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 11:46 mean?

Explanation

John 11:46 refers to a pivotal moment in the Gospel of John where certain individuals, upon witnessing the miraculous resurrection of Lazarus by Jesus, took the news to the Pharisees.

The verse marks a turning point in the narrative because it sets in motion the events leading up to the decision of the Pharisaic council to plot the death of Jesus.

This verse emphasizes the division of opinion among those who witnessed Jesus’ miracles: while some believed in Him, others went to the religious authorities, which could be seen as an act of betrayal or concern depending on interpretation.

The deeper meaning could reflect how miraculous signs can polarize people, prompting different reactions based on their beliefs and allegiances.

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Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, the Pharisees were a prominent Jewish sect known for their strict adherence to the Torah and the oral traditions.

The news of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead presented a theological and political challenge to the Phariseal authority.

In the historical context of Roman-occupied Judea, any movement that could attract a substantial following posed a risk of uprising that the Pharisees feared could threaten the uneasy peace with Roman authorities and their own societal position.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, different traditions have interpreted this verse in various ways:

Traditional Christian interpretation might view this verse as indicative of human free will.

Some people chose to believe in Jesus and His miracles, while others chose to reject and oppose Him.

A Calvinist might consider this verse an example of the doctrine of predestination, where the differing responses to Jesus' miracle were ordained as part of God's sovereign plan.
On the other hand, liberation theology might see the reactions as a reflection of the socio-political struggles of the oppressed, with the Pharisees representing the oppressive structures of the time.

Practical Applications

John 11:46 can have several practical applications in daily life:

It serves as a caution against the danger of groupthink.

Just as some went to the Pharisees, individuals today should be critical in their thinking and not simply follow the crowd.

This verse also encourages personal reflection upon witnessing or experiencing transformative events, challenging people to consider their own reactions and beliefs.

Cross-References

John 11:45 – "Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him."
John 12:10-11 – "But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus."
Matthew 12:14 – "Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him."

Language Study

In the original Greek text:

"Some of them" translates to "τινες ἐξ αὐτῶν" (tines ex auton), indicating an unspecified number among them.
"Went their ways" is derived from "ἀπῆλθον" (apēlthon), meaning they departed or proceeded.
"Told" translates to "ἀπήγγειλαν" (apēngeilan), which means they reported or declared.
"Pharisees" comes from "Φαρισαίοις" (Pharisaios), which directly references the sect of Jewish religious leaders.
"What things" is "ἃ" (ha), a relative pronoun referring to the events witnessed.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient religions, individuals who bear witness to divine or miraculous events might be seen as prophets or sacred messengers. In Ancient Greece, for instance, such a person might be compared to a messenger of the gods like Hermes.

In contrast, in Judaism, there was a strong tradition of verifying signs and wonders against the teachings of the Torah.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern science generally does not affirm the possibility of miracles such as raising someone from the dead, as it opposes the understood laws of nature.

Events described in John 11:46 are usually interpreted metaphorically or as a representation of spiritual truths rather than empirical historical events.

Commentaries

Many biblical scholars and commentators have provided insights on John 11:46:

Matthew Henry's commentary highlights the division that Jesus’ miracles caused and how it led to the plots against Him.
The MacArthur Study Bible notes how this event fulfills earlier scriptures that the Messiah would perform signs and that He would also be rejected by many.
The New International Commentary on the New Testament observes the political and religious tensions caused by Jesus’ public ministry and how it led to an increase in opposition from the authorities.

John 11

John 11

What does John 11:46 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 11:46 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?