John:11:1-16
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rwp @
John:11:1 @{
Was sick } (\
n asthen
n \).
Periphrastic imperfect active of \
asthene \,
old verb (
from \
asthen
s \, \
a \
privative ,
and \
sthenos \,
strength ). {
Lazarus } (\
Lazaros \).
See on ¯
Luke:16:20 |
for the name of another man in the parable ,
a shortened form of Eleazer ,
only other N .
T .
use ,
but in Josephus and rabbinical writings .
No connexion between this Lazarus and the one in the parable . {
Of Bethany } (\
apo B
thanias \).
Use of \
apo \
as in strkjv @
1:44 |
Philip of Bethsaida and strkjv @
1:45 |
Joseph of Nazareth .
This Bethany is about two miles (
11:18 |)
east of Jerusalem on the south-east slope of Olivet and is now called El Azariyeh ,
from the name Lazarus .
Jesus is still apparently at the other Bethany beyond Jordan (
10:40 |).
It is doubtful if a distinction is meant here by \
apo \
and \
ek \
between Bethany as the residence and some other village (\
ek t
s k
m
s \)
as the birthplace of Lazarus and the sisters . {
Of Mary and Martha } (\
Marias kai Marthas \).
Note \
Marthas \,
not \
Marth
s \
for the genitive .
Elsewhere (
John:11:19 ;
strkjv @
Luke:10:38 |)
Martha comes first as the mistress and hostess .
The two sisters are named for further identification of Lazarus .
Martha was apparently the elder sister (
11:5 ,
19 ;
strkjv @
Luke:10:38f .|). "
The identification of Mary with Mary Magdalene is a mere conjecture supported by no direct evidence ,
and opposed to the general tenor of the Gospels " (
Westcott ).
rwp @
John:11:2 @{
And it was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment ,
and wiped his feet with her hair } (\
n de Mariam h
aleipsasa ton kurion mur
i kai ekmaxasa tous podas autou tais thrixin aut
s \).
This description is added to make plainer who Mary is "
whose brother Lazarus was sick " (\
h
s ho adelphos Lazaros
sthenei \).
There is an evident proleptic allusion to the incident described by John in strkjv @
12:1-8 |
just after chapter 11 .
As John looks back from the end of the century it was all behind him ,
though the anointing (\
h
aleipsasa \,
first aorist active articular participle of \
aleiph \,
old verb for which see strkjv @
Mark:6:13 |)
took place after the events in chapter 11 .
The aorist participle is timeless and merely pictures the punctiliar act .
The same remark applies to \
ekmaxasa \,
old verb \
ekmass \,
to wipe off or away (
Isaiah:12:3 ;
strkjv @
13:5 ;
strkjv @
Luke:7:38 ,
44 |).
Note the Aramaic form \
Mariam \
as usual in John ,
but \
Marias \
in verse 1 |.
When John wrote ,
it was as Jesus had foretold (
Matthew:26:13 |),
for the fame of Mary of Bethany rested on the incident of the anointing of Jesus .
The effort to link Mary of Bethany with Mary Magdalene and then both names with the sinful woman of strkjv @
Luke:7:36-50 |
is gratuitous and to my mind grotesque and cruel to the memory of both Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene .
Bernard may be taken as a specimen : "
The conclusion is inevitable that John (
or his editor )
regarded Mary of Bethany as the same person who is described by Luke as \
hamart
los \."
This critical and artistic heresy has already been discussed in Vol .
II on Luke '
s Gospel .
Suffice it here to say that Luke introduces Mary Magdalene as an entirely new character in strkjv @
8:2 |
and that the details in strkjv @
Luke:7:36-50 ;
strkjv @
John:12:1-8 |
have only superficial resemblances and serious disagreements .
John is not here alluding to Luke '
s record ,
but preparing for his own in chapter 12 .
What earthly difficulty is there in two different women under wholly different circumstances doing a similar act for utterly different purposes ?
rwp @
John:11:3 @{
Sent saying } (\
apesteilan legousai \).
First aorist active indicative of \
apostell \
and present active participle .
The message was delivered by the messenger . {
Thou lovest } (\
phileis \). \
Phile \
means to love as a friend (
see \
philos \
in verse 11 |)
and so warmly ,
while \
agapa \ (
akin to \
agamai \,
to admire ,
and \
agathos \,
good )
means high regard .
Here both terms occur of the love of Jesus for Lazarus (\
gapa \
in verse 5 |).
Both occur of the Father '
s love for the Son (\
agap
i \
in strkjv @
3:35 |, \
philei \
in strkjv @
5:20 |).
