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They seek to destroy him.

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A. M. 4033. phemest; because I said, I am the || him: but he escaped out of their hand,
Son of God?
40 And went away again beyond Jor-
37 If I do not the works of my Fa- dan into the place where John at first
ther, believe me not.
baptized and there he abode.

CCII. 1.

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38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, "believe the works that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. 39¶Therefore they sought again to take

Ch. 5. 17, 18. ver. 30.- Luke 1. 35. ch. 9. 35, 37. ch. 15. 24.dch. 5. 36. & 14. 10, 11.

dent from that Scripture which cannot be gainsaid; what greater reason then have I to say, I am the Son of God, and one with God, when as Messiah, I have been consecrated, sent || into the world to instruct and save men; and when as God, I have wrought miracles which could be performed by no power less than that of omnipotence?

Verse 37. If I do not the works, &c.] I desire you to believe only on the evidence of my works: if I do not do such works as God only can perform, then believe me not.

Verse 38. Believe the works] Though ye do not now credit what I have said to you, yet consider my works, and then ye will see, that these works prove that I am in the Father and the Father in me; and consequently, that I and the Father are one. This seems to be the force of our Lord's argument; and every man must see and feel that it is conclusive. There was no possibility of weakening the force of this reasoning, but by asserting that these miracles were not wrought by the power of God: and then they must have proved, that not only a man, but a bad mun, such as they said Jesus was, could work these miracles. As this was impossible, then the argument of Christ had a complete triumph.

Verse 39. They sought again to take him] They could not reply to his arguments but by stones. The evidence of the truth could not be resisted; and they endeavoured to destroy the person who spoke it. Truth may confound the obstinately wicked, but it does not convert them: and it is a just judgment of God, to leave those to perish in their gainsayings, who obstinately continue to gainsay and disbelieve.

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1. This and the preceding chapter contain two remarkable discomfitures of the Jewish doctors. In the former they were confounded by the testimony of a plain uneducated man, simply appealing to the various circumstances of a matter of fact, at which they cavilled, and which they endeavoured to decry. In this chapter the wise are taken in their own craftiness: the Pharisees are confounded by that wisdom which is from above, speaking of and manifesting the deep things of God. Sometimes God himself stops the mouths of gainsayers; at other times he makes the simplest of his followers too mighty for the most learned among the doctors. Ancient and modern martyrologies of the people of God abound with proofs of both these facts. And the persecutions of the Protestants by the Papists in the reign of Queen Mary afford a very large proportion of proofs. In these the mighty power of God and the prevalence of truth were gloriously apparent. Both the word of God and the Protestant cause were nobly illustrated by those transactions. May that abomination that maketh desolate never more sit in the holy place!

2. It must be remarked by every serious Reader, that our Lord did frequently speak of himself to the Jews, as being not only sent of God as their Messiah, but as being one with him.

But he escaped] In such a way as we know not, for the And it is as evident that in this sense, the priests and Pharisees Evangelist has not specified the manner of it.

Verse 40. Beyond Jordan] Rather to the side of Jordan, not beyond it. See the note on chap. vi. 22. and Matt. xix. 1. Where John at first baptized] That is, at Bethabara : see chap. i. 28. Afterwards, John baptized at Enon: chap. iii. 23. Verse 42. Many believed on him there.] The people believed on him, 1. because of the testimony of John the Baptist, whom they knew to be a good and a wise man, and a prophet of the Lord; and they knew he could neither deceive nor be deceived in this matter: and 2. they believed because of the miracles which they saw Jesus work. These fully proved that all that John had suid of him was true. The scribes and Pha

understood him: and it was because they would not credit this, that they accused him of blasphemy: Now, if our Lord was not the person they understood him to state himself to be, he had the fairest opportunity from their strong remonstrances, to correct their misapprehension of his words, if they really had mistaken his meaning-but this he never attempts. He rather strengthens his assertions in his consequent discourses with them; which, had not his positions been true, he could not have done, even as an honest man. He not only asserted himself to be equal with God, but wished them to believe it to be true: and he amply confirmed this heavenly doctrine by the miracles he wrought.

Account of the sickness

ST. JOHN.

CHAPTER XI.

and death of Lazarus.

Account of the sickness of Lazarus, 1. His sisters Martha and Mary send for Christ, 2. Our Lord's discourse with his disciples on this sickness and consequent death, 3-16. He arrives at Bethany four days after the burying of Lazarus, 17, 18. Martha meets Christ-their conversation, 19-27. She returns, and Mary goes out to meet him, in great distress, 28-33. Christ comes to the grave-his conversation there, 34-42. He raises Lazarus from the dead, 43-46. The priests and Pharisees hearing of this, hold a council, and plot his destruction, 47, 48. The remarkable prophecy of Caiaphas, and the consequent proceedings of the Jews, 49–53, Jesus withdraws into a city called Ephraim, 54. They lay wait for him at the Pass-over, 55—57.

