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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 11:1-16

We have in these verses, I. A particular account of the parties principally concerned in this story, John 11:1, 2. 1. They lived at Bethany, a village nor far from Jerusalem, where Christ usually lodged when he came up to the feasts. It is here called the town of Mary and Martha, that is, the town where they dwelt, as Bethsaida is called the city of Andrew and Peter, John 1:44. For I see no reason to think, as some do, that Martha and Mary were owners of the town, and the rest were their... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 11:1-44

We have tried to expound the raising of Lazarus simply as the story stands written. But we can not evade the fact that of all the miracles of Jesus this presents the greatest problem. Let us honestly face the difficulties. (i) In the other three gospels there are accounts of people being raised from the dead. There is the story of the raising of Jairus' daughter ( Matthew 9:18-26 ; Mark 5:21-43 ; Luke 8:40-56 ). There is the story of the raising of the widow's son at Nain ( Luke... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 11:11-16

11:11-16 Jesus said these things, and then he went on to say: "Our friend Lazarus is sleeping; but I am going to waken him up." "Lord," the disciples said to him, "if he is sleeping he will recover." But Jesus had spoken about his death. They thought that he was speaking about the sleep of natural sleep. So Jesus then said to them plainly: "Lazarus has died, and, for your sakes, I am glad that I was not there, because it is all designed in order that you may come to believe. But let us go to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 11:13

Howbeit Jesus spake of his death ,.... Under the figurative phrase of sleeping: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep ; in a literal and natural sense. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 11:1-16

(1) The mystery and might of sacrificial love seen in the prelude of the miracle . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 11:1-16

The raising of Lazarus. This event, a third good work, hastened the final crisis. I. THE BETHANY FAMILY . "Now a certain man was sick , Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha." 1. Their home . It was a small village on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, two miles from Jerusalem. It is familiar to us in the earlier Gospels as the place to which our Lord resorted from time to time for happy retirement. It remains the sweetest spot in the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 11:1-57

7. Christ the Antagonist of death—a victory of love and power . The narrative of this chapter is a further advance in the proof that the unbelief of the Jews was aggravated by the greatness of the revelation. The issue of his sublime and culminating act of power, of his supreme and self-revealing work of transcendent tenderness and beauty, was a deeper and wilder passion of hatred. The evangelist completes his series of seven great miracles with one that in true and believing minds,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 11:13

Now Jesus had spoken of his death: but they thought that he spake of taking rest in sleep . λέγει , though in the present tense, represents a time anterior to the time of ἔδοξαν . κοίμησις is found in Ecclus. 46:19. This is an explanation of the misunderstanding, occasioned, perhaps, by the statement of verse 4, and further elucidated by what follows. A difference prevails between κοίμησις and ὕπνος as both words are used for sleep; but the former has rather the idea... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 11:11-13

John 11:11-13. These things said he To silence their objections, and prepare their minds for what he yet concealed; and after that, as he perfectly knew what had passed at Bethany, though so many miles distant from it, he saith, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth This, it is probable, he spoke just when he died. Sleepeth Thus our Lord speaks, partly out of tenderness to his apostles, as being least shocking when he spoke of so dear a friend; and partly because the death of good men is only ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 11:1-44

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

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