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More John commentaries
John 8:1-7
Pharisees Condemn the Adulterous Woman
John 8:8-11
Jesus Forgives the Adulterous Women
John 8:12-20
Jesus is the Light of the World
John 8:21-30
Jesus Predicts His Death
John 8:48-59
Jesus’ Claims To His Identity
John 9:1-12
Contentment in Any Circumstance
John 9:13-23
Trouble with the Jewish Leaders
John 9:24-41
The Testimony of the Healed Man
John 10:11-21
The Good Shephard Knows His Sheep
John 10:22-42
Rejected by the Religious Leaders
John 11:1-16
News of Lazarus’ Death
John 11:17-30
Jesus Arrives at Mary and Martha’s House
John 11:31-44
Jesus Calls Lazarus Forth from the Grave
John 11:45-57
Jesus Withdraws to Ephraim
John 12:1-11
Mary Anoints Jesus’ Feet
John 12:12-19
Jesus’ Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem
John 12:20-36
Jesus uses an illustration of the Seed
John 12:37-50
Hardened Hearts and the Fear of Man
John 13:1-11
Humbleness, Holiness and Happiness
John 13:12-20
Happiness Comes by Service Others
John 13:21-30
Preparation of the Betrayal
John 13:31-38
Christ’s Farewell Sermon to His Disciples
John 14:1-12
Jesus Encourages the Troubled Disciples
John 14:13-14
The Measure, Means, and Might of Prayer
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News of Lazarus’ Death
John 11:1–16
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
According to Life magazine, William Randolph Hearst, when 75 years old, forbad the mention of death in his presence. However, when yielding voting control of his publications to an attorney, “the man who has arrogantly and brilliantly ruled a $200,000,000 empire acknowledged … More
The setting for a miracle is described (vv. 1- 6). Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, had become gravely ill. Jesus was about twenty miles from Bethany when a messenger arrived with the news that His dear friend, Lazarus, was critically ill. Scripture makes it clear there was a strong love relationship between Jesus and this family (v. 3). However, Jesus waits four days before He and His disciples go to Lazarus’ house and when they arrive he has been dead for four days. The fact that he had been dead that long only gives greater proof of the miracles and greater opportunity for people to believe.
Bethany is located on the east side of the Mount of Olives which is only about two miles from Jerusalem. When Jesus announced that He was going there, His disciples were concerned because they knew how dangerous this would be (vv. 7-10). He calmed their fears by reminding them that He was on the Father’s schedule, and nothing could harm Him until His appointed time. Jesus tells them that Lazarus is asleep, which the disciples wrongly assumed, meant Lazarus had not died, but was sleeping physically and this would be good for his illness (vv. 11-16). Then He told them that Lazarus was dead. This meant the disciples had the unique opportunity of having their faith strengthened. This raising Lazarus from the dead was our Lord’s greatest miracle and the one that aroused the most response from both His friends and His enemies. Lazarus has been in the grave four days so this miracle could not be denied or avoided by the Jewish leaders.
Application
How do I handle grief:
John 11:1-16 (English Standard Version)
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." But when Jesus heard it he said, "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to him, "Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." After saying these things, he said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him." The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him." So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »
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