*John 11:1-36
Jesus delays his journey to Bethany upon learning of Lazarus’s death, but goes to comfort Martha and Mary, proclaiming himself as the resurrection and the life.
- Setting and Context:
- Jesus receives news that his friend Lazarus is seriously ill.
- Lazarus, along with his sisters Mary and Martha, lives in Bethany, a village near Jerusalem.
- Jesus Delays:
- Despite his love for the family, Jesus deliberately delays his journey for two days.
- He states that the illness will not lead to death but is for God’s glory and to reveal the Son of God.
- Journey to Bethany:
- After the delay, Jesus decides to return to Judea despite the disciples’ concern for his safety.
- He announces that Lazarus has “fallen asleep,” but intends to wake him up.
- When the disciples misunderstand, Jesus clarifies that Lazarus has died, and he is glad for their sake that they were not there, to strengthen their faith.
- Arrival in Bethany:
- Upon arriving, Jesus learns that Lazarus has already been in the tomb for four days.
- Many people are gathered to comfort Mary and Martha.
- Conversation with Martha:
- Martha meets Jesus outside the village and expresses her grief, saying that if Jesus had been there, her brother wouldn’t have died.
- Jesus assures her that Lazarus will rise again.
- Martha affirms her belief in the resurrection at the last day.
- Jesus declares himself to be the resurrection and the life and that those who believe in him will live, even after death.
- Martha acknowledges her faith in Jesus as the Messiah.
- Conversation with Mary:
- Martha informs Mary that Jesus is calling for her.
- Mary goes to meet Jesus, accompanied by others who believe she is going to the tomb to mourn.
- She falls at Jesus’s feet and echoes Martha’s words: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
- Jesus’s Reaction:
- Jesus is deeply moved and troubled by the scene, seeing Mary and the others weeping.
- He asks to be taken to Lazarus’s tomb and, in his sorrow, begins to weep.
- Onlookers notice Jesus’s deep affection for Lazarus, while some express doubts as to why he didn’t prevent his death.
John 11:1-36 shows us that Jesus cares deeply about our pain and struggles. Even though He knew He would raise Lazarus from the dead, He still wept with those who were grieving. This reminds us that God understands our sorrows and walks with us through difficult times. It also teaches us to trust in God’s timing, even when we don’t understand His plans. Like Martha and Mary, we can bring our worries to Jesus, knowing that He listens, loves us, and has the power to bring hope even in the darkest moments.
John 11:1-36 (WEB)
11:1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister, Martha. 2 It was that Mary who had anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, “Lord, behold, he for whom you have great affection is sick.”4 But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that God’s Son may be glorified by it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When therefore he heard that he was sick, he stayed two days in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let’s go into Judea again.”8 The disciples asked him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you. Are you going there again?”9 Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light isn’t in him.” 11 He said these things, and after that, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep.”12 The disciples therefore said, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep. 14 So Jesus said to them plainly then, “Lazarus is dead. 15 I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let’s go to him.”16 Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s also go, that we may die with him.”17 So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away. 19 Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. 20 Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house. 21 Therefore Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22 Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. 26 Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, he who comes into the world.”28 When she had said this, she went away and called Mary, her sister, secretly, saying, “The Teacher is here and is calling you.”29 When she heard this, she arose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was in the place where Martha met him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”32 Therefore when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled, 34 and said, “Where have you laid him?”They told him, “Lord, come and see.”35 Jesus wept.36 The Jews therefore said, “See how much affection he had for him!”