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NOTES ON CHAP. XI.

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Verse 1. Lazarus, of Bethany] St. John, who seldom relates any thing but what the other Evangelists have omitted, does not tell us what gave rise to that familiar acquaintance and friendship that subsisted between our Lord and this family. It is surprising that the other Evangelists have omitted so remarkable an account as this is, in which some of the finest traits in our Lord's character are exhibited. The conjecture of Grotius has a good deal of weight. He thinks that the other three Evangelists wrote their histories during the life of Lazarus; and that they did not mention him for fear of exciting the malice of the Jews against him. And indeed we find from chap. xii. 10. that they sought to put Lazarus to death also, that our Lord might not have one monument of his power and goodness remaining in the land. Probably both Lazarus and his sisters were dead before St. John wrote. Bethany was situated at the foot of the mount of Olives about two miles from Jerusalem. Bishop Pearce observes that "there is a large gap in John's history of Christ in this place. What is mentioned in the preceding chapter passed at the feast of the dedication, ver. 22. about the middle of our December: and this miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead, seems to have been wrought but a little before the following pass-over, in the end of March, at which time Jesus was crucified, as may (he thinks) be gathered from verses 54 and 55 of this || chapter, and from chap. xii. 9." John has therefore, according to the Bishop's calculation, omitted to mention the several miracles which our Lord wrought for above three months after the things mentioned in the preceding chapter.

January, Lazarus fell sick: Christ did not leave Bethabara till after the death of Lazarus, which happened about the 18th of the same month.

Bishop Newcome supposes that our Lord might have staid about a month at Bethabara.

The harmonists and chronologists differ much in fixing dates, and ascertaining times. In cases of this nature, I believe men may innocently guess as well as they can; but they should assert nothing.

Verse 2. It was that Mary which anointed] There is much disagreement between learned men, relative to the two anoint ings of our Lord; and the persons who performed these acts. The various conjectures concerning these points, the Reader will find in the notes on Matt. xxvi. 7, &c. but particularly at the end of that chapter.

Dr. Lightfoot enquires, why should Bethany be called the town of Martha and Mary, and not of Lazarus? And he thinks the reason is, that Martha and Mary had been well known by that anointing of our Lord, which is mentioned Luke vii. 37. (see the note there) but the name of Lazarus had not been mentioned till now, there being no transac tion by which he could properly be brought into view. Ile therefore thinks that the aorist auf, which we translate anointed, should have its full force, and be translated, who had formerly anointed; and this he thinks to have been the reason of that familiarity which subsisted between our Lord and this family; and on this ground, they could confidently send for our Lord when Lazarus fell sick. This seems a very reasonable conjecture; and it is very likely that the famili

Culmet says, Christ left Jerusalem the day after the Dedi-arity arose out of the anointing. cation took place, which was the 18th of December. He went then to Bethabara, where he continued preaching, and his disciples baptizing. About the middle of the following

Others think that the anointing of which the Evangelist speaks, is that mentioned chap, xii. 1, &c. and which happened about six days before the Pass-over. St. John, there

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fore, is supposed to anticipate the account, because it served more particularly to designate the person of whom he was speaking.

Verse 3. He whom thou lovest is sick.] Nothing could be more simple, nor more modest, than this prayer: they do not say, Come and heal him: or, Command the disease to depart even where thou art, and it will obey thee:they content themselves with simply stating the case, and using an indirect, but a most forcible argument, to induce our Lord to shew forth his power and goodness :-He is sick, and thou lovest him-therefore thou canst neither abandon him, nor us.

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and death of Lazarus.

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

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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.

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Verse 9. Are there not twelve hours in the day ] The Jews, as well as most other nations, divided the day from sunrising to sun-setting, into twelve equal parts: but these parts or hours, were longer or shorter, according to the different seasons of the year. See the note on chap. i. 39.

Our Lord alludes to the case of a traveller, who has to walk the whole day: the day points out the time of life-the night, that of death. He had already used the same mode of speech, chap. ix. 4. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. Here he refers to what the apostles had just said-The Jews were but just now going to stone thee. Are there not, said he, twelve hours in the day? I have not travelled these twelve hours yet-my last hour is not yet come; and the Jews, with all their malice and hatred, shall not be able to bring it a moment sooner than God has purposed. I am immortal till my work is done; and this that I am now going to Bethany to perform, is a part of it. When all is completed, then their hour, and that of the power of darkness, shall commence. See Luke xxii. 53.

