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 11:56 mean?

Explanation

John 11:56 takes place in the context of the Jewish holiday of Passover, a significant feast celebrating the Israelites' liberation from Egypt.

Here, the crowd at the temple is depicted as eager and curious about whether Jesus, who was by then well-known and increasingly controversial, would attend the festival.

The consideration of "will he come to the feast?" demonstrates the level of anticipation and tension surrounding Jesus' movements, as well as the political and religious intrigue that He inspired among the people.

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Historical Context

The verse is set shortly before the Crucifixion during the final week of Jesus' life.

The location is the temple in Jerusalem, which was the religious center of Jewish life.

This period was marked by high tensions between Jesus and the religious authorities, who felt threatened by His teachings and the following He had garnered.

The "feast" refers to Passover, one of the most important and crowded festivals in the Jewish calendar when thousands of pilgrims filled Jerusalem.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse can be seen to demonstrate the omniscience and omnipresence of Jesus Christ.

It also hints at the pivotal role Jesus was to play in the forthcoming events, fulfilling prophecies and the divine plan for redemption through His death and resurrection.

Different denominations may emphasize these points to varying extents.

Practical Applications

The anticipation and questions about Jesus’ attendance at the feast reflect common human behaviors; curiosity, expectation, and the search for direction.

This passage can serve to illustrate the importance of seeking the right focus in life and considering the impact of one's decisions, much like the crowd seeking Jesus for diverse reasons.

Cross-References

John 7:11 - "Then the Jews sought him at the feast, and said, Where is he?"
John 11:57 - "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."
John 12:12 - "On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,"
Luke 22:53 - "When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness."
Matthew 26:5 - "But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people."

Language Study

In the original Greek, there are a few key words to note:

"ἐζήτουν" (ezētoun): Translated as "sought," this word conveys a diligent and intent search, indicating the people's earnest interest in Jesus' whereabouts.
"τί δοκεῖτε" (ti dokeite): "What think ye," suggests a communal deliberation, a sharing of opinions among the crowd, implying a collaborative seeking of insight.
"ὁρτὴν" (hortēn): The term refers to the "feast" of Passover, a major Jewish festival.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the broader cultural and religious context, seeking the presence of a divine or significant figure at festivals can be compared to various ancient myths where gods interact with humans during significant events.

Festivals in the Greco-Roman, Mesopotamian, and Egyptian traditions often included expectations of divine presence or intervention.

Scientific Perspectives

When considering scientific perspectives, we can look at the sociological patterns of how public figures and their movements can cause stir in a population, as well as psychological elements such as the influence of crowd mentality.

The verse showcases a social dynamic common in scenarios where an individual holds substantial sway over public opinion.

Commentaries

Commentators and scholars generally view John 11:56 with interest due to the implications that Jesus had reached such a level of notoriety that his potential actions were a point of public debate.

Some suggest that this reflects Jesus’ conscious decision to fulfill His mission despite knowing the risks. Others note it as a crescendo of tension that leads to the events of the Passion Week.

Commentators such as Matthew Henry have pointed to this verse to illustrate the cunning of the religious leaders and the innocence of Jesus in this context.

John 11

John 11

What does John 11:56 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 11:56 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?