John
© copyright 2008 Darroll Evans, all rights reserved

 

Chapter 11

 

John 11:1-44
1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2  (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
4 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.
5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.
7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
9 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.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
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.
12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:
19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.
21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
28 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.
29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.
30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
31 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.
32 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.
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
37 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?
38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
39 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.
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
41 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.
42 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.
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 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.

 

A man named Lazarus, who lived in Bethany.

 

He had two sisters, Mary and Martha.

His sister Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair.


The sisters sent to him and said, “Lord, our bother who loves You is sick!”


When Jesus heard it, He said, “This sickness is not fatal!

 

“However it has come about for the glory of God, so that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”

 
Jesus also loved Martha, her sister, and Lazarus.

 
When Christ heard that Lazarus was sick, he did a very unusual thing.

 

Instead of going immediately, Christ stayed where he was for two days.

 
Finally, Christ said, “Let’s go back to Judaea.”

 

Bethany was located in Judea near Jerusalem.

 
Jesus’ disciples asked, “Master, since the Jews have wanted to stone You! Why are You going back there?”
 
Jesus answered, “Aren’t there just twelve hours in the day?”

 

“If anyone walks during the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
 

“But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because there is no light in him.”

Then Jesus told them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps! But, I go so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”

Then, His disciples said, “Lord, it is good if he sleeps.

 

Jesus was referring to Lazarus’ death, but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

Then Jesus spoke bluntly, “Lazarus is dead!

And, for your sakes, I am glad that I was not there!  This was needed so that you may believe!

 

Until the resurrection, the disciples never did get it!

 

Jesus then told them, “Let’s go to him.”

Thomas, who always thought in the negative told the others, “Let’s ago so that we may die with Him.”

When Jesus and the others got there,  Lazarus had been died and had been in the grave four days!

 

Many of Lazarus’ friends had come to comfort Martha and Mary.

As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him.

 

However, Mary stayed at home.

Martha said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.  But I know, that even now, whatever You ask of God, He will give it You.”

 

Jesus told her, “Your brother shall rise again!”

At that, Martha said, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Then, Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection, and the life! He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live!

“And, whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die! Do you believe that?”

She relied, “Yes, Lord! I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.”

After she said that she went secretly to Mary, her sister, and told her, “The Master has come, and calls for you.”

As soon as Mary heard that she arose quickly, and went to Him.
 

At that point, Jesus Had not yet arrived in town.  He was still at the place outside of town where Martha had met Him.
 

When the Jewish mourners saw Mary leave, they followed thinking that she had gone to cry at the grace site.

Instead, Mary went to Jesus, and she fell at his feet!

 

She then repeated what Martha had said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jewish mourners, He groaned in the Spirit, and was troubled!

He then asked, “Where have you laid him?”

 

They said, “Lord, come and see.”

At that Jesus wept!

 

Verse 35 is mostly remembered as the shortest verse in the Bible (“Jesus wept”)!

The mourners said, “See how much He loved him!”

But some asked in unbelief, “Couldn’t this man, who opened the eyes of the blind have caused this man not to die?”

Again, Jesus groaned within Himself as he came to the grave.

 

As was customary, the grave site was a cave with a stone laid on the opening.

Jesus said, “Take away the stone!”

 

Martha objected, “Lord, He has been dead four days! By this time he stinks!”

Jesus admonished her, “You said you believed! If you believe you will see the glory of God?”

Then, they rolled the stone away and Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

“I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people standing here I said it so that they may believe that You have sent Me.”

Then, with a loud voice Christ said, “Lazarus, come forth!”

At that Lazarus, bound hand and foot in graveclothes, came out of the cave!

 

Jesus told those around him, “Loose him, and let him go!”

 

We who are, by faith, are to loose those who are dead in trespasses and sins from their graveclothes by using the Word of God to free them!

 

Christ Jesus has told us, “upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it!” (Matt 16:18)

 

The Church is built on the Rock of revelation of Christ Jesus!

 

Without that revelation there is no salvation!

 

The gates of hell, no matter how you define them, cannot prevail against the revelation of Christ Jesus!

 

John 11:45-57
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
47 Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
48 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.
49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
54 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.
55 And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.
56 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?
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.

 

Many Jews who had seen what Jesus did, believed on him!

However, some of them went to the Pharisees, and reported what Jesus had done!

That caused a calamity!

 

The Chief Priests and the Pharisees on the Sanhedrin council said, “What will we do? This Jesus is doing many miracles.  And, If we let him alone, all men will believe on him! Then the Romans shall come ruin us and our nation!”

But, the High Priest, Caiaphas, said unto them, “You all are being silly! Consider this: It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people so that the whole nation may not perish!”

Unknowingly, the High Priest had spoken prophetically that Jesus should die for the nation!

In actuality, Christ would not only die for the nation of Israel and the Jews scattered around the known world, but He would also die for the sins of the entire world!

 

1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

Then from that day they took counsel together for the purpose of murdering Christ Jesus in any way possible! Although He had to shed His blood on the cross on a certain day at certain time of day!

Due to that Jesus no more traveled among the Jews!

 

Instead, Christ Jesus went into the wilderness near the village Ephraim a short distance from Jerusalem.

 

Jesus and His disciples stayed there for a short time.

The Passover was near and many went to Jerusalem prior to the Passover, to purify themselves.

They looked for Jesus and as they stood in the temple they asked, “Do you think He will come to the feast?”

The Chief Priests and the Pharisees had given an order to all the Orthodox Jews there that if anyone knew where Christ was he should tell them.

 

Chapter 12
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