John 11

Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,

And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

Jesus wept.

Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?

Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.

What does John 11:3 mean?

Explanation

John 11:3 is a verse from the New Testament of the Christian Bible found within the Gospel of John. The passage describes the moment when the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, send a message to Jesus to inform him that Lazarus, whom Jesus loved, is ill.

This verse underscores the human emotions and personal relationships that Jesus had while on Earth. Despite being divine, He had close bonds with certain individuals, and Lazarus was among those He held dear.

The word "Lord" denotes the sisters' recognition of Jesus' authority and potentially his ability to heal their brother.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

The verse is set during the time of Jesus' ministry, likely in the period around 30 A.D.

Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were residents of Bethany, a town near Jerusalem.

The Gospel of John is believed to have been written between 90 A.D. and 100 A.D.

At this time, the Christian community was reflecting on the nature of Jesus' identity, the significance of his actions, and the meaning of his resurrection.

The account of Lazarus' illness and subsequent resurrection is unique to John's Gospel and plays a critical role in illustrating Jesus' power over life and death, as well as his divine nature.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse raises several profound issues. First, it highlights Jesus' dual nature as both divine and human. The human side of Jesus feels love and concern for His friends, while his divine side is capable of performing miracles, such as the one that follows in the story of Lazarus.

Additionally, the verse shows the early Christian conviction that Jesus was the source of life and hope in face of death, a foundation for the Christian doctrine of resurrection.

Practical Applications

In a practical sense, this verse serves to remind believers of the importance of faith in times of trouble.

Just as Mary and Martha turned to Jesus in their hour of need, Christians are encouraged to bring their troubles to Christ, believing in His love and compassion for His followers.

It also speaks to the aspect of Christian community, the notion of supporting and reaching out to each other in times of distress.

Cross-References

John 11:5: "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus."
John 11:11: "These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep."
Psalm 46:1: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."
James 5:14: "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek language of the New Testament text used in this verse are:

"sent" (ἀπέστειλαν): conveys the action of sending a message or messenger with a purpose.
"saying" (λέγουσαι): a common verb for "to say" or "to speak," indicating the transmission of a message.
"Lord" (Κύριε): a title of respect, also used to address Jesus as divine Master.
"lovest" (φιλεῖς): from the Greek verb "phileo," one of several words for "love" in Greek, indicating a fondness or affectionate regard.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient myths and religious traditions, there are figures who possess healing abilities.

For example, the Greek god Asclepius was known for his healing powers; however, unlike Jesus, Asclepius was not portrayed as having personal relationships with those he healed.

The personal connection Jesus has with Lazarus as depicted in this verse demonstrates a contrast where divine power is combined with deep personal care.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, the issue of illness, as mentioned in this verse, is understood through the lens of medical science.

While the Bible depicts miraculous healings by divine intervention, contemporary understanding looks to medicine and healthcare for explanations and treatments. Nonetheless, some within the religious community maintain a belief in divine healing, viewing it as complementary to modern medicine.

Commentaries

Commentaries on John 11:3 note the poignancy of the message sent to Jesus, focusing on the sisters’ faith in Jesus' love for Lazarus and their implied belief in his power to heal.

Bible scholars often point out the subtlety in the sisters’ message, there is no direct request for Jesus to come heal Lazarus, but rather an implicit trust that Jesus will know what to do in response to their situation.

This reflects a deep theological trust in Jesus’ understanding and goodwill, which is central to Christian faith.

John 11

John 11

What does John 11:3 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 11:3 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?