Verse 4. This sickness is not unto death] Not to final privation of life at this time; but a temporary death shall be now permitted, that the glory of God may appear in the miracle of his resurrection. It is very likely that this verse contains the message which Christ sent back, by the person whom the afflicted sisters had sent to him: and this, no doubt, served much to strengthen their confidence, though their faith must have been greatly exercised by the death of their brother for when this took place, though they buried him, yet they believed even then, probably on the ground of this message, that Jesus might raise him from the dead. See ver. 22. Verse 5. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.] Therefore his staying two days longer in Bethabara was not through lack of affection for this distressed family; but merely that he might have a more favourable opportunity of proving to them how much he loved them. Christ never denies a less favour, but in order to confer a greater. God's delays in answering prayers offered to him by persons in distress, are often proofs of his purpose to confer some great kindness: and they are also proofs, that his wisdom finds it necessary to permit an increase of the affliction, that his goodness may being to the maxims of this dark world, he stumbles-falls into more conspicuous in its removal.

Verse 8. The Jews of late sought to stone thee] It was but a few weeks before, that they were going to stone him in the temple, on the day of the feast of the Dedication, chap. x. 31.

If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not] A traveller. should use the day to walk in, and not the night. During the day he has the sun, the light of this world: he sees his way, and does not stumble but if he walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in it, ver. 10. i. e. there is no sun. above the horizon. The words & aur, ver. 9. refer not to the man, but to the world, the sun its light, not being above the horizon. Life is the time to fulfil the will of God, and to prepare for glory. Jesus is the light of the world; he that walks in his Spirit, and by his direction, cannot stumble-cannot fall into sin, nor be surprised by an unexpected death. But he who walks in the night, in the darkness of his own heart, and accord

sin, and at last falls into hell. Reader! do not dream of walking to heaven in the night of thy death. God has given thee the warning: receive it, and begin to live to him, and. for eternity.

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12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, mus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, he shall do well.

13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

that we may die with him.

17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

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18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem,

14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus about fifteen furlongs off: is dead.

19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and

a So Deut. 31. 16. Dan. 12. 2. Matt. 9. 24. Acts 7. 60. 1 Cor. 15. 18, 51.

b That is, about two miles.

Verse 11. Lazarus sleepeth] It was very common among the Jews to express death by sleep; and the expressions, falling asleep-sleeping with their fathers, &c. were in great use among them. The Hebrews probably used this form of speech, to signify their belief in the immortality of the soul, and the resurrection of the body.

Thaom, was his Hebrew name, and signifies a twinone who had a brother or a sister born with him at the same time: Didymus, Aidupos, is a literal translation of the Hebrew word into Greek. In Gen. xxv. 24. Esau and Jacob are called thomcem, twins; Septuag. dux, from Supos, a twin; from the Anglo-saxon epman, to double. Let us also go, that we may

die with him.] That is, "See

It is certain that our Lord received no intimation of Lazarus's death from any person; and that he knew it throughing we cannot dissuade our Lord from going, and his death that power by which he knows all things.

Verse 12. If he sleep, he shall do well.] That is, if he sleep only, &c. Though the word sleep frequently meant death, (see Acts vii. 60. 1 Cor. xi. 30. xv. 18, 20.) yet as it was an ambiguous term, the disciples appear here to have mistaken its meaning. Because, in certain acute disorders, the composing the patient to rest, was a favourable sign; therefore the words, If he sleep, he shall do well, or recover, became a proverbial form of speech among the Jews. In most diseases, sleep is a very favourable prognostic: hence that saying of Menander, Ύπνος δε πάσης εσιν ύγίεια νοσου,

is likely to be the inevitable consequence; let us give him the fullest proof we can of our love, by going and suffering death with him." Some think Thomas spoke these words peevishly, and that they should be translated thus, Must we also go, and expose ourselves to destruction with him? which is as much as to say, "If he will obstinately go and risk his life in so imminent a danger, let us act with more prudence and caution." But I think the first sense is to be preferred. When a matter is spoken which concerns the moral character of a person, and which may be understood in a good and a bad sense, that sense which is most favourable to the person, should certainly be adopted. This is taking things by the best handle, and both justice and mercy require it. The conduct of most men widely differs from this: of such an old proverb says, They feed like the flies-pass over all a man's whole parts, to light upon his sores.”

