Whatsoever thou wilt ask of God - Whatever is necessary to our consolation that thou wilt ask, thou canst obtain. It is possible that she meant gently to intimate that he could raise him up and restore him again to them. read more
John 11:20-22. Then Martha, &c. Jesus was no sooner come into the neighbourhood, but presently the news of his approach was brought to the afflicted family, that had so long impatiently desired to see him. Martha, therefore, immediately went out; and, being told what way he was coming, soon met him: but Mary sat still in the house Probably not hearing of his coming: for Martha, overjoyed at the news of his approach, did not take time to tell her sister of it, but went out in all... read more
BACK TO JUDEA116. Resurrection of Lazarus (John 11:1-44)While Jesus was still in the region between the Jordan and Jerusalem, he heard that his friend Lazarus, who lived in Bethany, was seriously ill. Jesus did not hurry to Bethany, because he knew that Lazarus was already dead. By raising him to life, Jesus would give unmistakable evidence of his unity with the Father (John 11:1-6).After waiting two days, Jesus decided to set out for Bethany. The disciples tried to stop him, fearing that the... read more
know . Greek. oida. App-132 . ask . Greek aiteo. App-134 . Used of our prayers (Matthew 7:7 , &c.), never of the Lord's address to the Father. Neither Martha, the disciples or the Jews understood the claim of John 10:30 . read more
John 11:21-22. Then said Martha unto Jesus,— Martha's intention, no doubt, was to welcome Jesus; but being in an excess of grief, the first thing she uttered was a complaint, that he had not come sooner. Imagining that he could not cure her brother while at a distance from him, she thought that, by delaying to come, he had neglected to save her brother's life: Lord, if thou hadst been here, &c. Thus Martha, in one respect, betrayed a mean notion of our Lord's power; though, in another, her... read more
22. But I know that even now, &c.—Energetic characters are usually sanguine, the rainbow of hope peering through the drenching cloud. whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee—that is "even to the restoration of my dead brother to life," for that plainly is her meaning, as the sequel shows. read more
1. The seventh sign: raising Lazarus 11:1-44Jesus had presented Himself as the Water of Life, the Bread of Life, and the Light of Life. Now He revealed Himself as the resurrection and the life. This was the seventh and last of Jesus’ miraculous signs that John recorded, and it was the most powerful revelation of His true identity. [Note: See Edersheim, 2:308.] It shows Jesus’ authority over humankind’s greatest and last enemy: death. Some scholars view Jesus’ resurrection as one of His signs.... read more
The revelation of the resurrection and the life 11:17-29The scene now shifts from the region near Bethany of Perea (John 1:28; John 10:40) to the Bethany in Judea. Both towns became sites where people believed on Jesus. read more
Martha addressed Jesus respectfully but probably not reverentially as "Lord." Some readers of the story have interpreted John 11:21 as containing a rebuke, but Martha’s words there do not necessarily imply criticism. At least they convey Martha’s grief and her confidence in Jesus’ power to heal people. In view of John 11:24; John 11:39, John 11:22 probably does not mean that Martha believed that Jesus could raise Lazarus back to life. More likely Martha was reaffirming her confidence in Him... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - John 11:22
And even now I know, that whatsoever thing thou shalt ask of God, God will give it thee. νῦν οἶδα may be contrasted with John 11:27 . In his presence she knows intuitively that nothing is impossible. The αἰτήση is a word of more human quality than that which our Lord customarily used for his own appeals to God. He spoke of ἐρωτᾶν , to seek as an equal; παρακαλεῖν , to intercede for another; προσεύχεσθαι , to pray; δεῖσθαι , to supplicate. It was appropriate... read more