Hence the distinction is not always observed .
rwp @
John:11:4 @{
Heard it } (\
akousas \).
The messenger delivered the message of the sisters .
The reply of Jesus is for him and for the apostles . {
Is not unto death } (\
ouk estin pros thanaton \).
Death in the final issue ,
to remain dead .
Lazarus did die ,
but he did not remain dead .
See \
hamartia pros thanaton \
in strkjv @
1John:5:16 |, "
sin unto death " (
final death ). {
But for the glory of God } (\
all '
huper t
s dox
s tou theou \).
In behalf of God '
s glory ,
as the sequel shows .
Cf .
strkjv @
9:3 |
about the man born blind .
The death of Lazarus will illustrate God '
s glory .
In some humble sense those who suffer the loss of loved ones are entitled to some comfort from this point made by Jesus about Lazarus .
In a supreme way it is true of the death of Christ which he himself calls glorification of himself and God (
13:31 |).
In strkjv @
7:39 |
John had already used \
doxaz \
of the death of Christ . {
That the Son of God may be glorified thereby } (\
hina doxasth
i ho huios tou theou di '
aut
s \).
Purpose clause with \
hina \
and the first aorist passive subjunctive of \
doxaz \.
Here Jesus calls himself "
the Son of God ."
In strkjv @
8:54 |
Jesus had said : "
It is my Father that glorifieth me ."
The raising of Lazarus from the tomb will bring glory to the Son of God .
See strkjv @
17:1 |
for this idea in Christ '
s prayer .
The raising of Lazarus will also bring to an issue his own death and all this involves the glorification of the Father (
7:39 ;
strkjv @
12:16 ;
strkjv @
13:31 ;
strkjv @
14:13 |).
The death of Lazarus brings Jesus face to face with his own death .
rwp @
John:11:5 @{
Now Jesus loved } (\
gapa de \).
Imperfect active of \
agapa \
picturing the continued love of Jesus for this noble family where he had his home so often (
Luke:10:38-42 ;
strkjv @
John:12:1-8 |).
The sisters expected him to come at once and to heal Lazarus .
rwp @
John:11:6 @{
That he was sick } (\
hoti asthenei \).
Present active indicative retained in indirect discourse after a secondary tense (\
kousen \). {
Two days } (\
duo h
meras \).
Accusative of extent of time . {
In the place where he was } (\
en h
i
n top
i \).
Incorporation of the antecedent \
top
i \
into the relative clause , "
in which place he was ."
It was long enough for Lazarus to die and seemed unlike Jesus to the sisters .
rwp @
John:11:7 @{
Then after this } (\
epeita meta touto \). \
Epeita \ (
only here in John )
means thereafter (
Luke:16:7 |)
and it is made plainer by the addition of \
meta touto \ (
cf .
strkjv @
2:12 ;
strkjv @
11:11 |),
meaning after the two days had elapsed . {
Let us go into Judea again } (\
Ag
men eis t
n Ioudaian palin \).
Volitive (
hortative )
subjunctive of \
ag \ (
intransitive use as in verses 11 ,
16 |).
They had but recently escaped the rage of the Jews in Jerusalem (
10:39 |)
to this haven in Bethany beyond Jordan (
10:40 |).
rwp @
John:11:8 @{
Were but now seeking to stone thee } (\
nun ez
toun se lithasai \).
Conative imperfect of \
z
te \
with reference to the event narrated in strkjv @
10:39 |
in these very words . {
Goest thou thither again ?} (\
palin hupageis ekei ;\).
Present active intransitive use of the compound \
hupag \,
to withdraw (\
6:21 ;
strkjv @
8:21 \)
from this safe retreat (
Vincent ).
It seemed suicidal madness to go back now .
rwp @
John:11:9 @{
In the day } (\
t
s h
meras \).
Genitive of time ,
within the day ,
the twelve-hour day in contrast with night .
The words of Jesus here illustrate what he had said in strkjv @
9:4 |.
It is not blind fatalism that Jesus proclaims ,
but the opposite of cowardice .
He has full confidence in the Father s purpose about his "
hour "
which has not yet come .
Jesus has courage to face his enemies again to do the Father '
s will about Lazarus . {
If a man walk in the day } (\
ean tis peripat
i en t
i h
mer
i \).
Condition of the third class ,
a conceived case and it applies to Jesus who walks in the full glare of noonday .
See strkjv @
8:12 |
for the contrast between walking in the light and in the dark . {
He stumbleth not } (\
ou proskoptei \).
