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 11:34 mean?

Explanation

John 11:34 is a verse from the New Testament of the Bible, part of the narrative of the raising of Lazarus, where Jesus expresses His intention to visit Lazarus's tomb.

Lazarus had been dead for four days, and upon Jesus's arrival in Bethany, He is met with Lazarus's sisters, Martha and Mary, and the mourners.

When Jesus asks where Lazarus has been laid, they respond with an invitation for Him to come and see the location of the tomb.

This verse captures a moment of profound human connection and emotion.

It shows Jesus seeking to engage directly with the situation by visiting the tomb, which sets the stage for the following miracle. The interaction can also be seen as an illustration of Jesus’ willingness to enter into the suffering and sorrow of others.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

The Gospel of John, traditionally attributed to John the Apostle, is the fourth book in the New Testament and was likely written towards the end of the 1st century AD.

The story of Lazarus, found in John 11, takes place in Bethany, a village near Jerusalem.

The Jewish customs of the time involved a mourning period for the deceased, and it was common for tombs to be shared family spaces where bodies were laid on stone shelves.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse sets the stage for the revelation of Jesus' power over death, prefiguring His own resurrection. It demonstrates Jesus' divine authority and His empathy.

The verse is significant as it shows Jesus’ humanity in His desire to be present in the suffering of others.

Some theologians also interpret Jesus' question and His invitation to "come and see" as an echo of His earlier invitation to His disciples to come and see where He was staying, therefore reinforcing the idea of discipleship and faith through personal witness and experience.

Practical Applications

In a practical sense, this verse can encourage believers to follow Jesus’ example of compassion and willingness to be present with those who are grieving. It can inspire acts of kindness and support to those who have suffered a loss.

The verse also invites believers to look at their own sorrow and difficulty openly, bringing it forth to Jesus with the assurance that He cares and is present.

Cross-References

John 11:43-44 - Describes the actual event where Jesus calls Lazarus out of the tomb.
John 20:1-8 - The disciples are invited to see the empty tomb after Jesus’ resurrection.
Romans 12:15 - “Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.”

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the phrase "Where have ye laid him?" uses the verb "τίθημι" (tithēmi), which means to place or lay down.

The response, "Lord, come and see," uses the imperative form of "ἔρχομαι" (erchomai), which means to come or to go, and "ἰδέ" (ide), which is an imperative form of "to see".

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The act of visiting the gravesite and paying respects to the deceased is a custom found in many cultures and religions.

In ancient Greek myths, the living often interacted with the dead, such as in the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. In Jewish customs of the time, it was important to honor the dead through burial and mourning practices.

Scientific Perspectives

There is no direct scientific element in this verse as it deals with a miraculous event beyond the scope of empirical evidence.

However, from a psychological standpoint, the behaviors exhibited demonstrate empathy and emotional connection, which are widely studied within psychological sciences.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and theologians have analyzed this verse in various ways.

Some commentators note that Jesus’ emotion and His command to come and see are evidence of His complete humanity, showing feelings of sorrow and compassion.

Other scholars focus more on the theological implications of the ensuing miracle, suggesting that the verse, and the story of Lazarus as a whole, is purposefully crafted to reveal Jesus' power over death and affirm His identity as the Son of God.

Most agree on the importance of the interplay between Jesus' divine attributes and His human emotions as a central theme in the Gospel of John.

John 11

John 11

What does John 11:34 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 11:34 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?