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 11:41 mean?

Explanation

John 11:41 occurs in the context of the resurrection of Lazarus, a close friend of Jesus, in the New Testament of the Bible.

This verse comes immediately before Jesus calls Lazarus out from the grave, where he had been entombed for four days.

The literal meaning of this verse is that Jesus, alongside the mourners and his disciples, had come to the grave of Lazarus.

They removed the stone that sealed the tomb, and Jesus, recognizing God's continual presence and the power of prayer, gives thanks to God the Father for having always heard Him.

On a deeper level, the verse demonstrates Jesus’ confidence in His communion with the Father, and serves as a prelude to the miracle He is about to perform.

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Historical Context

John 11:41 is part of the Gospel of John, which was written approximately between 90-110 AD.

John's Gospel is distinct from the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) with a focus on presenting Jesus as the divine Son of God.

At this time in Jewish culture, belief in resurrection at the end of the age was common among many, but the idea of an individual being raised prior to this final resurrection was extraordinary.

The historical Lazarus was a resident of the town of Bethany, a few miles from Jerusalem.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse is significant for several reasons.

Divine Sonship and Prayer: It suggests the intimacy of Jesus’ relationship with the Father, highlighting His divine sonship.

The fact that Jesus thanked God in advance shows His faith in God's will being done.

Foreknowledge and Predestination: It may suggest that Jesus had foreknowledge of His works, supporting the idea that events are predestined by God.
Jesus's Authority Over Death: The act of raising Lazarus solidifies the Christian belief in Jesus' power over death, prefiguring His own resurrection.
God's Glory Revealed Through Jesus: The miracle serves to glorify God, as Jesus' miracles were meant to reveal God's Kingdom and divine authority through Him.

Different denominations might emphasize different aspects of this theological spectrum.

Practical Applications

Practically, this verse can be applied in several ways:

It encourages believers to trust in the power of prayer and to give thanks to God in every situation.
It serves as a reminder that God hears the prayers of His people, instilling confidence and hope.
The act of giving thanks before witnessing the result can be seen as an act of faith, which believers are encouraged to emulate.
In challenging situations, believers are reminded to turn to God and acknowledge His authority and timing.

Cross-References

Jesus as the resurrection and life: "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" - John 11:25
Confidence in God hearing prayer: "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:" - 1 John 5:14
Thanksgiving in prayer: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." - Philippians 4:6

Language Study

In the original Greek text, a few key words stand out in their meaning:

"lifted up his eyes" (anablepsas): This suggests a physical looking upward but often reflects a deeper spiritual lift to God.
"I thank thee" (eucharisteo): Root word for Eucharist, commonly used to express gratitude, often directed toward God in New Testament Greek.
"that thou hast heard me" (hoti ekousas mou): This denotes God having listened to, or heeded, Jesus' prayer; there is a perfect tense here implying a completed action.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Within the context of other ancient cultures and religions, this event is unique to Christianity with its emphasis on a personal and loving God who intervenes directly in human history.

Comparable myths might include stories where deities intervene in mortality or human affairs, but none parallel the personal and intimate relationship between Jesus and God the Father depicted here.

In comparison with other Abrahamic faiths, Judaism may see this as a prophetic act pointing to the Age to Come when God raises the dead. In Islam, Jesus (Isa) is recognized as a prophet, but the accounts in the Quran differ, and such an event is not included.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, death is seen as a final condition, and any return to life after a period of four days, as described in the John 11 narrative, would be considered a miracle beyond the scope of medical science.

Scientific understanding recognizes that decomposition begins shortly after death, making the account of Lazarus’ return from the dead, as written, scientifically inexplicable using current medical and biological knowledge.

Commentaries

Experts and theologians offer various interpretations of this verse:

Conservative commentators often see this as a literal historical event that demonstrates Jesus' divine authority and His role as the conqueror of death.
Liberal scholars might view the story symbolically or as a literary device employed by John to convey theological truth, rather than as a literal event.
Patristic commentators, the early church fathers like Augustine, highlight the power of Christ and see the event as both literal and symbolic of the spiritual resurrection that occurs in baptism.

In all, while the interpretations range, the common thread is the recognition of Jesus’ unique relationship with God and His ability to perform works that reveal God’s glory and power.

John 11

John 11

What does John 11:41 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 11:41 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?