John 11:38 - Exposition

Jesus therefore again moved with indignation within himself. The ( ἐν ἑαυτῷ ) "in himself" is not so forcible an expression as "shuddering in his spirit ( John 11:33 ), but it implies a continuity of grand, holy indignation against the anomaly of death, from which the human family and he as its Representative were suffering (cf. John 11:33 ). He cometh to the grave. The ( μνημεῖον or) tomb is forthwith described as ( σπήλαιον ) a den, cavern, or cave, from σπέος , spelunca , of which, partly natural, partly artificial, abundant use was made in the East. A stone lay ( ἐπ αὐτῷ ) against it ; or, over it; i . e . either closing it up as a pit, or closing the mouth of it, by being rolled along a ledge horizontal with the base of the excavation. The former kind of cave is shown at Bethany, but no dependence can be placed on the tradition. The tomb of Joseph was that of a rich man, and all these circumstances show opulence, rather than the beggary and rags of the Lazarus of the parable.