Jesus was raising lazarus from the dead

JESUS WAS RAISING LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
John 11:44 The man who had been dead came out
with his hands and feet bound in strips of linen, and
his face wrapped in a headcloth. "Unwrap him and let
him go," Jesus told them.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The Vision Of The Divine Glory
John 11:40
George Brown
Jesus saidunto Martha, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldestbelieve,
thou shouldestsee the glory of God? When Lazarus of Bethany fell sick, his
sisters senta messengerbeyond Jordanto carry the tidings to Jesus. Our
Lord's reply was to the following effect:"This sickness is not unto death, but
for the glory of God," etc. We cannot doubt that these words, or the substance
of them, was conveyedby the messengerto Martha and Mary, and yet, either
before the arrival of the message orshortly after, Lazarus died, and his death
was followedby his burial. Four days of mourning passedaway, and at last
Jesus himself came to Bethany. Martha met him at the outskirts of the village,
and he told her that her brother should rise again, and that he himself was the
Resurrectionand the Life. At lastthe Saviorstood at Lazarus's grave. It was a

cave, and its inner recess,whichconcealedthe dead from view, was blocked
up by a stone. Before it stood Martha and Mary and a crowd of their weeping
friends. But when our Lord bade the bystanders take awaythe stone, then
Martha interfered. She evidently hoped from first to lastthat Jesus would do
something to meet her case,and, though her hopes were vague, they were
nourished by his own words; but now her fears prevailed againsther hopes.
Her faith gave way before the exigencies ofsense. She dreadedthe removal of
the stone and the evidences of corruption. She could not bear to look into the
dark and noisome grave. How gently, and yet how solemnly, does Jesus chide
her unbelief! "SaidI not unto thee," etc.? He reminds her of all that had
passedbetweenthem before. And could she now mistrust him, whateverhe
might do? Why doubt that power and wisdom and love, even all that makes
up Divine glory, would shine forth in his actions? This was enough for
Martha, and now she trusts her Lord. Now she is in a right state of mind and
heart for profiting by all that followed. Had it been otherwise, eventhe raising
of her brother from the tomb would not of itself have revealedto her the glory
of God. For her it might have been but a temporal mercy, an earthly, perhaps
a questionable boon, carrying no spiritual blessing along with it. Miracles,
when they were wrought, were extraordinary means of grace, but they might
be misunderstood and abused like any other means; nay, we must not forget
that there were men who witnessedthis miracle as well as Martha, whose
hearts were only hardened by what they saw. They went their ways to the
Pharisees andhelped them to plot againstthe Prince of life! Our text is this,
"If thou wouldestbelieve," etc. The significance of these words extends far
beyond the occasionon which they were uttered. As a master-keyopens many
locks, so it is with such sayings of Jesus dropped incidentally in the course of
conversation. If we could only use them aright they would open many of the
secrets ofour hearts, and explain to us much of the characterand of the ways
of God.
I. THESE WORDS CONTAIN A GREAT DOCTRINE,VIZ. THAT THE
GLORY OF GOD CAN ONLY BE SEEN BY THE EYE OF FAITH. This is
universally true, whether we think of his glory as displayed in nature and in
providence, or by his Word and his Son from heaven. The psalmist of Israel
exclaims (Psalm 19.), "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the

firmament showethhis handywork." And so it has been from the beginning.
But what multitudes have, alas!been deaf and blind to all this teaching - in
some ages worshipping the host of heaven insteadof him who made them all;
and in later times seeing nothing in God's grandestworks but a vast and
complicatedmachine without a final purpose, a thickly woven veil of laws and
secondcauseswith nothing behind it! Ah! the last word of unbelief is a blank
and cheerlessmaterialism. And the same thing must be said of the very
highest display of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ. There, surely, it
shines forth in wondrous and yet attractive radiance. "Christ the Powerof
God, and the Wisdom of God." His life on earth the very image of God's
holiness. His cross the meeting-place of righteousness andmercy. His
resurrectionthe triumph of victorious grace. Butwhy is Christ to so many a
stumbling-stone and a rock of offence? Why is he still despisedand rejectedof
men, so that they turn from him with indifference or, perhaps, with a far
worse feeling? Why do they think naught of his Divine glory, and make so
much of the glory of man, which is as the flower of grass? The Apostle Paul
replies that "the natural man receivethnot the things of the Spirit of God...
neither canhe know them, because they are spiritually discerned." The god of
this world, or the spirit of the age, or, it may be, some lust of their own hearts,
has blinded their eyes, so that they will not believe. On the other hand, every
Christian knows, by a very practicalexperience, that the glory of God is a
spiritual thing, which can only be seenby the eye of the spirit. By whatever
way he has been led in providence and grace, he has learned this much, that
God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in his
heart and opened his eyes. And what has been the result? May we not say
that, so far as he has walkedin this light, life has become a more solemn and
blessedthing than it was before, and the Bible a different book to what it was,
and the day of rest otherwise hallowedand welcomed, andthe means of grace,
instead of seemly and well-meaning forms, have become wells of salvation?
Not seldomamong his fellow-pilgrims in life's journey he recognizes men and
women who have the mark of God on their foreheads;and there are times,
too, when on the face of nature itself - on the many-colored earth beneath and
on the heavens over his head - there seems to him to rest "a light that never
was on land or sea," revealing to him a glimpse, as it were, of the glory of the
Eternal.

II. THESE WORDS CONTAIN A GREAT PROMISE, TREASURED UP
HERE FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENTOF EACH DISCIPLE OF CHRIST.
"SaidI not unto thee, that, if thou wouldestbelieve," etc.? Forthis vision of
faith of which we have been speaking does not perpetuate itself. I do not mean
that it passes awaylike a dream in the night, leaving no traces behind it. The
Christian who has seenought of the Divine glory must desire to see it still, or
he would be no Christian at all; but how many things tend to veil it from his
view! Sometimes, from the inevitable cares and engagements oflife, often
from causes whichcannot be traced, he finds himself in perplexity and gloom.
But, weak and changeful as he is, God's promises do not depend on his
varying moods of mind; and in view of such a promise as this, faith bursts into
prayer, and evermore the prayer of faith shall live. "I beseechthee, show me
thy glory;" "Open thou mine eyes, that I may see wondrous things out of thy
Law; " Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." But it is in the greatertrials
of life that the soul feels most its own intrinsic weakness, andthat the promise
in the text is "exceeding greatand precious." When, for example, health is
suddenly shattered; or when fair earthly prospects are dashed to the ground;
or when the family circle is broken in upon, and a tenderly loved member is
takenaway; - then nature's darkness and nature's sorrow compass us in on
every side. The heart whispers, "Vanity of vanities." Oar common life loses its
interest - "like a dream when one awaketh." And perhaps unbelief, no longer
like a silent, lifeless weight, but rather like a mocking demon, assails the very
foundations of the faith, or tells us that our interestin them has been all a
delusion. Thus it was with the PsalmistAsaph, when in an hour of infirmity he
exclaimed (Psalm77.), "Will the Lord castoff forever? Both his promise fail
forevermore? Hath God forgottento be gracious?" Poorand cold is the
comfort that the world cangive in such a case - perhaps telling the sufferer
that things might have been worse;or that misfortune is the common lot of
man; or that time will in the long run blunt the edge of his feelings;and that
"wild flowers may yet grow among the ruins of his happiness," and that
meanwhile "to bear is to conquer his fate." Ah! surely if these are the only
lessons that trial has to eachus, we must often come to look upon providence
as a necessaryevil. How different are the Master's words, "If thou wouldest

