by an imperfect author is beyond the power of fallible, sinful man. Then how could these Galilean fishermen create such a life? The simple answer is that they did not. They merely faithfully recorded the life of One who had lived in their midst. His inner life had been open to their scrutiny as they were in daily contact with Him. If any fact stands out crystal clear in the New Testament, it is the complete and genuine humanity of Jesus Christ. (Earthen Vessels) Are You Afraid to Cry? Tears are stronger than words and more binding than treaties. In 1947, President Harry S. Truman visited Chapaltepec Castle, the West Point of Mexico. A hundred years earlier, when U.S. Troops captured the citadel, only six cadets survived, and they all committed suicide rather than surrender. As Truman placed a wreath on the monument to the heroes and bowed his head, the cadets in the color guard burst into tears. Someone said that nothing did more to help cement the two countries together than the emotion expressed on that occasion. Christians, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, can express their deepest agonies and noblest desires through tears. When mingled with prayer, trust, or compassion, tears become a most beautiful and ennobling expression of the believer's faith. I have no doubt that Jesus delighted in life's wholesome joys and pleasures, even though Scripture does not mention His smiles or laughter. Yet He was so in touch with the heartbreaks of sin all around Him that He wept unashamedly at a tomb, shed tears over the unbelief of Jerusalem, and entered fully into the sorrows of sin-laden humanity. The soul could have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears. Shared Tears Weep with those who weep. — Romans 12:15 Today's Scripture: John 11:14-36 A story is told about a little boy with a big heart. His next-door neighbor was an older gentleman whose wife had recently died. When the youngster saw the elderly man crying, he climbed up onto his lap and simply sat there. Later, his mother asked the boy what he had said to their saddened neighbor. “Nothing,” the child replied. “I just helped him cry.” Sometimes that is the best thing we can do for people who are facing profound sorrow. Often, our attempts to say something wise and helpful are far less valuable than just sitting next to the bereaved ones, holding their hand, and crying with them. One of the ways we can help our fellow believers is to “weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15). Jesus demonstrated that principle when He visited Mary and Martha after Lazarus died. Sensing the depths of Mary’s despair over her brother Lazarus’ death, Jesus shared her grief by weeping (Jn. 11:35). Bystanders took note and said, “See how He loved him!” (v.36). A heartfelt tear can show our love As words can never do; It says, "I want to share your pain— My heart goes out to you." —DJD A sorrow shared is a sorrow halved. —Shakespeare A Time To Cry Jesus wept. —John 11:35 Today's Scripture: John 11:1-7,32-36 My father (Richard De Haan) had been battling a debilitating disease for many years. We asked the Lord to take him home. But as I knelt by his bed and watched him take that last breath, the tears I had choked back on other occasions came out like a flood. As my brothers and my mother hugged and prayed, the finality was overwhelming. That event helped me understand the significance of the shortest verse in the Bible: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). God the Son wept! He knew the reality of heaven. He was the source of all hope of a future day of resurrection. And yet, Jesus cried. He loved His friends Mary and Martha and Lazarus so much that “He groaned in the spirit and was troubled” (v.33). Jesus truly felt their heartache. When someone we love dies, we struggle with a wide range of emotions. If a young person dies, we ask “Why?” When death comes after long-term suffering, we struggle to understand why the Lord waited so long to bring relief. We begin to think of God as distant, untouched by our sorrow. We may question His wisdom or His goodness. Then we read, “Jesus wept.” God is deeply touched by our anguish. One year ago today (8-28-2004), Kurt De Haan, was reunited with his father when God called him Home. (March 29, 1953-August 28, 2003) If you doubt that Jesus cares, remember His tears. Letting Go Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants. Psalm 116:15 Today's Scripture & Insight: John 11:21–36 “Your father is actively dying,” said the hospice nurse. “Actively dying” refers to the final phase of the dying process and was a new term to me, one that felt strangely like traveling down a lonely one-way street. On my dad’s last day, not knowing if he could still hear us, my sister and I sat by his bed. We kissed the top of his beautiful bald head. We whispered God’s promises to him. We sang “Great Is Thy Faithfulness” and quoted the 23rd Psalm. We told him we loved him and thanked him for being our dad. We knew his heart longed to be with Jesus, and we told him he could go. Speaking those words was the first painful step in letting go. A few minutes later, our dad was joyously welcomed into his eternal home. The final release of a loved one is painful. Even Jesus’ tears flowed when His good friend Lazarus died (John 11:35). But because of God’s promises, we have hope beyond physical death. Psalm 116:15 says that God’s “faithful servants”—those who belong to Him—are “precious” to Him. Though they die, they’ll be alive again. What did Jesus accomplish by His death on the cross? How does His sacrifice affect every person who has ever lived? Precious Father, thank You for the promise of eternal life in Your presence. For help in dealing with loss, read Life After Loss at discoveryseries.org/cb131. QUESTION - Jesus wept - why did Jesus weep? ANSWER - Two passages in the Gospels and one in the Epistles (Hebrews 5:7) teach that Jesus wept. In the Gospels our Lord wept as He looked on man’s misery, and both instances demonstrate our Lord’s (loving) human nature, His compassion for people, and the life He offers to those who believe. When