He does not cut (
or bump )
against this or that obstacle ,
for he can see . \
Kopt \
is to cut and pros ,
against .
rwp @
John:11:10 @{
But if a man walk in the night } (\
ean de tis peripat
i en t
i nukti \).
Third condition again .
It is spiritual darkness that Jesus here pictures ,
but the result is the same .
See the same figure in strkjv @
12:35 | (
1John:2:11 |).
The ancients had poor illumination at night as indeed we did before Edison gave us electric lights .
Pedestrians actually used to have little lamps fastened on the feet to light the path . {
In him } (\
en aut
i \).
Spiritual darkness ,
the worst of all (
cf .
strkjv @
Matthew:6:23 ;
strkjv @
John:8:12 |).
Man has the capacity for light ,
but is not the source of light . "
By the application of this principle Christianity is distinguished from Neo-Platonism " (
Westcott ).
rwp @
John:11:11 @{
Is fallen asleep } (\
kekoim
tai \).
Perfect passive indicative of \
koima \,
old verb to put to sleep .
Common as a metaphor for death like our cemetery . {
I go } (\
poreuomai \).
Futuristic use of the present tense as in strkjv @
14:2 |. {
That I may awake him out of sleep } (\
hina exupnis
auton \).
Purpose clause with \
hina \
and the first aorist active subjunctive of \
exupniz \,
a late compound (\
ex ,
hupnos \,
sleep )
for the older \
aphupniz \,
here only in the N .
T .
See strkjv @
Job:14:12 |
where also it occurs along with \
koimaomai \.
rwp @
John:11:12 @{
He will recover } (\
s
th
setai \).
Future passive indicative of \
s
z \
used in its original sense of being or getting well (
safe and sound ).
Conclusion of the condition of the first class (\
ei kekoim
tai \).
rwp @
John:11:13 @{
Had spoken } (\
eir
kei \).
Past perfect of \
eipon \ (\
er \).
The disciples had misunderstood Christ '
s metaphor for death . {
That he spake } (\
hoti legei \).
Present active indicative retained in indirect discourse after the secondary tense (\
edoxan \). {
Of taking rest in sleep } (\
peri t
s koim
se
s tou hupou \).
Only use of \
koim
sis \ (
from \
koima \)
in the N .
T .,
but it also was used of death (
Sirach strkjv @
46:19 ). \
Hupnou \ (
in sleep )
is objective genitive of \
hupnos \ (
sleep ,
strkjv @
Matthew:1:24 |).
rwp @
John:11:14 @{
Plainly } (\
parr
si
i \).
Adverb (
see on ¯
7:4 |),
without metaphor as in strkjv @
16:29 |. {
Is dead } (\
apethanen \).
First aorist active indicative , "
died ."
rwp @
John:11:15 @{
For your sakes } (\
di '
humas \).
That they may witness his raising from the grave . {
That I was not there } (\
hoti ouk
m
n ekei \).
Imperfect middle \
m
n \
of the later Greek instead of the common active \
n \
in indirect discourse in place of the usual present retained as in verse 13 |. {
To the intent ye may believe } (\
hina pisteus
te \).
Purpose clause with \
hina \
and the ingressive aorist active subjunctive , "
that ye may come to believe " (
more than you do ).
See the same use of the ingressive aorist in \
episteusan \ (
2:11 |)
where the disciples gained in belief . {
Nevertheless let us go to him } (\
alla ag
men pros auton \).
Volitive subjunctive ,
repeating the proposal of verse 7 |.
He is dead ,
but no matter ,
yea all the more let us go on to him .
rwp @
John:11:16 @{
Didymus } (\
Didumos \).
The word means twin .
Clearly Thomas had a twin brother or sister .
Applied two other times to him (
20:24 ;
strkjv @
21:2 |).
The Aramaic word for Thomas means Twin and Didymus is just the Greek equivalent of Thomas .
He may even in Greek circles have been called Didymus . {
His fellow disciples } (\
tois sunmath
tais \).
Dative case and article use like "
his ."
Only use of \
sunmath
tes \
in the N .
T .,
rare word (
in Plato ). {
Us also } (\
kai h
meis \).
As well as Jesus ,
since he is bent on going . {
That we may die with him } (\
hina apothan
men met '
autou \).
Purpose clause with \
hina \
and the second aorist active subjunctive of \
apothn
sk \.
Die with Jesus ,
Thomas means .
Lazarus is already dead and they will kill Jesus (
verse 8 |).
Pessimistic courage surely .