30Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him. 31Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled, 34and said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35Jesus wept. 36So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!” 37But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?” 38So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. 39Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.” 40Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42“I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” 44The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” 45Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him. 46But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.
47Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. 48“If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 49But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” 51Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, 52and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53So from that day on they planned together to kill Him. 54Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples. 55Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves. 56So they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?” 57Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.
Interesting Words
deeply moved
(ἐμβριμάομαι – Greek) – embrimaomai ► to be moved with anger, to admonish sternly, to snort (with the notion of coercion springing out of displeasure, anger, indignation, antagonism), express indignant displeasure with some one; I charge sternly, (from en, “engaged in” and brimaomai, “to snort”) – properly, snort like an angry horse – Matt 9:30-31; Mark 1:42-43, 44 ; Mark 14:4-5;
troubled
(ταράσσω – Greek) – tarassó ► to stir up, to trouble, disturb, agitate, properly, put in motion (to agitate back-and-forth, shake to-and-fro); (figuratively) to set in motion what needs to remain still (at ease); to “trouble” (“agitate”), causing inner perplexity (emotional agitation) from getting too stirred up inside (“upset”) – Matt 2:3; Mark 6:50; Luke 1:12; John 12:27, 14:27; 1Peter 3:14;
glory
(δόξα – Greek) – doxa ► opinion (always good in NT), praise, honor, renown; glory, an especially divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, splendor, (from dokeō, “exercising personal opinion which determines value“), corresponds to the OT word, kabo (“to be heavy“). Both terms convey God’s infinite, intrinsic worth (substance, essence) – Luke 2:13-14, 9:30-31; John 1:14, John 17:5, 22; 2Cor 4:17-18;
Cross References
▪︎ Heb 4:15 – He can sympathize with our weaknesses.
▪︎ Rom 5:1-2 – Rejoice in hope of His coming glory.
▪︎ Rom 8:18 – Current distress cannot compare to the glory to come.
▪︎ Heb 2:9, 10 – To taste death for every man.
▪︎ Ps 2:8, 67:1-2; Isa 42:1, 6 – The Messiah is to be a the light to the nations.
Discussion Questions
1. How does Jesus reaction demonstrate His ability to sympathize with mankind (Heb 4:15)?
▪︎ Their culture was set up for a purpose, to elicited emotions at a funeral, with hired mourners. Jesus knew that and yet He was still caught up in the drama.
▪︎ He may have been troubled by their game, maybe even angry, but He was still caught up in the emotion.
▪︎ All that being said Jesus was still deeply moved over the loss of a close friend and the negative effect it had on his family and Jesus’ closest female friends.
▪︎ It doesn’t seem that we today have to deal with all these different aspects, but we certainly can feel the pain and loss related to death. It is good to know that we have a Savior that feels our pain and walks with us thru temptations.
2. How does the reaction of the crowds reveal their inner thoughts (John 11:37)?
▪︎ Certainly, Jesus was making progress from a ministry perspective with some of the Jews.
▪︎ They could also tell the love Jesus had for Lazarus (John 11:36).
▪︎ Jesus works were also an additional factor to those who had eyes to see and ears to hear (John 9:25, 30, 32).
3. How exactly did those present experience the glory of God ?
▪︎ It wasn’t a glorious display like the transfiguration, but rather a dramatic display of the power of God.
▪︎ There was not a hugh stage show. Jesus simply called Lazarus to come forth from the tomb.
▪︎ It was certainly a contrast to the expected stench that would have come from the tomb.
4. What are the implications of this miraculous display of God’s glory?
▪︎ God does not do things in a showy way.
▪︎ He has complete control over His creation.
▪︎ He could create new life without the need for existing material. Creating new life in old bones.
▪︎ God’s lowest increment of glory is more than enough to completely overwhelm is.
▪︎ Even in the mundane things of life, God can sovereignly control events as to show His complete dominance but do it in a way that unbelievers can rationalize the situation and justify their unbelief (Matt 13: 11, 12, 13)
5. What new attitudes do you see (if any) from the crowd present here?
▪︎ They were observant, confirming Jesus’ love for Lazarus (John 11:36).
▪︎ They now were intellectually convinced Jesus could heal the sick (sustain life) but not necessarily raise the dead (create life) John 11:37.
▪︎ However, they still were not ready to personally accept Jesus’ divinty, let alone confess Him openly, or rebuke the leadership for their unbelief.
6. What authority does the leadership need to make discussions like those in John 11:47-48?
▪︎ They believe they have god-like authority over life and death (which they do not).
▪︎ They may be justifying themselves by claiming they are protecting the whole country against the retribution of Rome, but that requires that their logic and reasoning actually holds water.
▪︎ They would have needed to be king, pharaoh or caesar to do it, but it still would have lacked the true justice of God.
7. How did Caiaphas manage to work this all out?
▪︎ Caiaphas intimidates them (John 11:49) into agreeing with him.
▪︎ Caiaphas does present his case in a self-serving way… he was really saying “Let one man die for us to protect our livelihood”.
▪︎ He said you know nothing, but they were the spiritual leaders of the nation. They should know!
▪︎ Like Pharoah (Rom 9:17-18) they did exactly as God dictated, but the are still responsible for their sinful actions.
8. What did Caiaphas actually prophesy that was confirmed by other prophesies (John 11: 51-52)?
▪︎ Jesus would die for the nation of Israel, not to save them from Rome but to save them from their sins.
▪︎ Jesus would also “gather together all God’s children who are scattered abroad”, Jews and Gentiles, redeemed from all the nations (Isa 42:1, 6). He would die as payment for the sins of the whole world. Those who believe in Him (John 3:16-17).
▪︎ Jesus would eventually usher in His millennial kingdom the would vanquish Rome and all other human governments (John 12:31-32; Rev 19:2).
9. Describe the progress of Jesus’ ministry from John 11: 53-54, 55, 56, 57?
▪︎ He had everything now set for His last Passover; it was just a matter of timing.
▪︎ He would stay at Ephraim until He returned to Bethany for a dinner engagement (John 12:1, 2).
▪︎ Mary would anoint Him with oil (John 12:3), just before His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, (John 12:9)
▪︎ The Jews would also target Lazarus in their murderous plot (John 12:10-11)
▪︎ Many planned for a celebration and triumphant entry of their new King (John 12:12, 13).
▪︎ Jesus’ time had finally come but it would not end the way crowd wanted. The Jews had a plan to seize Him, but it was to late (John 11:57)
▪︎ God’s plan Fulfilled prophesy (John 12:14-15).