Jesus wept, He showed all these things. John 11:1–45 concerns the death and resurrection of Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha and a friend of our Lord. Jesus wept (John 11:35) when He gathered with the sisters and others mourning Lazarus’s death. Jesus did not weep over the death itself since He knew Lazarus would soon be raised and ultimately spend eternity with Him in heaven. Yet He could not help but weep when confronted with the wailing and sobbing of Mary, Martha, and the other mourners (John 11:33). The original language indicates that our Lord wept “silent tears” or tears of compassion for His friends (Romans 12:15). If Jesus had been present when Lazarus was dying, His compassion would have caused Him to heal His friend (John 11:14–15). But preventing a death might be considered by some to be a chance circumstance or just a “minor” miracle, and this was not a time for any doubt. So Lazarus spent four days in death’s grave before Jesus publicly called him back to life. The Father wanted these witnesses to know that Jesus was the Son of God, that Jesus was sent by God, and that Jesus and the Father had the same will in everything (John 11:4, 40–42). Only the one true God could have performed such an awesome and breathtaking miracle, and through this miracle the Father and the Son were glorified, and many believed (John 11:4, 45). In Luke 19:41–44+ the Lord is taking His last trip to Jerusalem shortly before He was crucified at the insistence of His own people, the people He came to save. Earlier, the Lord had said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it” (Luke 13:34+). As our Lord approached Jerusalem and thought of all those lost souls, “He saw the city and wept over it” (Luke 19:41+). Here, wept is the same word used to describe the weeping of Mary and the others in John 11:33, so we know that Jesus cried aloud in anguish over the future of the city. That future was less than 40 years distant; in AD 70 more than 1,000,000 residents of Jerusalem died in one of the most gruesome sieges in recorded history. Our Lord wept differently in these two instances because the eternal outcomes were entirely different. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus had eternal life because they believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, but most in Jerusalem did not believe and therefore did not have life. The same is true today: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies’” (John 11:25).GotQuestions.org “Dead Is Dead” O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? — 1 Corinthians 15:55 Today's Scripture: Hebrews 9:24-28 Do you ever think about your inevitable death? Or are you like the influential theater tycoon Bernard Jacobs, who said, “Of all the things in the world I think least about, it’s what happens after you die. Dead is dead.” Is that what happens when we exhale our last breath and our brain cells stop functioning? When our life has come to an end, are we totally extinguished like a flame of a candle plunged into water? That’s a common belief. But it isn’t what the Bible teaches. Hebrews 9:27 declares that it is appointed for us “to die once, but after this the judgment.” If we have received Jesus as Savior from our sins, we need not fear facing Him. We will enter into blessed fellowship with God for all eternity, for we will be “absent from the body and . . . present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8). Jesus taught His disciples, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (John 11:25-26). “I go to prepare a place for you . . . That where I am there you may be,” Our death is not the end of life— Beyond, with Christ, eternity! —Hess Jesus’ resurrection spelled the death of Death. Comfort For Today Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. —Matthew 28:20 Today's Scripture: John 11:17-27 Over the last 50 years I have often reminded bereaved people of the wonderful truth that a glorious resurrection awaits all who believe on Jesus Christ. But sometimes grieving people are so overwhelmed with their loss that they cannot rejoice in the prospect of a far-off-in-the-future reunion. In John 11, we read about Martha’s struggle between her feelings and what she knew to be true. She was grieving because her brother Lazarus had died. When Jesus spoke with her, she told Him that she believed in a future day of resurrection. But then Jesus took her a step further and helped her to find comfort by focusing on Him rather than just on a future event. He declared, “I am the resurrection and the life” (v.25). This led her to confess her faith in Him (v.27). Her new focus on Him must have helped her because she then went to her sister Mary and told her to come to Jesus (v.28). I've been through the valley of weeping, The valley of sorrow and pain; But the God of all comfort was with me, At hand to uphold and sustain. —Anon. The coming King is our present companion. John 11:36 So the Jews were saying, "See how He loved him!" BGT John 11:36 ἔλεγον οὖν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι· ἴδε πῶς ἐφίλει αὐτόν. KJV John 11:36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! NET John 11:36 Thus the people who had come to mourn said, "Look how much he loved him!" CSB John 11:36 So the Jews said, "See how He loved him!" ESV John 11:36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" NIV John 11:36 Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" NLT John 11:36 The people who were standing nearby said, "See how much he loved him!" NRS John 11:36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" NJB John 11:36 and the Jews said, 'See how much he loved him!' NAB John 11:36 So the Jews said, "See how he loved him." YLT John 11:36 The Jews, therefore, said, 'Lo, how he was loving him!' MIT John 11:36 Therefore the Jews said, "See how much he loved him!" See: Jn 14:21-23 21:15-17 2Co 8:8,9 Eph 5:2,25 1Jn 3:1 4:9,10 Rev 1:5 John 11 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries OH HOW HE LOVES US Jesus loves me! This I know, For the Bible tells me so; Little ones to Him belong; They are weak, but