Explanation: John 11 contains the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus was ill. His sisters, Mary and Martha, sent word to Jesus asking him to come and heal their brother, whom Jesus loved. Jesus said that the purpose of the illness was not for the purpose of death, but that the Son of God might be glorified by it (1-4). Two days later, Jesus invited his disciples to go with him to Judah. But they warned him that his life was in danger there. In reply, Jesus said that those who have the light must walk in it while it is available; otherwise they will stumble in the dark. The implication is that Jesus must walk in the light of his duty; otherwise he would stumble in the darkness of fear (5-10). Jesus then told his disciples that he was going to wake his friend Lazarus out of sleep, by which hem meant that he would raise him from the dead, which would strengthen their belief (11-15). Thomas, still intimidated by the fear of the deadly plots of the Jewish authorities, said, "Let us also go that we may die with him" (16).
     When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had already been dead four days. A common opinion among the Jews (at or after this time) was that the spirit remained in a dead body for three days and then left as decay set in. Martha met Jesus on his way to see them and expressed her distress that he had not come earlier to prevent Lazarus from dying; but she also expressed her confidence that even now God would do anything Jesus asked. Jesus told her that Lazarus would rise again. She said that she knew he would rise in the Last Day. Jesus said that he was the Resurrection and the Life and that anyone who believes in him would never die. (When Jesus said this, he meant that anyone who was with God in heaven was, at that very moment, alive, even though their body was in the grave). Martha expressed her belief that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God (17-27).
     Martha sent word to Mary to come to the village where Jesus was when she encountered him. Mary said the same thing which Martha had said, namely that Jesus could have prevented Lazarus from dying. A number of mourners had followed Mary. And Jesus went with them to see where Lazarus was buried. Jesus wept. And those who saw him weep remarked at how much Jesus loved Lazarus. And, like Martha and Mary, they too said that Jesus could have kept Lazarus from dying (28-37).
     When Jesus came to the grave of Lazarus, he commanded that the stone be taken away from his tomb. Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb and had released from his grave clothes (38-44).
     Many who saw this, believed in Jesus, but others went to the Jewish leaders and reported what had been done. The authorities renewed their plot to kill Jesus, encouraged especially by Caiaphas the High Priest, who told them that it was expedient for one man to die for the nation. Jesus and his disciples therefore lodged out of town. The Passover drew near and the authorities were expecting Jesus to come to the Feast so that they might arrest him (45-57).
     [Sermons: D A Carson. John Piper. Richard Phillips. Joel R Beeke. Various. ]
     [Illustration: Today's painting depicts the resurrection of Lazarus, which is the subject of today's chapter. ]

     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 fellow disciples, 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. 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.

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