believe," etc.!This is indeed the sum and substance of many an ancient oracle.
In all ages the Spirit of Christ, which breathed in the prophets, had spokenin
the same tones. God's children were ever taught to look within the veil and
walk by faith. "Who is among you that feareth the Lord,... that walkethin
darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the Name of the Lord, let him
stay himself on his God" (Isaiah1:10). But here Christ himself adds his "Yea
and Amen" to all the promises given by his forerunners; and not only when he
raisedLazarus from the grave, but above all when he burst forever the chains
of death in his own resurrection, he gave assurance unto all men that his
words are faithful and true. What, then, is the perpetual messageofthese
words of his to his disciples? Believe that your secrettrials are not the shafts
of a blind fate, but the decrees ofa reconciledFather's will. They are not
designedto crush you, inscrutable as they now appear. They bid you "be still,
and know that he is God;" but they are never lightly inflicted, never
inconsistentwith his wisdomand love. Trust him, then, in the dark. Trust him
when your heart is aching. Trust him when human sympathy falls short of
your need, and your faith shall not be in vain. He has many ways in
providence and grace ofshowing you his glory; tempering your trials with
mercy; perhaps giving them an unexpected issue;raising you above them,
and, as it were, above yourselves;giving you new discoveries ofhis love, a
deeper assurancethan you ever had before that he is your God. Thus those
who walk by faith and not by sight have this promise of Christ fulfilled to
them even here below. Through the checkeredexperiences oflife, whether
those be joyous or grievous, God is ever drawing near to them and
manifesting himself to them. They shall never, indeed, take the measure of his
perfections, and they adore him for this; but whilst their knowledge ofhim
cannot be full, it may be most real; whilst it cannot be comprehensive, it may
yet be sufficient for their life-journey. They may see enough of his glory to
make them habitually humble and thankful and hopeful, to strengthen them
for daily work, and support them under daily trial. How often may two
persons be met with whose lives have been visited with much the same trials
and enriched with much the same outward blessings, and yet as they approach
the evening of their days you hear the one complaining that he was born
under an unlucky star, that his steps have been doggedby an unkind fate, and
that all is vanity and vexation of spirit; while the other is saying that goodness

and mercy have followedhim all the days of his life, and asking what he shall
render to the Lord for all his benefits towards him! Whence the difference
betweenthe two? Is it not from this - that the one has lived without God in the
world, whilst the other has soughtfor grace to walk in the light of his
countenance? So much for the life that now is. But there is a larger fulfillment
of this promise that belongs to the life to come. Here the glory of God can only
be seenamidst the clouds and darkness ofthis storm-tossedworld. The faith
of his children, too, is not only tried by the long conflict betweengoodand evil
which rages around them, but by the unbelief of their own hearts and the
weakness oftheir bodies of humiliation. "Now they see through a glass
darkly." But this is not to last forever. This vision is only for an appointed
time. And when the mystery of God has been finished, and the children of the
resurrectionopen their eyes on the new heavens and the new earth, wherein
dwelleth righteousness, thenshall eachone of them learn the fullness of these
words of Christ, "SaidI not unto thee, that, if thou wouldestbelieve, thou
shouldestsee the glory of God? " - G.B.
Biblical Illustrator

Lazarus come forth.
John 11:43, 44
The scene
T. Guthrie, D. D.
Look at our Lord by this grave. How truly man, partakerof our common
nature! The sight of the tomb awakens allHis grief; the sufferings of these two
sisters, clinging to eachother, touch His loving heart; and there He stands,
forever sanctioning sorrow, and even exalting it into a manly, most noble
thing. His eyes swim in tears, groans rend His bosom; He is so deeply, so
visibly affected, that the spectatorssay, "See how He loved him!" Jesus wept.
So it was some moments ago. But now what a change!The crowd retreat,
surprise, wonder, terror seatedonevery face;the boldest recoiling from that
awful form which comes shuffling out of the grave. This Man of tears, so
gentle, tender, easily moved, endued with a sensibility so delicate that the
strings of His heart vibrated to the slightesttouch, has by a word rent the
tomb. Struck with terror, the Witch of Endor shriekedwhen she saw the form
of Samuel. What a contrastthis scene to that! Not in the leastsurprised at the
event, as if, in raising the buried dead, He had done nothing more remarkable
than light a lamp or rekindle the embers of an extinguished fire, calm and
tranquil, Jesus points to Lazarus, saying, "Loose him and let him go."
(T. Guthrie, D. D.)
The raising of Lazarus
C. H. Spurgeon.
I. A MEMORABLE MIRACLE. There is no measuring miracles, for they are
all displays of the infinite, but in some respects it stands as the head of a
wonderful series, andis a type of what Jesus is doing now in the world of
spirit. Its memorableness is seen —

1. In the subjectof it.(1) Lazarus had been dead four days. When a man has
newly died he might seemto resemble an engine just now in full action, and
now though motionless, the valves, wheels, and bands are still there: only
rekindle the fire and reapply the motive force and the machinery will work.
But when corruption comes, valves displaced, wheels broken, metal eaten
away, what can be done now? It were an easiertask to make a new man than
to reanimate a corrupted one.(2)There are some who are symbolized by this
case, who are altogetherabominable. The pure mind desires to have them put
out of sight. It does not seempossible to restore them to purity, honesty, or
hope. But when the Lord makes them live, the most scepticalare obligedto
confess "this is the finger of God." Howeverfar a man may be gone he is not
beyond the Lord's arm of mighty mercy.
2. The manifest human weaknessofits Worker. In no passageis the manhood
of Christ more manifested.(1)He showedthe sorrows and sympathies of a
man.(2) As a man He seeks information.(3)He walks to the tomb — quite
unnecessaryaction.(4)He seekshuman assistance.(5)He prays. This is a
parable of our own ease as workers. Sometimes we see the human side of the
gospeland wonder whether it can do many mighty works, yet out of the
foolishness ofpreaching the wisdom of God shines forth. Despise not the day
of small things, but glory in your infirmity.
3. The instrumental cause — a repetition of the man's name and two
commanding words. A miracle seems allthe greaterwhen the means are
apparently feeble. So in the salvationof men. It is marvellous that poor
preaching, a short sentence, should convert greatsinners. But the quickening
poweris not in the words but in the Spirit of the living God.
4. The result. The thunder of Christ's voice was attended by the lightening of
His Divine power, and forthwith life flashed into Lazarus and he came forth,

and that at once. It is one of the glories of the gospelthat it does not require
weeks to quicken men.
5. The effect on the bystanders. Some believed; others reported to the
Pharisees.Nevermind what enemies do so long as sinners are saved.
II. A SINGULAR SPECTACLE.
1. A living man in the garments of death. Some quickenedby Divine grace
have still their grave clothes about them, and the superficial question their
vitality.
2. A moving man bound. So some souls can move awayfrom sin, but seem
bound hand and foot as to faith.
3. A repulsive object, but yet attractive — how charming to the sisters!So
some sinners are enough to frighten people with their groans, but what
Christian does not love to see them?
4. A man strong and yet helpless. Lazarus was able to quit his grave but not
his grave clothes. So men have been mightily moved by the Spirit, but unable
to enter into the liberty of Christ.
III. A TIMELY ASSISTANCE.
1. What are the bands which often bind newly-awakenedsinners?

(1)Ignorance, whichwe must enlighten.
(2)Sorrow, that we must comfort.
(3)Doubts, that we must resolve.
(4)Fears, that we must assuage.
(5)Prejudices, that we must remove.
(6)Evil habits, that we must help tear off.
2. Why are these bandages left?(1) BecauseChristwill not work an
unnecessarymiracle. Christ is as sparing with the genuine as Rome is prodigal
with the counterfeitcoin. Men could do this, therefore Christ did not.(2) That
those who came to unwind Lazarus might be sure that he was the same man
who died. For some such cause Christ permits a quickened sinner to remain in
a measure of bondage that he may know he was the same who was dead in
trespassesandsins.(3) That those disciples might enter into rare fellowship
with Christ. It is sweetto do something with Christ for a savedperson. It gives
us such an interest in Him.
3. Why should we remove these grave clothes?(1)The Lord has bidden us do
so.(2)But perhaps before conversionwe helped to bind them on him, and
after by our coldness orunbelief helped to keepthem on.(3) Somebody has

helped ours off, and if we cannot repay that individual by a similar service let
us do so for someone else.
IV. A PRACTICAL HINT. If Christ employed these disciples in this He would
employ us in similar work. Saul is struck down by Christ, but Ananias must
visit him that he may receive his sight. The Lord is gracious to Cornelius, but
he must hear Peter. Lydia has an openedheart, but only Paul can leadher to
Jesus. Whenthe prodigal came home the father personally forgave and
restoredhim; but the servants were told to bring forth the best robe, etc. The
father might have done this, but he desired that the whole house should be in
accordin the joyful reception. Christ could do all for a sinner, but He does not
do so because He wishes all of us to have fellowshipwith Him.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
A picture, a parable, or a prophecy
I. Take it as A PICTURE OF CHRIST. Here we note the following aspects of
the Saviour—
1. The interceding One (vers. 21, 22).
2. The prophetic One (vers. 23, 24):promising to us the same resurrection
that He promised to the friends of Lazarus.
3. The living One (vers. 25, 26): who has life in Himself, not as an endowment,
but as an element of His Being.