Sleep is a remedy for every disease. See Grotius here. The meaning of the disciples seems to have been this: There can be no need for thee to go into Judea to awake our friend Lazarus; he will awake time enough, and his very sleep is a presage of his recovery: therefore do not hazard thy life by going. Verse 15. I am glad for your sakes that I was not there] Verse 17. He had lain in the grave four days already.] "I tell you plainly, Lazarus is dead and I am glad I was Our Lord probably left Bethabara the day, or the day after not there—if I had, I should have been prevailed on to have Lazarus died. He came to Bethany three days after: and it healed him almost as soon as he fell sick, and I should not appears that Lazarus had been buried about four days, and have had so striking an occasion to manifest the glory of God consequently that he had been put in the grave the day or to you, and to establish you in the faith." It was a miracle day after he died. Though it was the Jewish custom to emto discover that Lazarus was dead, as no person had come to balm their dead, yet we find from ver. 39. that he had not announce it. It was a greater miracle to raise a dead man,been embalmed, and God wisely ordered this, that the miracle than to cure a sick man. And it was a still greater miracle, to raise one that was three or four days buried, and in whose body putrefaction might have begun to take place; than to raise one that was but newly dead. See ver. 39.

Verse 16. Thomas, which is called Didymus] Thomas, or

might appear the more striking.

Verse 18. Fifteen furlongs] About two miles: for the Jewish miles contained about seven furlongs and a half. So Lightfoot, and the Margin.

Verse 19. Many of the Jews came] Bethany being so nigh

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to Jerusalem, many of the relatives and friends of the family came, according to the Jewish custom, to mourn with the afflicted sisters. Mourning, among the Jews, lasted about thirty days the three first days, were termed days of weeping: then followed seven of lamentation. During the three days, the mourner did no servile work; and if any one saluted him, he did not return the salutation. During the seven days, he did no servile work, except in private-lay with his bed on the floor-did not put on his sandals-did not wash nor anoint himself-had his head covered-and neither read in the Law, the Mishnah, nor the Talmud. All the thirty days he continued unshaven, wore no white or new clothes, and did not sew up the rents which he had made in his garments. See Lightfoot, and see on ver. 31.

Verse 20. Martha-went and met him] Some suppose she was the eldest of the two sisters--she seems to have had the management of the house. See Luke x. 40.

Mary sat still in the house.] It is likely that by this circumstance, the Evangelist intended to convey the idea of her sorrow and distress; because anciently, afflicted persons were accustomed to put themselves in this posture, as expressive of their distress: their grief having rendered them as it were immoveable. See Ezra ix. 3, 4. Neh. i. 4. Psal. cxxxvii. 2. Isai. xlvii. 1. Luke i. 79. and Matt. xxvii. 61.

Verse 21. If thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.] Mary said the same words to him a little after, ver. 32. which proves that these sisters had not a complete knowledge of the omnipotence of Christ-they thought he could cure at hand, but not at a distance; or they thought that it was because he did not know of their brother's indisposition, that he permitted him to die. In either of these cases, it plainly appears they had not a proper notion of his divinity; and indeed the following verse proves that they considered him in no other light than that of a prophet. Quere-Was it not proper that Christ should, in general, as much as might be, hide the knowledge of his divinity from those with whom he ordinarily lodged? Had they known him fully, would not the reverence and awe connected with such a knowledge, have overwhelmed them?

Verse 22. I know, that even now] She durst not ask so great a favour in direct terms; she only intimated modestly, that she knew he could do it.

Verse 23. Thy brother shall rise again.] That is, directly: for it was by raising him immediately from the dead, that he intended to comfort her.

Verse 24. I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection] The doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, was then commonly received; and though it was our Lord who fully exemplified it by his own resurrection; yet the opinion was common, not only among God's people, but among all those who believed in the God of Israel. The Jewish writings after the captivity, are full of this doctrine. See 2 Macc. vii. 9, 11, 23, 36. xii. 43. xiv. 46. Wisd. v. 1, 7, 17. vi. 6, 7. Sce also Josephus, and the Targums, passim.

Verse 25. I am the resurrection, and the life] Thou sayest that thy brother shall rise a gainin the res uection at the last day; but by whom shall he arise if not by ME, who am the author of the resurrection, and the source of life? And is it not as easy for me to raise him now, as to raise him then? Thus our blessed Lord raises her hope, animates her faith, and teaches her that he was not a mere man, but the essential principle and author of existence.

Though he were dead] Every man who has believed or shall believe in ne, though his believing shall not prevent him from dying a natural death; yet his body shall be reanimated, and he shall live with me in an eternal glory. And every one who is now dead, dead to God, dead in trespasses and sins; if he believe in me, trust on me as his sole saviour, he shall live, shall be quickened by my spirit, and live a life of faith, working by love.

Verse 26. Shall never die.] Or, Shall not die for ever. Though he die a temporal death, he shall not continue under its power for ever; but shall have a resurrection to life eternal.

Believest thou this?] God has determined to work in the behalf of men, only in proportion to their faith in him: it was necessary therefore, that these persons should be well instructed concerning his nature, that they might find no obstacles to their faith. These sisters had considered hint

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