He is strong. Refrain: Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so. So (oun) Term of conclusion. The conclusion based on seeing the emotion of Jesus and probably seeing a tear fall from His eye. The Jews (Ioudaios) were saying, "See (ide) how He loved (phileo - as a friend) him - Jews (Ioudaios) clearly does not refer to the Jews who sought to seize Him and kill Him (which is often the sense of "Jews" in the Gospels - context is the key to interpret accurately). The verb saying is in the imperfect tense, indicating they were saying this over and over. loved (phileo) is also in the imperfect tense. And they were correct as described in John 11:3, 5 (see note above on love in John 11). The Jews witnessed what they interpreted as the visible evidence of Jesus' love for His friend Lazarus when they saw the tears running down His cheeks. See (ide) is strictly, the second-person singular imperative of eidon (see, perceive, look) and is used as a demonstrative particle to prompt attention, with a basic meaning pay attention. THOUGHT - Does He not love us with the same love? (Rhetorical - Ro 5:8+) And will He not love us eternally with that same perfect, indescribably wonderful love? It would behoove each of us to frequently remind ourselves of His great love (enough to die) for us, which could be facilitated by memorizing and meditating on 1 John 3:1+ (See [aorist imperative = "JUST DO IT!"] how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.) and then thanking Him as you play the song Oh How He Loves You and Me. While clearly Jesus loved Lazarus, He is not weeping so much because Lazarus is dead. After all He knows that Lazarus will soon be resuscitated! Some writers feel His tears were for the grief of the people affected by death which is possible. Godet feels His sorrow is over the grief that both Lazarus and the sisters were facing at the separation they were experiencing. That's also possible, but again, He knows that their separation will soon end. Others think He was moved by the bleak inevitability of death. Leon Morris thinks He wept because of the wrong attitude of the Jews (cf His weeping over His rejection by Jerusalem). That is possible but Jesus' did not just shed a tear (dakruo) over Jerusalem but cried out with lamentation (klaio). (Lk 19:41+ "wept" = klaio, Lk 23:37+) NET Note on Jews (Ioudaios) - Or “the Judeans”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the friends, acquaintances, and relatives of Lazarus or his sisters who had come to mourn, since the Jewish religious authorities are specifically mentioned as a separate group in John 11:46–47. See also the notes on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in Jn 11:8 and “the Jewish people of the region” in Jn 11:19, as well as the notes on the word “people” in Jn 11:31, 33. See (2396)(ide also eide) to see, calling attention to what may be seen or heard or mentally apprehended in any way. Can denote surprise. Ide is "strictly, the second-person singular imperative of eidon (see, perceive, look at); used as a demonstrative particle to prompt attention, with a basic meaning pay attention, and followed by the nominative case or a statement to identify who or what is to be given attention; (1) to focus attention; (a) on a significant participant in a narrative, like behold!; here is (are), this in none other than (Mk 3.34; Jn 1.29); (b) on a significant place (Mk 16.6); (2) to introduce something for special attention; (a) because it is contrary to the hearer's expectation there now! take note! look! (Jn 3.26); (b) because it requires the hearer's response listen! see there! pay attention now! (Mk 15.4) (BORROW Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament) Vine adds "an aorist or point tense, marking a definite point of time, of the imperative mood of eidon, "to see" (taken as part of horaō, "to see"), is used as an interjection, addressed either to one or many persons.' Ide - 28x/27v - behold(18), lo(1), look(4), see(5). Matt. 25:20; Matt. 25:22; Matt. 25:25; Matt. 26:65; Mk. 2:24; Mk. 3:34; Mk. 11:21; Mk. 13:1; Mk. 13:21; Mk. 15:4; Mk. 15:35; Mk. 16:6; Jn. 1:29; Jn. 1:36; Jn. 1:47; Jn. 3:26; Jn. 5:14; Jn. 7:26; Jn. 11:3; Jn. 11:36; Jn. 12:19; Jn. 16:29; Jn. 19:4; Jn. 19:14; Jn. 19:26; Jn. 19:27; Gal. 5:2
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Wiersbe - There are three resurrections recorded in the Gospels, apart from that of our Lord Himself. Christ raised a twelve-year-old girl who had died (Luke 8:49–56), a young man who had been dead several hours (Luke 7:11–17), and an older man who had been in the tomb four days (John 11). They present a picture of three different kinds of sinners: (1) The little girl. Children are sinners, but open corruption has not yet set in. (2) The young man. Young people are sinners whose outward corruption begins to show. (3) The older man. Adults are sinners whose definite outward corruption can be seen. The point is that all three were dead. One person cannot be “more dead” than another. The only difference lay in the degree of decay. Is this not true of sinners today? The immoral church member is not “decayed” like the person on skid row, but he is still dead. (BORROW Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament page 240). A Dog Named Lazarus - In Artesia, New Mexico, Mary Bratcher accidentally ran over her own pet dog Browny. The family tearfully buried the mixed-breed dog in a field near their ranch home. The family's young son, Toby, age 3, refused to accept that his pet was dead. Browny's mother refused to accept it also. The mother dog dug Browny out of the ground and the following day the family returned from a trip to discover Browny caked with mud and dried blood on their porch. Browny, barely breathing, was rushed to a veterinarian. Browny will recover. Browny has lost an eye, has a broken shoulder and has a new name: Lazarus. When my parents were visiting the Holy Land, they sent us a postcard of Lazarus's tomb. Showing it to our six-year-old son Leslie, my husband explained that this is where Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Leslie asked if Grandma and Grandpa met Lazarus. "Of course not, he's dead," my husband said. To which Leslie retorted, "What? Again?" D L Moody - BEFORE THE ACT of raising Lazarus could be performed, the disciples had their part to do. Christ could have removed the stone with a word. It would have been easy for Him to have commanded it to roll away, and it would have obeyed His voice, as the dead Lazarus did when He called him back to life. But the Lord would have His children learn this lesson: that they have something to do toward raising the spiritually dead. The disciples had not only to take away the stone, but after Christ had raised Lazarus they had to “loose him, and let him go.” (See Related Resource: "Paradoxical Principle of 100% Dependent and 100% Responsible")
