John 11

The narrative follows a clear path from private domestic grief to a public, climactic sign, followed by the inevitable political fallout among the leaders in Jerusalem.

• I go, that I may awake him out of sleep (v. 11).
• He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live (v. 25).
• Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die (v. 26).
• If thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God (v. 40).

• Let us go into Judaea again (v. 7).
• Take ye away the stone (v. 39).
• Lazarus, come forth (v. 43).
• Loose him, and let him go (v. 44).

• But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him (v. 10).

• Bethany was a village located on the Mount of Olives, roughly fifteen furlongs (about 2 miles) from Jerusalem.
• The Council (Sanhedrin) feared the Romans because they viewed Jesus's growing popularity as a potential pretext for a Roman intervention that would dismantle their religious autonomy ('our place and nation').
• The 'four days' was significant culturally; Jewish tradition held that the soul hovered near the body for three days before departing; four days established that the decay of death was undeniable.

• Anointing (v. 2) refers to the act of devotion described in John 12, serving as a reminder of Mary's specific love for Jesus.
• Mourning customs involved weeping and visits from friends, explaining why many Jews were at the house (v. 19).

• This is the last of the seven 'signs' in the Book of John, serving as the bridge to the passion narrative.
• The dialogue structure (Martha, then Mary) highlights the different temperaments of the two sisters in the face of tragedy.

• Jesus as the 'Resurrection and the Life' connects to Old Testament hopes of bodily resurrection (e.g., Dan 12:2; Job 19:25-26).
• The gathering of 'children of God that were scattered abroad' (v. 52) alludes to the regathering of Israel and the inclusion of Gentiles (Isaiah 49:6, 56:8).

• Caiaphas's statement (v. 51) is a rare instance of an unbeliever unintentionally prophesying under divine inspiration, highlighting the sovereignty of God over human councils.

• ἀσθενέω (asthenéō) [G770] in v. 1 literally means 'feeble' or 'weak'; contextually it implies a terminal malady.
• φιλέω (philéō) [G5368] is used in v. 3 for love, denoting deep personal affection (friendship), while the narrative theme of love often implies a richer divine love (agape) as well.
• δόξα (dóxa) [G1391] in v. 4 refers to the objective manifestation of God's character/presence, not merely an abstract concept.
• Matthew Henry observes that Christ often delays to answer prayer in order to increase the faith of the believer, noting: 'When the work of deliverance, temporal or spiritual, public or personal, is delayed, it does but stay for the right time.'

• Jesus's internal reaction—He 'groaned in the spirit' (v. 33) and was 'troubled,' revealing His sympathetic humanity before demonstrating His absolute sovereignty.
• The irony in v. 47: the Pharisees admit He does 'many miracles' (signs) yet choose to reject the sign-giver because He threatens their political status.

• Some scholars debate the extent of Caiaphas's awareness; the text explicitly states he spoke 'not of himself,' emphasizing the Holy Spirit moving through the office of the High Priest despite his personal unbelief.