a greater event than the resurrection of Lazarus.-Mary risked neglecting other guests, and encountered the rebuke of her sister, that she might listen to the LIVING TRUTH. Anointed. See on John i. 41.-Greek Tense implies, "who had anointed the Lord formerly."-Hence the origin under Divine grace of that holy friendship with those of Bethany.-This anointing is understood, for the other evangelists had already recorded it.-John alludes to it, although in the order of time it occurred after this miracle.—It shows that this gospel was written long after these things happened.-The Spirit selects this incident instead of her sitting at the feet of Jesus.-Our best in everything should be freely devoted to the Lord. An important question:-What am I willing to part with for HIM? Sick. No trace of lamentation, that one dear to the Son of God should be sick.-Sufferings of believers a proof of election. Bunyan. -Every shepherd has a peculiar mark for his sheep: Christ the Good Shepherd marks His sheep with the cross. Flavel.-Sickness

not a sign of God's anger, but of fatherly love. Heb. xii. 6.— Sickness of loved ones a means of intensifying and strengthening the bonds of love. Before God all the discord of suffering humanity is already melted into harmony. Gossner.

noléval. It was a fever. Nonus.

3. Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. Sisters sent. What a comfort to have such a friend to whose sympathy they might appeal!-"Oh, tell thy woes to those beloved, for sorrows shared, are half removed."-Though God knows all our wants, He will know them from us, and is honoured by our laying them before Him.-These messengers may have spent at least two days on their errand, and in the meantime Lazarus died. -This explains the fact of his having lain in the grave four days. Note the knowledge these sisters had of their Friend's hiding place.

Saying. They make no request that He would "come."-They do not say "Come down ere he die," or "Speak the word and he shall live," but simply remind Him of His love for their dying brother, and leave the rest to His wisdom.-They well knew the depth and tenderness of His heart. It is enough for LOVE to know true love never forsakes.—Having received largely from a friend, we are slow to ask more, yet the more we have received from God the more our prayers increase.

Lord. To Christ the omnipotent Physician of soul and body should the sick first of all resort. Psalm cxxxiii. 1.-In distress and

misery let us despatch sighs and tears to Him, and remind Him of our covenant that we have made with Him.-But we must not limit the Lord in respect to time and method.-God's manner of regarding sickness and prayer for the sick often differs materially from that of praying relatives and friends. Quesnel.—He sometimes denies a small favour that He may shew us a greater one. 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9.

Thou lovest.

Christ has not only perfect wisdom, power, and holiness, but HE LOVES.-Man was made in God's image; from human love we therefore learn something of Divine love.-All God's acts begin and end in love, however painful or perplexing to us.-Thou lovest. A most womanly appeal to His known affection. -They evidently leave the consequence to be inferred: "Come and heal him."—God's boundless liberality offers both measure and motive for the future.-As grace begins, so it ends, all good.-Nothing before but prayer, nothing after but thanks.-Afflictions are Christ's love-tokens: "As many as I love I chasten." Rev. iii. 9. -We pray well when we ground our petitions on Christ's love to us, not on ours to Him.-Having loved His own that are in the world He loves them to the end. John xiii. 1.

Sick.

The request implies the illness was dangerous.-When grief is deep and overwhelming it writes but short letters.-This message, the first which directly appealed to the Lord's personal friendship. -It called Him to help a friend because He was a friend.-Jesus has all the qualities of a human friend in perfection, and yet is an Almighty, omniscient Friend.-What an appeal to a loving, human heart. How much more to Christ's.-They knew that without HIS WILL their brother could not die.-When the storm of death shatters all around us there is no shelter like this: "And they went and told Jesus." Matt. xiv. 12.-Note 1. There are some followers of Jesus for whom He hath a special kindness. John xiii. 23.2. It is no new thing for those whom He loves to be sick.-3. It is a great blessing when we are sick to have those about us who will pray for us.-4. There is great encouragement to prayer for the sick when we have reason to believe they are those Christ loves. Henry. -The love of the Lord a tabernacle of God among men. outer court (ver. 3), the Holy Place (ver. 4), the Holy of Holies (ver. 5). The way of Divine love: He acts in darkness, He walks in light. Schröder.-The sisters' message, a confession of lofty faith: Lord, whom Thou lovest Thou wilt never forsake.-Prayers recorded in the New Testament are but a few words, but, how powerful!