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Wiersbe - True faith relies on God’s promises and thereby releases God’s power. Martha relented, and the stone was rolled away. (Bible Exposition Commentary) As Jesus returns to Bethany, He will awaken Lazarus. When Christ returns for us again, He will awaken His Bride, the Church. -- Rod Mattoon James Smith - John 11:40 "BELIEVE AND THOU SHALT SEE" This statement may be regarded as a word of— 1. Rebuke to the questioning unbeliever. 2. Guidance to the anxious seeker. 3. Comfort to the suffering believer. 4. Cheer to the discouraged worker. 5. Hope to the dying Christian. Vance Havner - Thoughts at a Grave (BORROW Consider Him - page 8) “When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still.” John 11:6 Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. You would have expected him to hurry to Bethany. There is a love that tarries until we grumble: “If you had been here … this wouldn’t have happened.” Martha said, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” She believed in the doctrine of the resurrection. But Jesus immediately made it a personal thing: “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:24, 25). So many of us have our theology straight but we need to see him who gathers up all doctrine in himself, by whom it all consists. Then theology becomes doxology! “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” (11:40). Yes, but we still insist on seeing first, we are such slaves to sense. Are you standing by the grave of the impossible in your life, the thing that just simply can’t be done … and yet there he stands, saying, “Believe, and you shall see.” But he also said, “Take ye away the stone,” and you, like Martha, have objected: “It would create too great a stench in my home, in my church, among the neighbors.” You don’t dare remove the thing that hinders. So he does no mighty works for you because of your unbelief. “Said I not …?” “Whatever he says to you, do it.” And the impossible shall be done. F B
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Wiersbe - The sisters’ Jewish friends could only sympathize and weep; it took Christ to give the man life. How did Christ give him life? By the power of His word. This is the way He raised all three dead people mentioned above (see John 5:24 and Eph. 2:1–10). Why did Christ raise Lazarus? Because He loved him (Jn 11:5, 36) and because it brought glory to God (Jn 11:4). This is why He has saved us. We deserve to die and go to hell, but because of His great love, He rescued us. (Read again Eph 1:3–14 and Eph 2:1–10.) Keep in mind that salvation is not a set of rules; it is life (John 3:14–21, 36; 5:24; 10:10; 1 John 5:10–13). This life is a Person—Jesus Christ. When dead sinners hear the voice of the Son of God (the Word) and believe, they are given eternal life (John 5:25). To reject that Word is to be dead forever. (BORROW Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament page 240 - this is a great resource for sermon preparation). This is a resuscitation, not a resurrection. Bob Utley on You have heard Me - Jesus "hears" the Father (cf. John 8:26,40; 15:15) and the Father "hears" Him. Those who "hear" Jesus have eternal life. This is the continuing word play on "see" and "hear" as parallel to "receive" (John 1:12) and "believe" (John 3:16). Lazarus "heard" the voice of Jesus and came back to life. This is a resuscitation, not a resurrection. Streams in the Desert - John 11:41. THIS is a very strange and unusual order. Lazarus is still in the grave, and the thanksgiving precedes the miracle of resurrection. I thought that the thanksgiving would have risen when the great deed had been wrought, and Lazarus was restored to life again. But Jesus gives thanks for what He is about to receive. The gratitude breaks forth before the bounty has arrived, in the assurance that it is certainly on the way. The song of victory is sung before the battle has been fought. It is the sower who is singing the song of the harvest home. It is thanksgiving before the miracle! Who thinks of announcing a victory-psalm when the crusaders are just starting out for the field? Where can we hear the grateful song for the answer which has not yet been received? And after all, there is nothing strange or forced, or unreasonable in the Master’s order. Praise is really the most vital preparatory ministry to the working of the miracles. Miracles are wrought by spiritual power. Spiritual power is always proportioned to our faith.—Dr. Jowett. PRAISE CHANGES THINGS Nothing so pleases God in connection with our prayer as our praise, and nothing so blesses the man who prays as the praise which he offers. I got a great blessing once in China in this connection. I had received bad and sad news from home, and deep shadows had covered my soul. I prayed, but the darkness did not vanish. I summoned myself to endure, but the darkness only deepened. Just then I went to an inland station and saw on the wall of the mission home these words: “Try Thanksgiving.” I did, and in a moment every shadow was gone, not to return. Yes, the Psalmist was right, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.”