4. The anointed One (ver. 27): the word "Christ" meaning "anointed," and
pointing to the mission of Jesus to the world,
2. The sympathizing One (vers. 28-38):who is afflicted in all our affliction.
6. The commanding One (vers. 39-41);whose commands are to be obeyed,
even when they seemstrange and contrary to nature.
7. The quickening One (vers. 42-44):who gives life to the dead.
II. Take it as A PARABLE OF SALVATION.
1. Lazarus is the type of a world dead in sin.
2. There is but One who canimpart spiritual life, the One who is "the Life."
3. When Christ comes to give life He enters into fellowship with our
sufferings.
4. Though we cannot give life we canhelp to give it by rolling awaythe stone
and bringing those spiritually dead into relation with Christ.
5. When Christ calls the soul must obey, and come forth from the death of sin
to the life of righteousness.

III. Take it as A PROPHECYOF THE RESURRECTION.
1. Deathis universal.
2. Deathis corrupting.
3. No human powercan call the dead from their graves.
4. Christ can summon the dead, and His voice will reachthem in their abode.
5. There will come a day when the picture of Lazarus rising from his tomb
will be repeatedin a generalresurrection.
Lazarus of Bethany
J. Laidlaw, D. D.
The significance ofthis mighty deed we cannot over estimate, for it is, on the
one hand, a profoundly significant symbol of Christ's redemption, and, on the
other, a signaltestimony to His right and power to redeem. Whether we
regard it as a symbol or a witness, it is equally noteworthy. This great
transactionwas —
I. AN EMINENT EMBLEM OF CHRIST'S REGENERATING AND SOUL-
QUICKENING WORK; and that both in the details and in the substance. The
details if followedout make an almost complete allegoryof spiritual
resurrection. The sinner, like Lazarus, is dead, buried, we may sayalready
corrupt and loathsome. Christcomes Himself to the sinner's tomb. He bids,

"Take awaythe stone." He calls His servants to ply all preliminary means. He
sends His agents to warn and teach. But when all this is done there is no life
till He calls. He cries with a loud voice. It is the "effectualcall" ofHis Word
and Spirit. The man hears, the dead lives, the soul is converted. Then comes in
the use of means. Let the living help their new-raisedbrother — "Loose ye
him and let him go."
1. The Divine element in the transaction. The mighty shout which raised
Lazarus of Bethany was not the prayer of a mortal. It was the command of
God. The Divine will is first cause, withoutthe intervention, in the act itself, of
any secondcause whatever.
2. This powerwhich raises the dead is the power of God in the voice of Jesus.
The Fatherhath given all things into His hands. The spiritual resurrectionis
going on. One rises and leaves his lusts and base passions, andbecomes a
sober, true, God-fearing man. Another leaves his poor legalstrivings and
becomes a humble debtor to the grace of God for righteousness. Another rises
from the tomb of doubt — that "creeping palsyof the mind, despair of truth"
— and sits clothed at the Redeemer's feet.
II. A SUPREME TESTIMONYTO THE DIVINITY AND GLORY OF
JESUS.
(J. Laidlaw, D. D.)
Newly-quickenedsouls may yet be spiritually bound
C. H. Spurgeon.

Some of them are blindfolded by the napkin about their head; they are very
ignorant, sadly devoid of spiritual perception, and withal the eye of faith is
darkened. Yet the eye is there, and Christ has opened it; and it is the business
of the servant of God to remove the napkin which bandages it by teaching the
truth, explaining it, and clearing up difficulties. This is a simple thing to do,
but exceedinglynecessary. Now that they have life we shall, eachthem to
purpose. Besides that, they are bound hand and foot, so that they are
compelled to inaction; we can show them how to work for Jesus. Sometimes
these bands are those of sorrow, they are in an awful terror about the past; we
have to unbind them by showing that the past is blotted out. They are
wrapped about by many a yard of doubt, mistrust, anguish, and remorse.
"Loose them and let them go."
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Christ's resurrectiondifferent from the restorationof Lazarus
W. M. Taylor, D. D.
There was no revelationof the future made by the restorationof Lazarus, and
his silence was in perfect keeping with that fact. He was brought back to the
old life, with its old relationships to his sisters, his neighbours, and his friends,
and he had to die again. When Christ rose from the grave, however, He did
not come back, but went forward. His resurrectionwas not a return but a
going on. He saw His followers, indeed, but it was not after the former
fashion. There was a complete difference betweenthe nature of His
intercourse with them after His resurrectionand that of His fellowship with
them before His death. He did not come back to His former life; but He went
forward to a new and higher human life, and so His resurrectionwas also a
revelation of the nature of the life beyond. He brought life and immortality to
light by it, and He did so because He rose not to die againbut to pass in
spiritual and glorified humanity up to the throne of glory. This is what gives
its distinctive feature to His resurrection, as contrastedwith all mere
restorations to life — such as those effectedby prophets and apostles, and
even by Christ Himself.

(W. M. Taylor, D. D.)
The raising of Lazarus
A. Maclaren, D. D.
I. WE HAVE HERE A REVELATION OF CHRIST AS OUR BROTHER BY
EMOTION AND SORROW. This miracle stands alone in the whole majestic
series ofHis mighty works by the fact that it is precededby a storm of
emotion, which shakes the frame of the Master, which He is representedby
the Evangelistnot so much as suppressing as fostering, and which diverges
and parts itself into the two feelings expressedby the groans and by the tears.
Here, for one thing, is the blessedsign and proof of His true brotherhood with
us. Here we are also taught the sanctionand the limits of sorrow. Christianity
has nothing to do with the false stoicismand the false religion which is partly
pride and partly insincerity, that proclaims it wrong to weepwhen God
smites. But just as clearlyand distinctly as the story before us says to us
"Weepfor yourselves and for the loved ones that are gone," so distinctly does
it draw the limits within which sorrow is sacredand hallowing, and beyond
which it is harmful and weakening. Setside by side the grief of these two poor
weeping sisters and the grief of the weeping Christ, and we get a large lesson.
They could only repine that something else had not happened differently
which would have made all different. Thus oblivious of duty, murmuring with
regard to the accidents which might have been different, and unfitted to grasp
the hopes that fill the future, these two have been hurt by their grief, and have
let it overflow the banks and lay waste the land. But this Christ in His sorrow
checks His sorrow that He may do His work; in His sorrow is confident that
the Fatherhears; in His sorrow thinks of the bystanders, and would bring
comfort and cheerto them. A sorrow which makes us more conscious of
communion with the Fatherwho is always listening, which makes us more
conscious ofpowerto do that which He has put it into our hand to do, which
makes us more tender in our sympathies with all that mourn, and swifterand
readier for our work — such a sorrow is doing what God meant for us; and is
a blessing in so thin a disguise that you can scarcelycallit veiled at all.

