Chapter Eleven
Jn. 11:1. Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village where Mary and her sister Martha lived.
Only John tells this story. He tells it in order to teach us not to be scandalized if some illness befalls people who are zealous and beloved of God. For Lazarus was a friend of Christ, and yet even he was sick.
Jn. 11:2. Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was the one who anointed the Lord with myrrh and wiped His feet with her hair.
It is necessary to know also that this Mary, who anointed the Lord with myrrh, was neither the harlot mentioned by the Evangelist Luke (Luke 7:37–50), nor the woman mentioned by the Evangelist Matthew (Matt. 26:7), but another — not a harlot, but an honorable, God-loving, and zealous woman. For she was concerned with receiving Christ and served Him, as John himself later (John 12:2) testifies. The Lord testifies of her that she chose the good part, as the Evangelist Luke notes (Luke 10:42). These sisters were so wondrous and venerable that even Lazarus became known more on account of them. For Lazarus, it says, was from Bethany, from the village of Mary and Martha.
Jn. 11:3. The sisters sent to tell Him: Lord! behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick.
Why then do they send to call Jesus, and do not go to Him themselves, like the centurion and the royal official? Because they firmly hoped in Christ, because they were weak women and it was not proper for them to leave the house, because they too were overcome with grief and were occupied with caring for their brother. And that they did this not out of negligence is evident from what follows, for they show Christ great honor and respect and offer a steadfast prayer.
"Behold, he whom Thou lovest." They speak thus in order that by the name of friendship they might more surely incline the Lord to compassion. This expression of these women also reveals a certain faith of theirs. They are so confident in the greatness of the Lord's power that it is astonishing to them how illness could touch a man beloved by Him. For it seems somehow astonishing that he whom Thou, O Lord, lovest is sick.
Jn. 11:4. Jesus, having heard this, said: this sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.
Since Jesus intended to remain in that place for two days, He says that "this sickness is not unto death," although it did lead to death; He says this in order to encourage the messengers and to give them a kind of consolation, so that they would not persist in urging Him and would not grieve. It is for this reason that He says: "This sickness is not unto death."
And in another way. If you look carefully, this sickness was not unto death—the kind of death by which many die, that is, unto a prolonged death, but unto a temporary one that lasted four days. Since Lazarus was raised on the fourth day, looking at the outcome of the matter, we say: this sickness is not unto death. "But for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified through it." Do you see that the Father and the Son have one glory? For having said "for the glory of God," He added "that the Son of God might be glorified," for the glory of God, that is, of the Father, in no way differs from the glory of the Son. Consequently, the Son is properly and truly God just as the Father is, for those who have one glory have one Essence as well.
Let the Arians be put to shame by this saying as well. "That He may be glorified." Understand this not as a cause, but as an event and outcome of the matter (as we have said more than once). For Lazarus was not sick in order that God might be glorified, but sickness befell Lazarus, and the Lord turned it to the glory of God.
Jn. 11:5. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
Jn. 11:6. When He heard that he was sick, He stayed two days in the place where He was.
He "stayed two days" so that Lazarus would die, so that no one could say that he had been in a deep sleep, exhaustion, or a trance, and not death. This is why the Lord remains so long that decomposition had already begun, and the sister herself says that "he already stinks" (John 11:39).
Jn. 11:7. After this He said to the disciples: let us go to Judea again.
In other cases the Lord never stated beforehand where He intended to go, but only here does He announce in advance, it seems, because His disciples were very afraid to go to Judea. He announces beforehand so that they would not be troubled by the unexpectedness, if He were to suddenly lead them into a country which they were afraid to enter.
Jn. 11:8. The disciples said to Him: Rabbi! The Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and You are going there again?
Since they were afraid both for Him, for they did not yet have perfect knowledge of Him, and were afraid for themselves, they say to Him: "The Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and You are going there again?"
Jn. 11:9. Jesus answered: Are there not twelve hours in the day? He who walks in the day does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world;
Jn. 11:10. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.
The Lord encourages them and says: "Just as one who sees the light does not stumble, but the one who walks at night stumbles, so too the one who does good and walks in deeds of light will not suffer any misfortune, while the one who does evil will suffer misfortune; therefore you have no need to fear, for we have done nothing deserving of death."
Or yet another way: "If he who sees this light does not stumble, how much more will he not stumble who abides with Me, provided he himself does not fall away from Me. Therefore you also, abiding with Me, the true Light, are afraid in vain."
Others understand "day" as the time before the suffering, and "night" as the time of the suffering. So, He says, as long as the "day" goes on, that is, while the time of suffering has not yet come, you will not stumble, for you will encounter neither persecution from the Jews nor any other unpleasantness. But when the "night" comes, that is, My suffering, then you, thrown into confusion, will gather in one small house out of fear of the Jews. From that time you will experience sorrows and afflictions, and much hostility and trouble. When I, the Light, am no longer living with you bodily, the night of sorrows will envelop you.
Jn. 11:11. Having said this, He then says to them: Lazarus, our friend, has fallen asleep; but I am going to awaken him.