—Rev. Henry W. Frost. JESUS AT A GRAVE John 11:32-45. HERE is Jesus weeping. “Jesus wept.” Why did He weep? Perhaps He wept out of sheer sympathy with the tears of others. And perhaps, too, He wept because some of our tears were needless. If we were better men we should know more of the love and purpose of our Lord, and perhaps many of our tears would be dried. Still, here is the sweet and heartening evangel. He sympathizes with my grief! Never a bitter tear is shed without my Lord sharing the tang and the pang. Here is Jesus praying! “Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me.” Then it is not so much a prayer as a thanksgiving. He gives thanks for what He is “about to receive.” Is this my way? Perhaps I do it before I take a meal. Do I do it before I begin to live the day? In the morning do I thank my God for what I am about to receive? Can I confidently give thanks before I receive the gifts of God, before the dish-covers are removed? Can I trust Him? And here is Jesus commanding, clothed in sovereign power: “Lazarus, come forth!” That is the same voice which “in the beginning created the heavens and the earth.” Oswald Chambers - Prayer in the Father’s hearing Father, I thank Thee that thou hast heard Me. John 11:41. When the Son of God prays, He has only one consciousness, and that consciousness is of His Father. God always hears the prayers of His Son, and if the Son of God is formed in me the Father will always hear my prayers. I have to see that the Son of God is manifested in my mortal flesh. “Your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost,” the ‘Bethlehem’ of the Son of God. Is the Son of God getting His chance in me? Is the direct simplicity of the life of God’s Son being worked out exactly as it was worked out in His historic life? When I come in contact with the occurrences of life as an ordinary human being, is the prayer of God’s Eternal Son to His Father being prayed in me? “In that day ye shall ask in My name.…” What day? The day when the Holy Ghost has come to me and made me effectually one with my Lord. Is the Lord Jesus Christ being abundantly satisfied in your life or have you got a spiritual ‘strut’ on? Never let common sense obtrude and push the Son of God on one side. Common sense is a gift which God gave to human nature; but common sense is not the gift of His Son. Supernatural sense is the gift of His Son; never enthrone common sense. The Son detects the Father; common sense never yet detected the Father and never will. Our ordinary wits never worship God unless they are transfigured by the indwelling Son of God. We have to see that this mortal flesh is kept in perfect subjection to Him and that He works through it moment by moment. Are we living in such human dependence upon Jesus Christ that His life is being “manifested in our mortal flesh”? Giving Thanks Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” — John 11:41 Today's Scripture: John 11:32-44 A tragedy left a family with a void that nothing could fill. A toddler chasing a cat wandered into the road and was run over by a delivery truck. A 4-year-old watched in shocked silence as her parents cradled the lifeless body of her little sister. For years, the cold emptiness of that moment encased the family in sadness. Feelings were frozen. The only comfort was numbness. Relief was unimaginable. Author Ann Voskamp was the 4-year-old, and the sorrow surrounding her sister’s death formed her view of life and God. The world she grew up in had little concept of grace. Joy was an idea that had no basis in reality. As a young mother, Voskamp set out to discover the elusive thing the Bible calls joy. The words for joy and grace come from the Greek word chairo, which she found out is at the center of the Greek word for thanksgiving. Could it be that simple? she wondered. To test her discovery, Voskamp decided to give thanks for 1,000 gifts she already had. She started slowly but soon gratefulness was flowing freely. Lord, I thank You that You have the power to raise the dead. May the feelings of joy that arise from our thanksgiving be seeds of grace to those who are afraid to feel. The joy of living comes from a heart of thanksgiving. John 11:42 "I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me." BGT John 11:42 ἐγὼ δὲ ᾔδειν ὅτι πάντοτέ μου ἀκούεις, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὄχλον τὸν περιεστῶτα εἶπον, ἵνα πιστεύσωσιν ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας. KJV John 11:42 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. NET John 11:42 I knew that you always listen to me, but I said this for the sake of the crowd standing around here, that they may believe that you sent me." CSB John 11:42 I know that You always hear Me, but because of the crowd standing here I said this, so they may believe You sent Me." ESV John 11:42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me." NIV John 11:42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." NLT John 11:42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me." NRS John 11:42 I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me." NJB John 11:42 I myself knew that you hear me always, but I speak for the sake of all these who are standing around me, so that they may believe it was you who sent me. NAB John 11:42 I know that you always hear me; but because of the crowd here I have said this, that they may believe that you sent me." YLT John 11:42 and I knew that Thou always dost hear me, but, because of the multitude that is standing by, I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send me.' MIT John 11:42 I have known all along that you always listen to me, but for the crowd's sake standing around, I spoke aloud that they might believe you commissioned me." I knew: Jn 11:22, Jn 8:29, Jn 12:27-28, Mt 26:53, Heb 5:7, Heb 7:25 but: Jn 11:31 Jn 12:29-30 that they: Jn 11:45-50 9:24-34 10:37,38 20:31 Mt 12:22-24 that You: Jn 3:17 6:38-40 7:28,29 8:16,42 10:36 17:8,21,25 Ro 8:3 Ga 4:4 1Jn 4:9,10,14 John 11 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: John 12:27-30+ “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.” 