II. And now turn to what lies side by side with this in the story, and at first
sight may seemstrangelycontradictory of it, but in fact only completes the
idea, viz., THE MAJESTIC CALM CONSCIOUSNESSOF DIVINE POWER
BY WHICH HE IS REVEALED AS OUR LORD. A consciousnessof
continual cooperationwith the Almighty Father, a consciousness thatHis will
continually coincides with the Father's will, that unto Him there comes the
powerever to do all that Omnipotence cando, and that though we may speak
of a gift given and a powerderived, the relation betweenthe giving Father and
the recipient Son is altogetherdifferent from and other than the relation
betweenthe man that asks and the God that receives.
III. THE REVELATION OF CHRIST AS OUR LIFE IN HIS MIGHTY,
LIFE-GIVING WORD. The miracle, as I have said, stands high, not only in
the greatnessofthe fact, but also in the manner of the working. With
tenderestreticence, no word is spokenas to what followed. No hint escapesof
the experiences whichthe traveller brought back with him from that bourne
whence he had come. Surely some draught of Lethe must have been given
him, that his spirit might be lulled into a wholesome forgetfulness, else life
must have been a torment to him. But be that as it may, what we have to
notice is the fact here, and what it teaches us as a fact. Is it not a revelation of
Jesus Christ as the absolute Lord of life and death, giving the one, putting
back the other? And there is another lesson, namely, the continuous
persistencyof the bond betweenChrist and His friend, unbroken and
untouched by the superficialaccidentof life or death. WheresoeverLazarus
was he heard the voice, he knew it, and obeyed. And so we are taught that the
relationship betweenChrist-life and all them that love and trust Him is one on
which the tooth of death that gnaws all other bonds in twain hath no powerat
all. Christ is the Life, and, therefore Christ is the Resurrection. And the thing
that we call death is but a film which spreads above, but has no powerto
penetrate into the depths of the relationship betweenus and Him.
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)

Christ the Life of the spirit
A. Maclaren, D. D.
This raising is a parable as well as a prophecy; for even as Christ was the Life
of this Lazarus so, in a deeper and more realsense, and not in any shadowy,
metaphorical, mystical sense, is Jesus Christ the Life of every spirit that truly
lives at all. We are "dead in trespassesandsins." For separationfrom God is
death in all regions, death for the body in its kind, death for the mind, for the
soul, for the spirit in their kinds; and only they who receive Christ into their
hearts do live. Every Christian man is a miracle. There has been a true
coming into the human of the Divine, a true Supernatural work, the infusion
into a dead soul of the God-life which is the Christ-life. And you and I may
have that life. What is the condition? "Theythat hear shall live." Do you
hear? Do you welcome?Do you take that Christ into your hearts? Is He your
Life, my brother?
(A. Maclaren, D. D.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(44) And he that was dead came forth.—“Wonderat a wonder within a
wonder!” is Basil’s commenton these words; and many of the older expositors
regard the power to move, when bound hand and foot, as itself a miracle. But
this seems not to be necessary, and if not necessary, is not to be resortedto.
(Comp. Note on John 6:21.) The grave-clothes may have been bound round
the limbs separately, as in the Egyptian mummies, and this would not prevent
motion; or (and this is more probable) the body may have been “wrapped in a
linen cloth,” which encompassedthe whole, exceptthe head (Matthew 27:59),

but still left motion possible. The word rendered “grave-clothes”is used
nowhere in the New Testamentexceptin this passage. It means properly the
bands or straps by which the linen sheetwas fastenedto the body, and which
kept the spice from falling out. (Comp. John 19:40.)We find it used elsewhere
for straps and thongs generally. They were made of rushes, linen,, and other
materials. The word is used once in the Greek of the Old Testament, where it
means the belts by which beds are girded (Proverbs 7:16).
And his face was bound about with a napkin.—Forthe word “napkin,” comp.
Note on Luke 19:20. It means here the cloth placedround the forehead and
under the chin, but probably not covering the face.
Loose him, and let him go.—This commandis in itself strong proof that the
earlier part of the verse is not to be interpreted as a narrative of miraculous
incidents.
BensonCommentary
John 11:44. And he that was dead — Greek, ο τεθνη κως, he that had been
dead; came forth — “The dead man heard the voice of the Son of God, and
came forth immediately. For he did not revive slowly, and by degrees, as the
dead child did which was raisedby the Prophet Elisha; but the effectinstantly
following the command, plainly showedwhose the powerwas that reanimated
the breathless clay.” As the people presentwere not so much as thinking of a
resurrection, they must have been greatly “surprisedwhen they heard our
Lord pray for it. The cry, Lazarus, come forth, must have astonishedthem
still more, and raised their curiosity to a prodigious pitch. But when they saw
him spring out alive and in perfect health, that had been rotting in the grave
four days, they could not but be agitatedwith many different passions, and
overwhelmed with inexpressible amazement.” Bound hand and foot with
grave-clothes — Which were wrapped round eachhand and eachfoot. And
his face was bound about with a napkin —

If the Jews buried as the Egyptians did, the face was not coveredwith it, but it
only went round the forehead, and under the chin, so that he might easilysee
his way. “It would have been the leastpart of the miracle, had Jesus made the
rollers, wherewith Lazarus was bound, unloose themselves from around his
body before he came forth. But he brought him out just as he was lying, and
ordered the spectatorsto loose him, that they might be the better convinced of
the miracle.” Accordingly, in taking off the grave-clothes, they had the fullest
evidence, both of his death and resurrection. For, on the one hand, in
stripping him, the linen would offer both to their eyes and smell abundant
proofs of his putrefaction, (John 11:39,) and by that means convince them that
he had not been in a deliquium, but was really departed: and on the other, by
his lively countenance appearing when the napkin was removed, his fresh
colour, his active vigour, and his brisk walking, they who came near him and
handled him, were made sensible that he was in perfect health, and had an
opportunity to try the truth of the miracle, by the closestexamination.
“Every readermust be sensible, that there is something incomparably
beautiful in the whole of our Lord’s behaviour on this occasion. After having
given such an astonishing instance of his power, he did not speak one word in
his ownpraise, either directly or indirectly. He did not chide the disciples for
their unwillingness to accompanyhim into Judea. He did not rebuke the Jews
for having, in former instances, maliciouslydetractedfrom the lustre of his
miracles, every one of which derived additional credit from this incontestable
wonder. He did not say how much they were to blame for persisting in their
infidelity, though he well knew what they would do. He did not intimate, even
in the most distant manner, the obligations which Lazarus and his sisters were
laid under by this signal favour. He did not upbraid Martha and Mary with
the discontentthey had expressed, athis having delayed to come to the relief
of their brother. Nay, he did not so much as put them in mind of the mean
notion they had entertained of his power; but, always consistentwith himself,
he was on this, as on every other occasion, a pattern of perfecthumility and
absolute self-denial.” — Macknight.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:33-46 Christ's tender sympathy with these afflicted friends, appearedby
the troubles of his spirit. In all the afflictions of believers he is afflicted. His
concernfor them was shownby his kind inquiry after the remains of his
deceasedfriend. Being found in fashion as a man, he acts in the way and
manner of the sons of men. It was shownby his tears. He was a man of
sorrows, andacquainted with grief. Tears ofcompassionresemble those of
Christ. But Christ never approved that sensibility of which many are proud,
while they weepat mere tales of distress, but are hardened to real woe. He sets
us an example to withdraw from scenesofgiddy mirth, that we may comfort
the afflicted. And we have not a High Priest who cannotbe touched with a
feeling of our infirmities. It is a good step toward raising a soul to spiritual
life, when the stone is taken away, when prejudices are removed, and got over,
and way is made for the word to enter the heart. If we take Christ's word, and
rely on his powerand faithfulness, we shall see the glory of God, and be happy
in the sight. Our Lord Jesus has taught us, by his own example, to callGod
Father, in prayer, and to draw nigh to him as children to a father, with
humble reverence, yetwith holy boldness. He openly made this address to
God, with uplifted eyes and loud voice, that they might be convinced the
Father had sent him as his beloved Soninto the world. He could have raised
Lazarus by the silent exertion of his powerand will, and the unseen working
of the Spirit of life; but he did it by a loud call. This was a figure of the gospel
call, by which dead souls are brought out of the grave of sin: and of the sound
of the archangel's trumpet at the lastday, with which all that sleepin the dust
shall be awakened, andsummoned before the greattribunal. The grave of sin
and this world, is no place for those whom Christ has quickened;they must
come forth. Lazarus was thoroughly revived, and returned not only to life, but
to health. The sinner cannotquicken his own soul, but he is to use the means
of grace;the believer cannot sanctify himself, but he is to lay aside every
weight and hinderance. We cannotconvert our relatives and friends, but we
should instruct, warn, and invite them.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
He that was dead - The same man, body and soul.

