31 Then the Jews took up 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Ma-Ye are gods? ny good works have I showed 35 If he called them gods, you from my Father; for which unto whom the word of God of those works do ye stone me? came, and the Scripture cannot 33 The Jews answered him, be broken; saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy, and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. was a union as to design and as to power, in respect to the protection of his followers. Such was this union, that those who were defended by Christ were really defended by the Father. In the work of men's salvation, the Father and the Son acted conjointly. Our Lord thus claimed a relation to God which no mere human being could claim; and this claim rests, for its basis, on the fact that he was really a partaker of divine attributes. Compare 1: 1. Col. 1: 16-19. 31. To stone him. See on 8: 5. 32. Many good works have I showed you; have I performed in your pres ence. 33. For blasphemy. The Jews on this occasion used the word blasphemy as signifying irreverence towards God, in that Jesus had employed language respecting himself which it could be proper for no mere human being to employ. Blasphemy is properly a calumniating and reviling of God; and as such, the Mosaic law punished it with death. See Lev. 24: 15, 16. Makest thyself God. This charge is substantially the same as is mentioned in 5: 18, that he made himself "equal with God." They declared, that he had claimed divine power. The language which Jesus had used was indeed remarkable, and could have been suggested only by his consciousness of possessing a most peculiar connection with the Father, and a union of nature as well as of design and counsels. 36 Say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? 34. In your law. The word law here includes the whole of the Jewish Scriptures, of which the law of Moses, the pentateuch, was the first and a principal part. || Ye are gods. The passage here quoted occurs in Psalm 82:6; “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children [sons] of the Most High." The Saviour quoted a part of this verse, knowing that his hearers would recollect the rest. This language was originally used in reference to magistrates and judges. On account of the power pertaining to their office, the title gods and sons of God was applied to them. The Supreme God was THE GREAT RULER; hence magistrates, being earthly rulers, were called gods. 35. Unto whom the word of God came; who by divine appointment became rulers. It was by the providence of God, that men were elevated to stations of power and dignity; particularly among the Jews, magistracy was regulated by the word of God, by the arrangement, or appointment, of God. The Scripture cannot be broken. These words are a mere parenthetic clause, reminding the Jews that an argument drawn from their own Scriptures could not be consistently resisted; both by their own acknowledgment and by right, the Scripture could not be made void. 36. Sanctified. This word, besides meaning made holy, also means consecrated, set apart to a peculiar service. Such is its meaning here. Christ was 37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 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 him; but he escaped out of their hand, set apart, consecrated, to the office of Messiah. The argument which the Saviour presented in vs. 34-36, may be thus expressed: Since, according to the Scripture, men in power, as magistrates and rulers, are called gods, and sons of God, is it impious irreverence in me, who have been set apart by the Father to the office of Messiah, and sent into the world as the Messiah, possessing power and dignity unspeakably superior to those of any earthly ruler, is it impious irreverence in me to call myself the Son of God? Was it right for them to be called gods and sons of God? and can it be wrong in me to speak of myself as the Son of God? Jesus had spoken very familiarly respecting God as his Father, and as being his Father in a very peculiar sense; hence he had in reality called himself the Son of God. This title would belong to Jesus by virtue of his being the Messiah, a spiritual king, to whose dignity and power there could be no parallel. Whatever else the Jews could say respecting him, they surely could not, if guided by their own Scriptures, prove him to have spoken blasphemously, unless they could prove him not to have been the Messiah. Jesus confined himself in this argument to the single point of not being guilty of impious irreverence. He did not enter on the question, Whether or not he possessed true divinity; he only vindicated himself against the accusation which had been made. 37. Having thus persisted in his claim to be the Messiah, and therefore justly entitled to the epithet Son of God, Jesus again referred to the 40 And went away again beyond Jordan, into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. 41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle; but all things that John spake of this man were true. 42 And many believed on him there. proper source of evidence; namely, the works which he had performed. The works of my Father; such works as my Father performs, and such as proceed from his authority. Compare 5: 17, 19-23. 10:25. 38. Though ye believe not me; though ye believe not my declarations. Believe the works; receive the evidence furnished by the miraculous works. See v. 25. || The Father is in me, and I in him;" between me and the Father is a most intimate union, so that we are one in counsel and in action. The acts of the Father may be called my acts, and my acts may be called the Father's. The claim which I thus make, the Father approves and sustains. See v. 30. 5:19. 40. Beyond Jordan, where, &c. See I: 28. 41. All things that John spake of this man. Much that John the Baptist was in the habit of speaking concerning Jesus, has not been recorded; but as specimens of his declarations, see 1:27, 29. 3: 27—36. || Were true; have been proved true by the excellent teaching, and character, and works of this man, that is, Jesus. REFLECTIONS. 1. How necessary is a pious spirit in order to receive the instructions of the Bible! v. 26. Compare 7: 17. 2. How safe are those who feel their dependence on Christ, as a Guide and Saviour, and who abide in their reliance on him! vs 27, 28. But it is only by cherishing a sense of this dependence, and by following the guidance of Christ, that we can en Now CHAPTER XI. a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) 3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. 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. 