30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes. THE PURPOSE OF JESUS PUBLIC PRAYER I knew (eido) that You always hear (akouo) Me - Knew (eido) means Jesus knew beyond a shadow of a doubt the Father always heard His prayers. And note the qualifier of always! THOUGHT - Oh, to pray to God with such confidence, assurance and expectation! Of course God hears everything, but this refers to a hearing that accepts the petition. But because of the people standing around I said it, so that (hina) they may believe (pisteuo) that You sent (apostello) Me - The implication of I said it publicly suggests that Jesus also prayed silently, even independent of the times when He went away to pray (Mk 1:35+ Lk 6:12+). Sent (apostello) repeatedly speaks of the Father sending the Son on mission (sample of over 30 passages - Luke 10:16 John 3:17 John 5:36 John 6:29). So here we see another reason for Jesus' delay in coming to Bethany. The purpose of the audible prayer and miracle is that they may believe a purpose ultimately achieved in John 11:45 when "many...believed in Him." His audible prayer also would make it clear to all who heard that he depended on the Father. THOUGHT - See what wonders our Lord can work, and ask Him to work similar miracles in the spiritual realm, and to raise to life those who are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1+). (Spurgeon) Bob Utley on so that (hina) they may believe (pisteuo) - This states the purpose of Jesus' prayer and miracle. Jesus often performed miracles to encourage the faith of the disciples, and in this case it was to initiate faith in the Jewish friends of Lazarus from Jerusalem. Theologically Jesus again magnifies the Father's authority and priority in His works (cf. John 5:19,30; 8:28; 12:49; 14:10). This miracle reveals Jesus' intimate relationship with the Father. John repeatedly notes the fact that Jesus had been sent by the Father - John 4:34; 5:23–24, 30, 36–38; 6:29, 38–39, 44, 57; 7:16, 18, 28–29, 33; 8:16, 18, 26, 29, 42; 9:4; 10:36; 12:44–45, 49; 13:3, 20; 14:24; 15:21; 16:5, 27; 17:3, 8, 18, 21, 23, 25; 20:21; see also Mt. 10:40; Mark 9:37; Luke 4:43; 10:16. This fact repeatedly affirmed Jesus' oneness with His Father and His claim of deity. R C H
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Wiersbe - Lazarus was bound hand and foot and so could not free himself. The believer is not to be bound by the grave clothes of the old life, but should walk in the freedom of the new life. Read carefully Col. 3:1–17 to learn how the Christian is to “put off” the grave clothes and “put on” the “grace clothes” of the new life. It is a poor testimony for a Christian to carry with him the things of the old life. (BORROW Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament page 240). (ED COMMENT: Yes, put off and put on, but don't get legalistic about this and attempt it relying solely on your own power to accomplish it for you will soon experience a "power failure." You must rely on the provision of supernatural power. But it is not just "let go, let God," but more like "Let God, let's go!" See "Paradoxical Principle of 100% Dependent and 100% Responsible") THOUGHT - Which "wardrobe" are you wearing today, grave clothes or grace clothes? Many...have come to Calvary for pardon, but they’ve never been to Pentecost for power. -- Adrian Rogers Adrian Rogers (p 637) - (LAZARUS) has life, but he doesn’t have liberty. And, you see, my dear friend, what I want you to learn tonight is Jesus said, “[I’ve] come that [you] might have life, and…have it”—what?—“abundantly,” (John 10:10) see. Our Lord doesn’t want you just to have life; our Lord wants you to have abundant life. He doesn’t want you to be wrapped in the grave clothes of that old life. Now, the problem with many of our folks is they’ve been saved, but they don’t have liberty. I mean, they have come to Calvary for pardon, but they’ve never been to Pentecost for power. They’ve just kind of bogged down between Calvary and Pentecost..... James talks about “the superfluity of naughtiness.” (James 1:21KJV+)....What is the superfluity of naughtiness? Well, the word superfluity means “that which remains,” “that which is left over”—what we would call “hangover sins” when you get saved. You can be saved; you can have life, but you still have the grave clothes—the grave clothes of that old language. You know, some people, when they get saved, they lose about half their vocabulary, don’t they? They’ve got another half they still need to lose. Old language, old lust, old laziness, old learning, old loves—they have to be taken away; they have to be stripped away. And friend, a lot of us are saved, but we have the grave clothes of the old life that keep us from having abundant life. Now, here’s the news: number one, you must have life in Christ; number two, you must have liberty from Christ. And, Jesus says, “Loose him, and let him go.” (John 11:44) By now, my dear friend, I want to tell you this: the same Jesus that gives us life, by a corresponding miracle, gives us liberty. There are three miracles: the miracle of the new birth, the miracle of the Christian life, and the miracle of our resurrection. Our salvation begins with a miracle, continues with a miracle, commences with a miracle. I mean, it’s a miracle all the way. He doesn’t just save us and then just turn us loose. My dear friend, He breaks the power of cancelled sin. He sets the prisoner free. Jesus Christ did not call you from the grave to leave you bound and gagged and defeated. Look in John 8:32+. All of this is bound together. Look, if you will. Jesus said, “[You] shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32+) The same word that gives life gives liberty. Look, if you will, in verse 36: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, [you] shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36+) Now, you say, “Adrian, do you have power to raise the dead?” I do—I do. His Word gives life. I hold forth the Word of life. I’m talking to those who are dead in trespasses and sin. “Do you have power to unwrap the saints?” I do. Jesus said to those who were standing by, “Loose him, and let him go.” (John 11:44) That’s the job of the Church—not only to get them baptized but to get them unwrapped......You see, there’s liberty in Christ—there’s liberty in Christ. I