Bound hand and foot - It is not certain whether the whole body and limbs
were bound together, or eachlimb separately. Whenthey embalmed a person,
the whole body and limbs were swathedor bound togetherby strips of linen,
involved around it to keeptogetherthe aromatics with which the body was
embalmed. This is the condition of Egyptian mummies. See Acts 5:6. But it is
not certainthat this was always the mode. Perhaps the body was simply
involved in a winding-sheet. The customstill exists in westernAsia. No coffins
being used, the body itself is more carefully and elaboratelywrapped and
swathedthan is common or desirable where coffins are used. In this method
the body is stretchedout and the arms laid straight by the sides, after which
the whole body, from head to foot, is wrapped round tightly in many folds of
linen or cotton cloth; or, to be more precise, a greatlength of cloth is taken
and rolled around the body until the whole is enveloped, and every part is
coveredwith severalfolds of the cloth. The ends are then sewed, to keepthe
whole firm and compact;or else a narrow bandage is wound over the whole,
forming, ultimately, the exterior surface. The body, when thus enfolded and
swathed, retains the profile of the human form; but, as in the Egyptian
mummies, the legs are not folded separately, but together;and the arms also
are not distinguished, but confined to the sides in the generalenvelope. Hence,
it would be clearlyimpossible for a person thus treated to move his arms or
legs, if restored to existence.
The word rendered "grave-clothes" denotes alsothe bands or clothes in which
new-born infants are involved. He went forth, but his walking was impeded by
the bands or clothes in which he was involved.
And his face ... - This was a common thing when they buried their dead. See
John 20:7. It is not knownwhether the whole face was coveredin this manner,
or only the forehead. In the Egyptian mummies it is only the foreheadthat is
thus bound.

Loose him - Remove the bandages, so that he may walk freely. The effectof
this miracle is said to have been that many believed on him. It may be
remarkedin regardto it that there could not be a more striking proof of the
divine mission and power of Jesus. There couldbe here no possibility of
deception:
1. The friends of Lazarus believed him to be dead. In this they could not be
deceived. There could have been among them no designto deceive.
2. He was four days dead. It could not be a case, therefore, ofsuspended
animation.
3. Jesus was ata distance at the time of his death. There was, therefore, no
agreementto attempt to impose on others.
4. No higher powercan be conceivedthan that of raising the dead.
5. It was not possible to impose on his sisters, and to convince them that he
was restoredto life, if it was not really so.
6. There were many present who were convinced also. Godhad so ordered it
in his providence that to this miracle there should be many witnesses. There
was no concealment, no jugglery, no secrecy. It was done publicly, in open
day, and was witnessedby many who followedthem to the grave, John 11:31.
7. Others, who saw it, and did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, went
and told it to the Pharisees. Butthey did not deny that Jesus had raised up

Lazarus. They could not deny it. The very ground of their alarm - the very
reasonwhy they went - was that he had actually done it. Nor did the Pharisees
dare to call the fact in question. If they could have done it, they would. But it
was not possible; for,
8. Lazarus was yet alive John 12:10, and the fact of his resurrectioncould not
be denied. Every circumstance in this accountis plain, simple, consistent,
bearing all the marks of truth. But if Jesus performed this miracle his religion
is true. God would not give such power to an impostor; and unless it can be
proved that this accountis false, the Christian religion must be from God.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
44. Jesus saithunto them, Loose him and let him go—Jesus willno more do
this Himself than roll awaythe stone. The one was the necessarypreparation
for resurrection, the other the necessarysequelto it. The life-giving actalone
He reserves to Himself. So in the quickening of the dead to spiritual life,
human instrumentality is employed first to prepare the way, and then to turn
it to account.
Matthew Poole's Commentary
The fashion of their dressing up the dead differeth, according to the fashion of
severalcountries;among the Jews, we understand by this text, they tied a
napkin about their head, and some clothes about their hands and feet. They
wound the whole body in linen clothes with spices, John19:40;this was (as is
there said) their manner to bury. So, Acts 5:6, the young men are said to have
wound Ananias, and carried him out, and buried him. And this is that which
certainly is meant here by these words,
bound hand and foot: and here is a secondmiracle, that one so wrapped and
bound up should be able to move and come forth. Christ bids,

Loose him, and let him go, to evidence him truly recoveredto life again, and
that the miracle was perfectly wrought. About this miracle there are two
curious questions started:
1. Whether the raising of Lazarus to life was done by the mere Divine power
of Christ, or by the personof Christ; so as the human nature, being personally
united to the Divine nature, had also a share in it; the Divine nature
communicating its property of quickening the dead to the human nature?
That it was the person of Christ that raisedLazarus, and he who did it was
truly man and truly God, is out of doubt. But that there was any such
communication of the properties of the Divine nature to the human nature,
that it also had a share in this effect, is justly denied, and doubted by many
greatdivines: but it is a question tending to no greatprofit for us to know.
2. Where Lazarus’s soul was these four days wherein it was separatedfrom
the body? The Scripture hath not told us this, and it speaks too greatcuriosity
to inquire too strictly. Though we are taught from the parable of Dives and
Lazarus, that the souls of departed saints do ordinarily and immediately pass
into heaven, or Abraham’s bosom; yet what should hinder, but that in these
cases, where it appears to have been the Divine will that the souls of persons
departed should againbe returned into their bodies in a short time, they
might by a Divine power be kept under the custody of angels, until the time of
such restorationof them.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
And he that was dead came forth,.... That is, he who had been dead, being now
made alive, and raisedup, and seton his feet, came out of the cave:
bound hand and foot with grave clothes;not that his hands were bound
together, and much less his hands and feet together, with any bands or lists of
cloth; but his whole body, as Nonnus expresses it, was bound with grave

clothes from head to foot, according to the manner of the easterncountries,
Jews, Egyptians, and others, who used to wrap up their dead in many folds of
linen cloth, as infants are wrapped in swaddling bands: and their manner was
to let down their arms and hands close by their sides, and wind up altogether
from head to foot: so that there was anothermiracle besides that of raising
him from the dead; that in such a situation, in which he could have no natural
use of his hands and feet, he should rise up, stand on his feet, walk, and come
forth thus bound, out of the cave:
and his face was bound about with a napkin; the use of which was not only to
tie up the chin and jaws, but to hide the grim and ghastly looks ofa dead
corpse;and one of the same price and value was used by rich and poor: for it
is said (m),
"the wise men introduced a customof using "a napkin", (the very word here
used, which Nonnus says is Syriac,)of the same value, not exceeding a penny,
that he might not be ashamed who had not one so goodas another; and they
coverthe faces ofthe dead, that they might not shame the poor, whose faces
were black with famine.''
For it seems (n),
"formerly they used to uncover the faces of the rich, and cover the faces ofthe
poor, because their faces were black through want, and the poor were
ashamed;wherefore they ordered, that they should coverthe faces ofall, for
the honour of the poor.''
Jesus saithunto them; to the servants that stood by:

loose him, and let him go;unwind the linen rolls about him, and set his hands
and feetat liberty, and let him go to his own house.
(m) Maimon. Hilchot Ebel, c. 4. sect. 1, (n) T. Bab. MoedKaton, fol. 27. 1.
Geneva Study Bible
And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes:
and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saithunto them, Loose
him, and let him go.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Expositor's Greek Testament
John 11:44. Καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ τεθνηκὼς, “And out came the dead man,”
δεδεμένος … περιεδέδετο, “bound feet and hands with grave-bands,” κειρίαις,
apparently the linen bandages with which the corpse was swathed. Opinions
are fully given in Lampe. “And his face was bound about with a napkin.” Cf.
John 20:7. “The trait marks an eye-witness,”Westcott.—λέγει … ὑπάγειν.
“Jesus says to them, ‘Loose him and let him go away’.” He did not require
support, and he could not relish the gaze of the throng in his present
condition.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
44. came forth] It is safestnot to regardthis as an additional miracle. The
winding-sheet may have been looselytied round him, or eachlimb may have
been swathedseparately:in Egyptian mummies sometimes every finger is
kept distinct.
graveclothes]The Greek wordoccurs here only in N.T. Comp. Proverbs 7:16.
It means the bandages which kept the sheetand the spices round the body.
Nothing is said about the usual spices (John 19:40)here; and Martha’s

remark (John 11:39) rather implies that there had been no embalming. If
Lazarus died of a malignant disease he would be buried as quickly as possible.
face]The Greek wordoccurs in N.T. only here, John 7:24, and Revelation
1:16 : one of the small indications of a common authorship (see on John 15:20
and John 19:37).
napkin] A Latin word is used meaning literally ‘a sweat-cloth.’It occurs John
20:7; Luke 19:20; Acts 19:12. Here the cloth bound under the chin to keepthe
lowerjaw from falling is probably meant. These details shew the eyewitness.
let him go] The expressionis identical with ‘let these go their way’ (John
18:8); and perhaps ‘let him go his way’ would be better here. Lazarus is to be
allowedto retire out of the way of harmful excitement and idle curiosity.
The reserve of the Gospel narrative here is evidence of its truth, and is in
marked contrastto the myths about others who are said to have returned
from the grave. Lazarus makes no revelations as to the unseen world. The
traditions about him have no historic value: but one mentioned by Trench
(Miracles, p. 425)is worth remembering. It is said that the first question
which he askedChrist after being restoredto life was whetherhe must die
again;and being told that he must, he was never more seento smile.
Bengel's Gnomen
John 11:44. Τοὺς πόδας, feet) The two feet had been swathedup together, or
else eachseparately.—κειρίαις)The same word occurs in LXX. Proverbs 7:16,
“I have deckedmy bed with coverings” [κλίνην—κειρίαις].
Pulpit Commentary

Verse 44. - He that (had died and) was (up to that time) dead, came out (of the
grave), bound feetand hands with grave-bands. The swathing of the limbs
after the Egyptian fashion, eachlimb separately, renders the actionmost
natural, because ἐξῆλθεν is used. Lazarus did not simply stand in his grave.
The early commentators and Stier saw in this emergence ofthe swathed
Lazarus an additional miracle, just as they augmented the force of the
supposition involved in the ὄζει, into the fact that our Lord raisedfrom death
a putrefy-tug corpse. Bothsuppositions would be unnecessaryadjuncts of the
proof of the glory of God and power of Christ. Lucke and others refer to the
habit of swathing separate limbs, but in such a wayas not to impede motion if
the personthus swatheddesired it. Meyerand Godetsee no necessityfor the
suggestionofthe early writers. Kuinoel thinks that ἐξῆλθε was used of the
mere struggle of the swathedbody to escape. The above supposition is the
most probable. So Westcott. (Κειρία, an ἅπαξ λεγόμενονof the New
Testament, is used of girdle or bandage.)And his face was bound about with a
napkin. The surrounding of the face with a sudarium is the touch of an
eyewitness. Jesus saithunto them, Loose him, and suffer him to depart; the
part which bystanders might perform; this was the wise advice of Friend and
Teacher. (Forsimilar injunctions of a physical and practicalkind on other
occasions,see Luke 7:15 and Luke 8:55.)The majestic miracle is no further
pressedby the evangelist, but left to tell its own sublime meaning, which in the
multiplicity of exegeticalhypotheses we are in dangerof missing.
"Beholda man raisedup by Christ.
The rest remaineth unrevealed -
He told it not; or something sealed
The lips of that evangelist."
Vincent's Word Studies
Grave-clothes (κειρίαις)

Literally, swathing-bands. Only here in the New Testament. In John 19:40;
John 20:5, John 20:7, ὀθόνια, linen bands, is used.
A napkin (σουδαρι.ῳ)
See on Luke 19:20.
It is interesting to compare this Gospelpicture of sisterlyaffection under the
shadow of death, with the same sentiment as exhibited in Greek tragedy,
especiallyin Sophocles,by whom it is developedwith wonderful power, both
in the "Antigone" and in the "Electra."
In the former, Antigone, the consummate female figure of the Greek drama,
falls a victim to her love for her dead brother. Both here, and in the
"Electra,"sisterlylove is complicatedwith another and sternersentiment: in
the "Antigone" with indignant defiance of the edict which refuses burial to
her brother; in the "Electra"with the long-cherishedcraving for vengeance.
Electra longs for her absent brother Orestes, as the minister of retribution
rather than as the solace ofloneliness and sorrow. His supposed death is to
her, therefore, chiefly the defeat of the passionate,deadly purpose of her
whole life. Antigone lives for her kindred, and is sustainedunder her own sad
fate by the hope of rejoining them in the next world. She believes in the
permanence of personal existence.
"And yet I go and feed myself with hopes
That I shall meet them, by my father loved,

Dearto my mother, well-beloved of thee,
Thou darling brother" (897-900).
And again,
"Loved, I shall be with him whom I have loved
Guilty of holiestcrime. More time is mine
In which to share the favor of the dead,
STUDYLIGHTRESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
Bound hand and footwith grave-clothes - Swathedabout with rollers -
κειριαις, from κειρω, I cut. These were long slips of linen a few inches in
breadth, with which the body and limbs of the dead were swathed, and
especiallythose who were embalmed, that the aromatics might be kept in
contactwith the flesh. But as it is evident that Lazarus had not been
embalmed, it is probable that his limbs were not swathedtogether, as is the
constantcase with those who are embalmed, but separately, so that he could
come out of the tomb at the command of Christ, though he could not walk

freely till the rollers were takenaway. But some will have it that he was
swathedexactly like a mummy, and that his coming out in that state was
another miracle. But there is no need of multiplying miracles in this case:
there was one wrought which was a most sovereignproof of the unlimited
powerand goodness ofGod. Severalof the primitive fathers have adduced
this resurrectionof Lazarus as the model, type, proof, and pledge of the
generalresurrectionof the dead.
Loose him, and let him go - He would have the disciples and those who were at
hand take part in this business, that the fullest convictionmight reston every
person's mind concerning the reality of what was wrought. He whom the
grace ofChrist converts and restores to life comes forth, at his call, from the
dark, dismal grave of sin, in which his soul has long been buried: he walks,
according to the command of Christ, in newness of life; and gives, by the
holiness of his conduct, the fullest proof to all his acquaintance that he is alive
from the dead.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on John 11:44". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/john-
11.html. 1832.
Return to Jump List return to 'Jump List'
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
He that was dead - The same man, body and soul.

Bound hand and foot - It is not certain whether the whole body and limbs
were bound together, or eachlimb separately. Whenthey embalmed a person,
the whole body and limbs were swathedor bound togetherby strips of linen,
involved around it to keeptogetherthe aromatics with which the body was
embalmed. This is the condition of Egyptian mummies. See Acts 5:6. But it is
not certainthat this was always the mode. Perhaps the body was simply
involved in a winding-sheet. The customstill exists in westernAsia. No coffins
being used, the body itself is more carefully and elaboratelywrapped and
swathedthan is common or desirable where coffins are used. In this method
the body is stretchedout and the arms laid straight by the sides, after which
the whole body, from head to foot, is wrapped round tightly in many folds of
linen or cotton cloth; or, to be more precise, a greatlength of cloth is taken
and rolled around the body until the whole is enveloped, and every part is
coveredwith severalfolds of the cloth. The ends are then sewed, to keepthe
whole firm and compact;or else a narrow bandage is wound over the whole,
forming, ultimately, the exterior surface. The body, when thus enfolded and
swathed, retains the profile of the human form; but, as in the Egyptian
mummies, the legs are not folded separately, but together;and the arms also
are not distinguished, but confined to the sides in the generalenvelope. Hence,
it would be clearlyimpossible for a personthus treated to move his arms or
legs, if restored to existence.
The word rendered “grave-clothes” denotes alsothe bands or clothes in which
new-born infants are involved. He went forth, but his walking was impeded by
the bands or clothes in which he was involved.
And his face … - This was a common thing when they buried their dead. See
John 20:7. It is not knownwhether the whole face was coveredin this manner,
or only the forehead. In the Egyptian mummies it is only the foreheadthat is
thus bound.