The

ov pixels. These words are more solicitous of help than if they had mentioned his name. Schaff. The request lay in the message itself, and the addition ôv pλeîs supplied the motive for its fulfilment. Meyer.

For difference between piλéw and άyaraú see critical notes on John xxi. 15, 16, 17.

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.

He said. Spoken generally in the hearing of those present, the messengers are the disciples.-Sufficient for the moment as a preparation both for the sisters and the disciples. Meyer. This sickness. See on John iv. 46-52.-This proves He foresaw all from the first. I know no greater blessing than health, except sickness. Adams.-Our losses, sickness, pains, and death are so many stages in Christian progress.-Thus Joseph, from field to slavery, from slavery to prison, from prison to court, and from court to chain of office and royal chariot, even next the throne.Christ, the believer's physician, pain his medicine, Divine promises his support, grave his bed, and death an angel to release and carry him up to glory.-Although our Lord sent this answer as a comfort, yet like many other words it was not thoroughly understood until fulfilled.

Not unto death. See on John iv. 47. It is not to have death for its result, which does not mean: it is not deadly. Meyer.—He saw the result, and the sisters would soon see it. In this case death was to end in a glorious miracle of re-awakening.-These words are like some of those dark Providences which perplex in the life of believers. "What I do (or say) thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." John xiii. 9.-We must never attempt to judge of Christ's love to us by outward dispensations. Glory of God, i.e., for the furtherance of the honour of God. Meyer. Sick or well, alive or dead, the believer glorifies God. "Whether we live we live unto the Lord, or whether we die," &c. Rom. xiv. 8.-Paul was in earnest expectation (Greek "stretching his neck") to learn how to live and die. Phil. i. 20.—This reply teaches the great truth that in Providence as in Grace He will maintain His sovereignty.

Son of God. See on John i. 18, 34. The emphatic and more definite explanation stating the kind and manner of the Glory. Meyer.-Glorification of the Son involves the glory of the Father. Implies the glorifying of Christ in Lazarus himself. Men not mere tools but temples of God. Alford.-Resurrection of Lazarus, the comprehensive concluding symbol of all the miracles exhibiting the glory of God in Christ. Stier.-In all the afflictions of saints the Son of God is glorified in His wisdom, power, and goodness: 1. In supporting; 2. In relieving; 3. In ordering all for their welfare. Three resurrections: 1. The child on its death-bed; 2. The youth on his bier; 3. The man in his grave. Each in its order symbolical of the resurrection of the soul "from the death of sin to the life of righteousness," our Lord's most divine and glorious work. Neander.

Bávarov. Doubtless this message was delivered, although the hearts of the sisters were too heavy to understand its import. Grief often blinds the eyes to the bright light in the cloud. "No chastening for the present," &c. Heb. xii. 11. Braune. Hints at Christ's omniscience. Grotius. Jesus certainly knew by His higher knowledge that the death of Lazarus was certain and near at hand. The assumption of a second message is purely arbitrary. Meyer. Sóns. The spiritual good of the sisters also. Olsh. Through Lazarus himself in perfecting his spiritual being. Trench.

iva doέaoon. In these words the doctrinal design of the narrative is contained. Meyer. The performance of so striking a miracle before a great multitude and near to Jerusalem. Lange.

5. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

Loved. Explains the motive impelling Him to open to them the consolatory prospect in verse 4. Meyer. This is the key to all that follows, even to the great trial to their faith in His apparent indifference and delay." When Israel was a child, then I loved him." Hos. xi. 1.-Childhood is lovely: 1. For its guilelessness; 2. Innocence; 3. Faith; 4. Humility.-Entertaining a stranger in their house they have the ANGEL of the COVENANT as a guest.It was at the hospitable table at Emmaus that Jesus revealed Himself.―The Christian host is willing to open his door to the wretched, as grace has opened heaven to him. Luke xvi. 9.We should not too bitterly mourn the death of those whom Jesus loves.-Plato says the "Athenians were highly favoured for many things, but first and chiefly because they were beloved of the gods."-"I love them that love Me; and they that seek Me early," &c. Prov. viii. 17.

nyána, not épíλe, describes the loftily severe conduct of the love of Christ. Lange. ayanav may be used of Divine love, but piλeir expresses human love, and the personal relation of friendship. Schaff. An expression chosen with delicate tenderness. Meyer. Explanatory of verse 3, De Wette; of verse 4, Meyer; preparatory to verse 6, B. Crusius. Martha is named first as being the mistress of the house and the eldest. Meyer.

6. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

Heard. He needed no messenger to tell Him of Lazarus' illness. See on John vi. 64.-He well knew the metal was in the fire, and the refining process going on.-He waits until it obtains purity and splendour.

Abode.

Out of pure love He hastens not.-Urgent reasons would prevent His haste.-The disciple must not dictate to Him; that were to set the sun by our dial.—When beloved ones were hoping against hope it was then that He chose to remain away.-"The Lord will judge his people when He seeth their power is gone." Deut. xxxii. 36. To the sisters it was a mystery, to us it is plain

-We cannot tell why God permits sorrow to oppress, pain to afflict, temptation to incite and disquiet. The Psalmist asked, “Why go I mourning? Why hast thou forgotten me? They say unto me, 'Where is thy God?'"-Our Lord by one word of His wisdom, explains it: It is for GOD'S GLORY.

Same place. What work His untiring love was performing we know not. Some suppose a specially gracious activity at the Jordan. This looks as though He did not respond, yet His inmost heart must have yearned to bring relief.-He makes no sign of moving towards Bethany.-Here His humanity is seen to be the medium of His divinity.-Help is often delayed to make the deliverance all the more glorious.-It is not said, He loved them, and yet He lingered; but, He loved them and therefore He lingered.— He lovingly delayed: 1. That He might try the sisters and through trial, bless. 2. That He might have opportunity of doing more for Lazarus and his sisters than for any others.-God ever hath gracious intentions in seeming delays. Too often we never think of applying to our Lord until all other hopes have failed.

Eμeiver. The motive indicated, ver. 4: the glorification of God through the miracle. Meyer, Alford. Undoubtedly a final and supreme motive, so fine an historical trait cannot have been invented. Lange. He was detained in Percea by important business. Thol., Lücke, Neander. He was not responsible as human beings. He took a circuitous route from Jordan to Bethany, making a week to elapse before He arrived. Tiltmann. Jesus never designedly occasioned or magnified His own miracles, and hence it must have been something external that delayed Him. De Wette. To test the faith of the sisters. Olshausen, and the ancient Commentators. This motive too arbitrary. Meyer.

Svo nuépas. He was to depart from a province in which there were many that believed on Him. Lange. He would not leave this region without saying farewell to His followers. Schleiermucher.

7. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judæa again.

After that. Awed by His mysterious words, the disciples waited for clearer light.

Let us go. Mark the delay and haste of Jesus. Only when the proper moment arrives will He proceed to His great work.Christ ever arises to the help of His people when the set time is come. The worst time with us is commonly His set time.-Man's extremity is God's opportunity.-"Let us go: "The distress of His people draws the Lord unto them: 1. Down from Heaven into human misery; 2. Over the Jordan into peril of death; 3. From the rest above into the conflict of earth; 4. From the throne of glory to the Judgment-seat. Lange.

Judæa. John iii. 22. He does not say to Bethany, but to Judæa,

the land of unbelief and deadly hatred.-It was now for the last

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