The Lord had left Judaism and had come to a place from which He could proceed to Bethany, which was an early miniature of the church.
The Lord had left Judaism and had come to a place from which He could proceed to Bethany, which was an early miniature of the church.
In the eight foregoing cases, in chs. 3—10, religion was the main frustration to and opponent of life. Here, outside religion and on the new ground, life was going to raise a dead person. Here life no longer faced religion with its rituals, but it was frustrated by many human opinions: the disciples' opinions (vv. 8-16), Martha's opinion (vv. 21-28), Mary's opinion (vv. 32-33), the Jews' opinion (vv. 36-38), and, again, Martha's opinion (vv. 39-40). Opinions, which come from knowledge, belong to the tree of knowledge, but the Lord here was actually the tree of life for people to enjoy.
Lit., be saved.
In the Lord's salvation He does not merely heal the sick; He also gives life to the dead. Hence, He remained two days until the sick one had died (v. 6). The Lord does not reform or regulate people — He regenerates people and raises them out of death. Hence, the first of the nine cases in chs. 3-11 was a case of regeneration, and the last was a case of resurrection, revealing that all the aspects of Christ as life to us, as unveiled in the other seven cases, are in the principle of regeneration and resurrection. This last case was the actual changing of death into life.
I.e., Twin.
I.e., about two miles.
The Lord told Martha, "Your brother will rise again" (v. 23). This meant that the Lord would raise him immediately; but Martha expounded the Lord's word so as to postpone the present resurrection to the last day. What an exposition of the divine word! Some of the knowledge of fundamental teaching is truly destructive and frustrates people from enjoying the Lord's present resurrection life.
The Lord said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life," and asked her, "Do you believe this?" She answered, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God." Her reply did not answer the Lord's question. Her old, preoccupying knowledge covered her, preventing her from understanding the Lord's new word. Man's old knowledge and old opinions are coverings that keep him from knowing clearly the Lord's new revelation.
This might have been Martha's opinion and not the Lord's command.
Lit., wail.
Lit., wailing.
Their taking the stone away and loosing Lazarus were their submitting to and cooperating with the resurrection life.
See note John 1:61.
The phrase gather into one the children of God mentioned in this chapter implies that not only the Lord's death but also the Lord's resurrection life are for the building up of God's children. By His death the Lord released His life so that it could be imparted into those who believe into Him. This life is experienced by us in His resurrection. It is in the Lord's resurrection that we grow together into one by His life to become His Body.
cf. John 10:16
John7:1;