Loose him - Remove the bandages, so that he may walk freely. The effectof
this miracle is said to have been that many believed on him. It may be
remarkedin regardto it that there could not be a more striking proof of the
divine mission and power of Jesus. There couldbe here no possibility of
deception:
1.The friends of Lazarus believed him to be dead. In this they could not be
deceived. There could have been among them no designto deceive.
2.He was four days dead. It could not be a case, therefore, ofsuspended
animation.
3.Jesus wasata distance at the time of his death. There was, therefore, no
agreementto attempt to impose on others.
4.No higher power canbe conceivedthan that of raising the dead.
5.It was not possible to impose on his sisters, and to convince them that he was
restoredto life, if it was not really so.
6.There were many presentwho were convinced also. Godhad so ordered it in
his providence that to this miracle there should be many witnesses. There was
no concealment, no jugglery, no secrecy. Itwas done publicly, in open day,
and was witnessedby many who followedthem to the grave, John 11:31.

7.Others, who saw it, and did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, wentand
told it to the Pharisees. Butthey did not deny that Jesus had raisedup
Lazarus. They could not deny it. The very ground of their alarm - the very
reasonwhy they went - was that he had actually done it. Nor did the Pharisees
dare to call the fact in question. If they could have done it, they would. But it
was not possible; for,
8.Lazarus was yet alive John 12:10, and the factof his resurrectioncould not
be denied. Every circumstance in this accountis plain, simple, consistent,
bearing all the marks of truth. But if Jesus performed this miracle his religion
is true. God would not give such power to an impostor; and unless it can be
proved that this accountis false, the Christian religion must be from God.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon John 11:44". "Barnes'Noteson the Whole
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/john-11.html.
1870.
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
He that was dead came forth, bound hand and footwith grave-clothes;and his
face was bound with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him
go.

All quibbles about how Lazarus might have been able to walk while still
wrapped in the grave-clothes are onthe same level of questions of how the
dead in their tombs shall rise in judgment with all that weight upon them. It is
not statedthat Lazarus "walkedout," but that he "came forth." The fiat of a
divine commandment brought Lazarus out of the grave even if both of his legs
were bound together, and not separatelyin the manner of the Egyptians. The
separate binding of Lazarus' legs has been supposedby some commentators in
their gratuitous efforts to help the Lord (!) get Lazarus out after raising him
FROM THE DEAD!
Loose him, and let him go ... Lazarus was still bound and could not "go"
unless released. See under John 11:39.
Whateversimilarities exist betweenLazarus' resurrectionand the
resurrectionof all men at the last day, there is one greatdifference. Lazarus
did not rise "through the tomb" as Jesus did but came forth out of it
horizontally to the same life he had before, still cumbered with mortality, still
subject to all conditions of earthly life. The holy recordmakes no concession
to human curiosity. Enough for all men to know that the deed here recorded
was an actual historicalevent, memorialized in the name of the village where
it occurred, reported by those who saw it as a FACT, actedupon by the
highest court in the Hebrew nation as an EVENT impossible of denial, and
judged by them as so powerful a wonder that they decidedto slayJesus to
keepeveryone on earth from believing on him!
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography

Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on John 11:44". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/john-11.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
And he that was dead came forth,.... That is, he who had been dead, being now
made alive, and raisedup, and seton his feet, came out of the cave:
bound hand and foot with grave clothes;not that his hands were bound
together, and much less his hands and feet together, with any bands or lists of
cloth; but his whole body, as Nonnus expresses it, was bound with grave
clothes from head to foot, according to the manner of the easterncountries,
Jews, Egyptians, and others, who used to wrap up their dead in many folds of
linen cloth, as infants are wrapped in swaddling bands: and their manner was
to let down their arms and hands close by their sides, and wind up altogether
from head to foot: so that there was anothermiracle besides that of raising
him from the dead; that in such a situation, in which he could have no natural
use of his hands and feet, he should rise up, stand on his feet, walk, and come
forth thus bound, out of the cave:
and his face was bound about with a napkin; the use of which was not only to
tie up the chin and jaws, but to hide the grim and ghastly looks ofa dead
corpse;and one of the same price and value was used by rich and poor: for it
is saidF13,
"the wise men introduced a customof using ‫,רדוס‬ "a napkin", (the very word
here used, which Nonnus says is Syriac,)of the same value, not exceeding a

penny, that he might not be ashamedwho had not one so goodas another; and
they coverthe faces ofthe dead, that they might not shame the poor, whose
faces were black with famine.'
For it seemsF14,
"formerly they used to uncover the faces of the rich, and cover the faces ofthe
poor, because their faces were black through want, and the poor were
ashamed;wherefore they ordered, that they should coverthe faces ofall, for
the honour of the poor.'
Jesus saithunto them; to the servants that stood by:
loose him, and let him go;unwind the linen rolls about him, and set his hands
and feetat liberty, and let him go to his own house.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on John 11:44". "The New JohnGill Exposition of
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/john-
11.html. 1999.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Jesus saithunto them, Loose him and let him go — Jesus will no more do this
Himself than roll awaythe stone. The one was the necessarypreparation for
resurrection, the other the necessarysequelto it. THE LIFE-GIVING ACT
ALONE HE RESERVESTO HIMSELF. So in the quickening of the dead to
spiritual life, human instrumentality is employed first to prepare the way, and
then to turn it to account.
Copyright Statement
These files are a derivative of an electronic edition prepared from text
scannedby Woodside Bible Fellowship.
This expanded edition of the Jameison-Faussett-BrownCommentary is in the
public domain and may be freely used and distributed.
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on John
11:44". "CommentaryCritical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfb/john-11.html. 1871-8.
John Lightfoot's Commentary on the Gospels
44. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes:

[With graveclothes, &c.]The evangelistseems so particularin mentioning the
graveclothes,wherewithLazarus was bound hand and foot, and also the
napkin that had covered his face, on purpose to hint us a secondmiracle in
this greatmiracle. The dead man came forth, though bound hand and foot
with his graveclothes, andblinded with the napkin.
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Lightfoot, John. "Commentary on John 11:44". "JohnLightfoot
Commentary on the Gospels".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jlc/john-11.html. 1675.
People's New Testament
And he that was dead came forth. The earth had never beheld a more
wonderful or startling sight. At once the sleeperarose, came forth, bound with
his grave clothes, with the napkin still upon his face that had been bound
under his jaw to keepit from falling. The lookers-on, astonished, dazed, were
only recalledto themselves when the Lord bade them, "Loose him and let him
go." He spoke as the Divine Word, and death obeyed. As he cried to Lazarus,
{Come forth,} so shall he speak with the voice of an archangelto all that are in
their graves, and they shall come forth and live.
Copyright Statement

These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Original work done by Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 atThe
RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
Johnson, BartonW. "Commentary on John 11:44". "People's New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pnt/john-
11.html. 1891.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
He that was dead came forth (εχηλτεν ο τετνηκως — exēlthen ho tethnēkōs).
Literally, “Came out the dead man,” (effective aoristactive indicative and
perfect active articular participle of τνησκω — thnēskō). Justas he was and at
once.
Bound hand and foot (δεδεμενος τους ποδας και τας χειρας — dedemenos tous
podas kai tas cheiras). Perfectpassive participle of δεω — deō with the
accusative looselyretainedaccording to the common Greek idiom (Robertson,
Grammar, p. 486), but literally “as to the feet and hands” (opposite order
from the English). Probably the legs were bound separately.
With grave-clothes (κειριαις — keiriais). Or “with bands.” Instrumental case
of this late and rare word (in Plutarch, medical papyrus in the form κηρια —
kēria and Proverbs 7:16). Only here in N.T.
His face (η οπσις αυτου — hē opsis autou). Old word, but προσωπον —
prosōponis usual in N.T. See Revelation1:16 for another instance.