5 Now Jesus loved Mar joy a rational persuasion of being his disciples. The promises of security which Christ has made, cannot justly be employed as inducements to negligence in obeying and serving him. Duty and safety are inseparably united. CHAPTER XI. 1. Bethany. See on Mark 11: 1. Matt. 26: 6. 2. That Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment. See 12: 2, 3. Matt. 26: 6, 7. 4. He said; that is, to the person who brought the tidings. By him Jesus sent back the reply to Mary and Martha. Not unto death; not a fatal sickness, in the ordinary sense of the language. Compare Matt. 9: 24. Jesus was intending to raise up Lazarus from the dead; so that though Lazarus was to die, yet his death was not to be a final separation from this world; he was yet to live on earth in company with his sisters. || But for the glory of God. This sickness was intended as an occasion for performing a signal miracle, which should reflect great honor on the Son of God. Jesus returned an obscure tha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. 7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again. 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 message to the sisters of Lazarus. It was adapted, however, after Lazarus had actually died, to excite the hope of his being raised up again to life. 8. Sought to stone thee. See 8: 59. 10: 31. 9, 10. Are there not twelve hours in the day? The purport of our Lord's remark in these verses is this: There is a proper time for a person to be employed in his calling, and while that time continues, he ought fearlessly to prosecute his work. If the work is not done in that appropriate time, it cannot be done well and safely; just as a traveller can safely prosecute his journey in the day-time, when he enjoys the shining of the sun; and he must not defer his journey till night, when he will be in constant danger of stumbling. the application of this thought to himself, Jesus should be understood as saying, While my day of labor continues, I can safely and fearlessly perform my work; that day will soon close, the night of death will come, and then there will not be opportunity to perform my work. Jesus thus showed the disciples, that he would not allow himself to be deterred from his In night, he stumbleth, because low disciples, Let us also go there is no light in him. that we may die with him. : 11 These things said he and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep. 12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless, let us go unto him. 16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fel work by fear of the Jews. His work must be performed. || Twelve hours. The Jews reckoned "twelve hours for the day, and twelve for the night. The light of this world; the sun. 11. Lazarus sleepeth. A soft method of announcing his death. Compare 1 Cor. 15: 20. 1 Thess. 4: 13. 15. To the intent ye may believe; so that ye may believe in me more firmly. So signal a miracle as he was intending to perform, might well have this effect. 16. Thomas, which is called Didymus. The meaning of the word Thomas, in the dialect used by the disciples, was the same as the meaning of the word Didymus in the Greek language; namely, twin. See on Matt. 10: 3. He might, therefore, be called by either name, and John mentioned this circumstance so as to show whom he meant by Thomas, inasmuch as the name Didymus was very frequently applied to this person. That we may die with him. The disciples feared that Jesus would cer 17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. 18 (Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:) 19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. tainly encounter anew the hostility of the leaders of the Jews, and they apprehended the worst consequences. Still, as he was bent on going, they would not consent that he should go alone; if he would expose himself to death, they would also share in the exposure. 18. Fifteen furlongs; about two miles. 19. Many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them, &c. It was customary, when death had occurred in a family, for friends to visit the family, in order to console them. This was particularly the case during the seven or eight days which immediately followed the death. Those seven or eight days were peculiarly days of mourning.. 22. Whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, &c. Martha appears to have cherished a confidence in the ability of Jesus to restore her brother to life, and a faint hope, at least, that he would restore him. She was manifestly, however, in a fluctuating state 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection, at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live 26 And whosoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die. Believest thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 23 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. of mind, as might be expected of one so deeply afflicted. 23. Shall rise again. Jesus meant, probably, to excite in her mind the belief that he was intending to restore her brother, though he did not declare positively that he would. 24. He shall rise again at the resurrection. Martha's grief and despondency seem now to have prevailed; and she was yielding to the fear that her brother would not be speedily raised up to life. 30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. 31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary that she rose up hastily, and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there. 32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto him, Lord, come and see. giving power dwells. Compare 5: 21, 25-29. || Shall he live; shall be restored to life. 26. Shall never die; shall have immortal life. Our Lord referred to the continued life and bliss of the soul. In this, the whole person of the believer will share, for the body, though it yields to death, will be raised incorruptible. 27. Thou art the Christ, &c. The assured confidence which Martha placed in him as the Messiah, would 25. Jesus then led her to contem-lead her to confide in his declarations plate himself as possessing the power respecting his life-giving power. of raising up from the dead, and of imparting life, even of bestowing immortal life, in order to cherish in her a confidence that he had the requisite power to raise up Lazarus at once. I am the resurrection; that is, the author of the resurrection. || The life; the giver of life, one in whom a life-emotion. VOL. II. 19 31. Unto the grave, to weep there. It was common for mourners to visit the tomb during the days of mourning, and to pour out lamentations at that spot. 33. He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled; was filled with painful He sympathized deeply |