thank God for those who helped unwrap me because I had a lot wrapped around me, friend. I still think I’ve got a few layers of gauze. Maybe you do, too. THOUGHT - Beloved, what needs to be unwrapped from your life in Christ so that you might be enabled by the Spirit to walk in newness of life, in liberty? Do you still have a few "layers of gauze" that need to be lain aside (Eph 4:22). I do! Brian Bell - Lessons: When delay occurs, God has a better time & a better way. When death occurs, God has a better plan & a better purpose. It revealed Jesus is who He said He was - the Resurrection & the life! But it revealed something else. The Tears of God! Now which do you say is more incredible? A man who raises the dead...or a God who weeps? What do you find more amazing? The power of Jesus or the emotions of Jesus? End: God warned Adam that disobedience would bring death, physical death (the separation of the soul from the body) and spiritual death (the separation of the soul from God). Revelation 20:14 calls hell the second death, that is eternal death. What sinners dead to God’s ways need is not: education, medicine, morality, or religion; they need new life in Jesus Christ. When dead sinners hear the voice of the Son of God (the Word) and believe, they are given eternal life. To reject that Word is to be dead forever. Keep in mind that salvation is not a set of rules; it is life. This life is a Person - JESUS CHRIST! Died (2348)(thnesko) is only in the perfect tense in the NT and usually refers to literal physical death. 1Ti 5:6+ is figurative describing a widow who continually (present tense) gives herself to wanton pleasure, this rotten fruit being a sure marker of one who is physically alive but spiritually dead (perfect tense = in such a state). Thnesko - 9x/9v - dead(7), died(2). Matt. 2:20; Mk. 15:44; Lk. 7:12; Lk. 8:49; Jn. 11:44; Jn. 19:33; Acts 14:19; Acts 25:19; 1 Tim. 5:6 Septuagint - Gen. 50:15; Exod. 4:19; Exod. 12:30; Exod. 14:30; Exod. 21:35; Lev. 11:31; Lev. 11:32; Num. 16:48; Num. 16:49; Num. 19:11; Num. 19:13; Num. 19:18; Num. 25:9; Num. 33:4; Deut. 25:5; Deut. 26:14; Jdg. 3:25; Jdg. 16:30; Ruth 1:8; Ruth 2:20; Ruth 4:5; Ruth 4:10; 1 Sam. 4:17; 1 Sam. 4:19; 1 Sam. 17:51; 1 Sam. 24:14; 1 Sam. 31:5; 1 Sam. 31:7; 2 Sam. 1:5; 2 Sam. 1:19; 2 Sam. 2:7; 2 Sam. 4:1; 2 Sam. 4:10; 2 Sam. 9:8; 2 Sam. 12:18; 2 Sam. 12:19; 2 Sam. 12:23; 2 Sam. 14:2; 2 Sam. 16:9; 1 Ki. 3:20; 1 Ki. 3:21; 1 Ki. 3:22; 1 Ki. 3:23; 1 Ki. 11:21; 1 Ki. 12:24; 1 Ki. 16:4; 1 Ki. 21:14; 1 Ki. 21:15; 1 Ki. 21:16; 1 Ki. 21:24; 1 Ki. 22:37; 2 Ki. 4:32; 2 Ki. 8:5; 2 Ki. 8:13; 2 Chr. 22:10; Job 39:30; Prov. 13:14; Eccl. 4:2; Isa. 14:19; Jer. 16:7; Jer. 22:10 Bound (bind, imprison, tie)(1210) deo means literally to bind, tie, fasten (Mt 12:29, Mt 13:30, Mt 21:2, 22:13, of Jesus = Mt 27:2, of demon possessed man - Mk 5:3, of Jesus' body "bound it in linen wrappings" = 19:40, Paul to bring Christians "bound to Jerusalem" = Acts 9:2, 14+), fasten with chains, to throw into chains (of John the Baptist - Mt 14:3, Barabbas "imprisoned" = Mk 15:7, Acts 24:27, Co 4:3). A woman who was bent together, had been "bound" by Satan through the work of a demon, Luke 13:16 (commentary). To be obliged to do something, as if one were bound with a physical restraint (Acts 20:22 - commentary "bound in spirit" = compelled by his convictions, under the constraining power of the Spirit of God, to go to Jerusalem) Binding and loosing - Mt 16:19, ("bind and loose") Mt 18:18 ("whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven") (See What does the Bible mean by binding and loosing?) "the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he is living" = Ro 7:2+ (be under the authority of), see also 1 Cor 7:39; 1 Cor 7:27. "The word of God is not imprisoned" 2 Ti 2:9+ (its ministry, course and efficacy were not hindered by the bonds and imprisonment suffered by Paul). Of angels (demons) who "are bound at the great river Euphrates." (Rev 9:14+). Of Satan "bound...for 1000 years." (Rev 20:2+) Deo - 40v - bind(7), binding(1), binds(2), bound(23), imprisoned(4), prisoners(1), put...in chains(1), tied(4). Matt. 12:29; Matt. 13:30; Matt. 14:3; Matt. 16:19; Matt. 18:18; Matt. 21:2; Matt. 22:13; Matt. 27:2; Mk. 3:27; Mk. 5:3; Mk. 5:4; Mk. 6:17; Mk. 11:2; Mk. 11:4; Mk. 15:1; Mk. 15:7; Lk. 13:16; Lk. 19:30; Jn. 11:44; Jn. 18:12; Jn. 18:24; Jn. 19:40; Acts 9:2; Acts 9:14; Acts 9:21; Acts 12:6; Acts 20:22; Acts 21:11; Acts 21:13; Acts 21:33; Acts 22:5; Acts 22:29; Acts 24:27; Rom. 7:2; 1 Co. 7:27; 1 Co. 7:39; Col. 4:3; 2 Tim. 2:9; Rev. 9:14; Rev. 20:2 Wrappings (2750) keiria was a band or bandage for swathing infants or dead bodies and only used in Jn 11:44 of wrapping Lazarus' corpse. Gilbrant writes that "From the days of Aristophanes (ca. Fifth– Fourth Century B.C.) this term can be traced as speaking of a bandage, but especially of the cloth used to wrap a corpse before burial. In the Septuagint the writer used it in the sense of the perfumed bedclothes used by a prostitute to allure her customers (Proverbs 7:16). The Gospel of John uses the term to refer to the grave clothes that still encircled Lazarus’ body after Jesus miraculously raised him from death (John 11:44). The Lord commanded the onlookers to remove these bandages." (Complete Biblical Library) Vine - denotes, firstly, "a band" either for a bed girth, or bed sheets themselves (Sept. of Prov. 7:16.); then, "the swathings wrapped round a corpse;" it is used in the plural in John 11:44. (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words) Cloth (napkin)(4676) soudarion is from a Latin loan word sudarium from sudor (sweat) transliterated into Greek soudarion which is a sweatcloth handkerchief or napkin. (Luke 19:20; Acts 19:12). A small piece of cloth used as a towel, napkin, or face cloth similar to our ‘handkerchief’. In Acts 19:12 the sweatcloths (“handkerchiefs,” KJV, NIV, NASB) "The head cloth probably was about one yard square" (Keener). Paul apparently tied around his head while making tents were taken to heal the sick (Bruce, New International Commentary on the New Testament, Acts, p.384). In John 11:44 and Jn 20:7 the “cloths” were used, according to Jewish custom, to cover the faces of the corpses of Lazarus and Jesus (cf the "Shroud of Turin"). Soudarion is found in papyrus marriage contracts as part of the dowry. Soudarion is used only 4 times in the NT - Lk. 19:20; Jn. 11:44; 20:7; Acts 19:12 and there are no uses in the Septuagint. Soudarion - 4x - cloth(1), face-cloth(1), handkerchief(1), handkerchiefs(1). - Lk. 19:20; Jn. 11:44; Jn. 20:7; Acts 19:12 Unbind(loose, destroy, untie, break) (3089) luo means to loose, release, dissolve. This word means to set free what is bound and possibly here pictures the world being set free from the corruption that exists because of sin (Ro 8:21+). The elements shall be loosened and broken up into their component parts, like a building being torn down. The physical structure of the present world will disintegrate. This picture is the very opposite of the consistency claimed by mockers in (2Pe 3:5+). Friberg - (1) literally, as freeing someone or something tied or bound loose, untie, set free, release (Mk 1.7; AC 22.30), opposite bind; figuratively, as freeing from a legal obligation free, release (1Co 7.27); as freeing from spiritual bondage set free ( Rev 1.5); (2) literally, as breaking something up into its component parts destroy, tear down, break up (2Pe 3.10); as breaking up a crowd dismiss, disperse (Acts 13.43); figuratively, as bringing something to an end do away with, undo (1Jn 3.8); (3) of law, commandments, scriptures set aside, annul, invalidate (Jn 7.23) (BORROW Analytical lexicon of the Greek New Testament PAGE 250) Luo - 39v - annuls(1), break(1), breaking(1), broke down(1), broken(4), destroy(2), destroyed(3), loose(2), loosed(2), putting an end to(1), release(1), released(7), removed(1), take off(1), unbind(1), untie(8), untied(1), untying(4). Matt. 5:19; Matt. 16:19; Matt. 18:18; Matt. 21:2; Mk. 1:7; Mk. 7:35; Mk. 11:2; Mk. 11:4; Mk. 11:5; Lk. 3:16; Lk. 13:15; Lk. 13:16; Lk. 19:30; Lk. 19:31; Lk. 19:33; Jn. 1:27; Jn. 2:19; Jn. 5:18; Jn. 7:23; Jn. 10:35; Jn. 11:44; Acts 2:24; Acts 7:33; Acts 13:25; Acts 13:43; Acts 22:30; Acts 27:41; 1 Co. 7:27; Eph. 2:14; 2 Pet. 3:10; 2 Pet. 3:11; 2 Pet. 3:12; 1 Jn. 3:8; Rev. 1:5; Rev. 5:2; Rev. 9:14; Rev. 9:15; Rev. 20:3; Rev. 20:7 Norman Geisler - JOHN 11:44—How could Lazarus come forth from the tomb if he was bound hand and foot? (When Critics Ask) PROBLEM: This verse states what seems impossible, namely, when Jesus raised Lazarus “he who had died came out bound hand and foot.” SOLUTION: It is not impossible. The Jewish corpses were not wound so tight (like an Egyptian mummy) that it precluded all motion. When life came back into Lazarus body he was no doubt jolted into action. He could have slid from his slab, stood upright on the floor, and if necessary, even jumped to the cave opening. Nothing more than this is implied in the term “came forth.” Having done what only He could do (namely, raise Lazarus from the dead), Jesus expected Lazarus and others to do what they could do. So Jesus asked them to unloose Lazarus’ cords. Mark Hitchcock - What About Near-Death Experiences? (BORROW 101 answers to the most asked questions about the end times) Some of the bestselling books in the last decade are about near-death experiences (NDEs). Books like Embraced by the Light and Saved by the Light have captured the attention of millions who want to peer behind death's curtain to get a sneak preview of the afterlife. Two points about NDEs are important to understand. First, they are called "near-death" experiences, not "death" or "afterlife" experiences. The fact that the person came back from whatever state they were in seems to be proof that they didn't really die. Therefore, we shouldn't put any stock in what their stories purport to tell us about the afterlife. After all, these people were only near death, not dead. It's as ridiculous as a woman telling another woman about her "near-pregnancy" experience. You're either pregnant or you're not. Likewise, you're either dead or you're not. As one writer in Christianity Today said, near-death experiences "tell us no more about death than someone who has been near Denver but never within city limits can tell us about that town. Both NDEs (near-Denver and near-death experiences) are bereft of certitude.... In both cases, more reliable maps are available." The only people who ever really came back from the dead are the few individuals in Scripture that the Lord or one of His servants raised. And none of them wrote a book about their experience or hit the talk show circuit. Even the apostle Paul, who was caught up to heaven on one occasion, did not reveal the things he saw there (2 Corinthians 12:1-5). Second, the only reliable source of information about the afterlife is the Bible. Much of the idle speculation that is related from NDEs sounds like it has more in common with the occult and the New Age movement than the Bible. We should turn to God's Word to discover what we want to know about the afterlife, and we should be satisfied with what God has chosen to reveal to us about heaven and hell. For anyone who wants to know more about the afterlife, I would suggest reading the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) and the description of heaven in Revelation 21-22
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Wiersbe says "The stage had been set for the greatest drama in history, during which man would do his worst and God would give His best." Seize (catch)(4084) piazo related to piezo = to press) originally meant to press or squeeze, and then to take hold of with a firm grasp as here in Acts 3:7. More often piazo speaks of seizing someone with a hostile intent so as to overpower them or to gain control. Most often piazo is used to describe the hostile attempts to seize Jesus (Jn 7:30, 32, 44, Jn 8:20, 10:39, 11:57). In 2 Cor 11:32 used of the attempt "to seize" Paul at "the city of the Damascenes." In Acts 12:4 of Herod who "seized him (Peter and), he put him in prison." Piazo - 12v - Jn. 7:30; Jn. 7:32; Jn. 7:44; Jn. 8:20; Jn. 10:39; Jn. 11:57; Jn. 21:3; Jn. 21:10; Acts 3:7; Acts 12:4; 2 Co. 11:32; Rev. 19:20