Was bound about (περιεδεδετο — periededeto). Pastperfect passive of
περιδεω — perideō old verb to bind around, only here in N.T.
With a napkin (σουδαριωι — soudariōi). Instrumental case of σουδαριον—
soudarion (Latin word sudarium from sudor, sweat). In N.T. here, John 20:7;
Luke 19:20; Acts 19:12. Our handkerchief.
Loose him (λυσατε αυτον— lusate auton). First aoristactive imperative of
λυω — luō From the various bands.
Let him go (απετε αυτονυπαγειν — aphete auton hupagein). Secondaorist
active imperative of απιημι — aphiēmi and presentactive infinitive.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on John 11:44". "Robertson's WordPictures
of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/john-11.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.
Vincent's Word Studies
Grave-clothes ( κειρίαις )
Literally, swathing-bands. Only here in the New Testament. In John 19:40;
John 20:5, John 20:7, ὀθόνια , linen bands, is used.

A napkin ( σουδαρι.ῳ )
See on Luke 19:20.
It is interesting to compare this Gospelpicture of sisterlyaffection under the
shadow of death, with the same sentiment as exhibited in Greek tragedy,
especiallyin Sophocles,by whom it is developedwith wonderful power, both
in the “Antigone” and in the “Electra.”
In the former, Antigone, the consummate female figure of the Greek drama,
falls a victim to her love for her dead brother. Both here, and in the “Electra,”
sisterly love is complicatedwith another and sterner sentiment: in the
“Antigone” with indignant defiance of the edict which refuses burial to her
brother; in the “Electra” withthe long-cherishedcraving for vengeance.
Electra longs for her absent brother Orestes, as the minister of retribution
rather than as the solace ofloneliness and sorrow. His supposed death is to
her, therefore, chiefly the defeat of the passionate,deadly purpose of her
whole life. Antigone lives for her kindred, and is sustainedunder her own sad
fate by the hope of rejoining them in the next world. She believes in the
permanence of personal existence.
“And yet I go and feed myself with hopes
That I shall meet them, by my father loved,
Dearto my mother, well-beloved of thee,
Thou darling brother” (897-900).
And again,

“Loved, I shall be with him whom I have loved
Guilty of holiestcrime. More time is mine
In which to share the favor of the dead,
Than that of those who live; for I shall rest
Foreverthere” (73-76).
No such hope illuminates the grief of Electra.
“Ah, Orestes!
Dearbrother, in thy death thou slayestme;
For thou art gone, bereaving my poor heart
Of all the little hope that yet remained
That thou wouldst come, a living minister
Of vengeance for thy father and for me” (807-812).
And again,
“If thou suggestestany hope from those

So clearly gone to Hades, then on me,
Wasting with sorrow, thou wilt trample more” (832-834).
When she is asked,
“What! shall I ever bring the dead to life?”
she replies,
“I meant not that: I am not quite so mad.”
In the household of Bethany, the grief of the two sisters, unlike that of the
Greek maidens, is unmixed with any other sentiment, save perhaps a tinge of
a feeling bordering on reproachthat Jesus had not been there to avert their
calamity. Comfort from the hope of reunion with the dead is not expressedby
them, and is hardly implied in their assertionof the doctrine of a future
resurrection, which to them, is a generalmatter having little or no bearing on
their personalgrief. In this particular, so far as expressionindicates, the
advantage is on the side of the Theban maiden. Though her hope is the
outgrowth of her affectionrather than of her religious training - a thought
which is the child of a wish - she never loses her graspupon the expectationof
rejoining her beloved dead.
But the gospelstory is thrown into strongestcontrastwith the classicalby the
truth of resurrection which dominates it in the personand energy of the Lord

of life. Jesus enters at once as the consolationofbereaved love, and the eternal
solution of the problem of life and death. The idea which Electra sneeredat as
madness, is here a realized fact. Beautiful, wonderful as is the actionwhich
the drama evolves out of the conflict of sisterly love with death, the curtain
falls on death as victor. Into the gospelstory Jesus brings a benefaction, a
lesson, and a triumph. His warm sympathy, His comforting words, His tears
at His friend's tomb, are in significant contrastwith the politic, timid, at times
reproachful attitude of the chorus of Theban elders towards Antigone. The
consummation of both dramas is unmitigated horror. Suicide solves the
problem for Antigone, and Electra receives back her brother as from the
dead, only to incite him to murder, and to gloatwith him over the victims. It is
a beautiful feature of the Gospelnarrative that it seems, if we may so speak, to
retire with an instinctive delicacyfrom the joy of that reunited household. It
breaks off abruptly with the words, “Loose him, and let him go.” The
imagination alone follows the sisters with their brother, perchance with
Christ, behind the closeddoor, and hears the sacredinterchanges ofthat
wonderful communing. Tennyson, with a deep and truly Christian perception,
has struck its key-note.
“Her eyes are homes of silent prayer,
Nor other thought her mind admits
But, he was dead, and there he sits!
And He that brought him back is there.
Then one deep love doth supersede
All other, when her ardent gaze
Roves from the living brother's face

And rests upon the Life indeed.”
“In Memoriam.”
Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.
Bibliography
Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon John 11:44". "Vincent's Word
Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/john-11.html. Charles
Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
And he came forth bound hand and foot with grave clothes — Which were
wrapt round eachhand and eachfoot, and his face was wrapt about with a
napkin - If the Jews buried as the Egyptians did, the face was not covered
with it, but it only went round the forehead, and under the chin; so that he
might easily see his way.
Copyright Statement

These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on John 11:44". "JohnWesley's Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/john-11.html. 1765.
Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
Bound hand and foot; entirely enveloped in grave clothes.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Abbott, John S. C. & Abbott, Jacob. "Commentaryon John 11:44".
"Abbott's Illustrated New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ain/john-11.html. 1878.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
44.Boundhand and foot with bandages. The Evangelistis careful to mention
thenapkin and bandages, in order to inform us that Lazarus went out of the
tomb, in the same manner that he was laid in it. This mode of burying is

retained to the present day by the Jews, who coverthe body with a shroud,
and wrap the head separatelyin a handkerchief.
Loose him, and let him go. To magnify the glory of the miracle, it only
remained that the Jews shouldeven touch with their hands that Divine work
which they had beheld with their eyes. ForChrist might have removed the
bandages with which Lazarus was bound, or made them to give way of
themselves;but Christ intended to employ the hands of the spectators as his
witnesses.
The Papists actan excessivelyridiculous part, by endeavoring to draw
auricular confessionfrom this passage. Theysay, “Christ, after having
restoredLazarus to life, commanded his disciplesto loose him; and therefore it
is not enough for us to be reconciledto God, unless the Church also pardon
our sins.” But whence do they conjecture that the disciples were enjoined to
loose Lazarus? On the contrary, we may infer that the order was given to the
Jews, in order to take from them every ground of doubt or hesitation.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on John 11:44". "Calvin's Commentary on the
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/john-11.html.
1840-57.
John Trapp Complete Commentary

44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and footwith graveclothes:
Ver. 44. And he that was dead] But where was his soul therewhile? In manu
Dei, In the hand of God, not in purgatory, as Papists say, for that is against
their own principles. They send none to purgatory but men of a middle make,
betweenjust and unjust. Now Lazarus was surely a very goodman, else had
he not been so dear to Christ. But that purgatory is the pope’s invention, as
Tyndale hath it: hear St Augustine, Nemo se decipiat, fratres: duo enim loca
sunt, et tertius non est visus. Qui cum Christo regnare non meruit, cum
diabolo, absque dubitatione, peribit.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on John 11:44". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/john-
11.html. 1865-1868.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
John 11:44. And he that was dead came forth,— It would have been the least
part of the miracle, had Jesus made the rollers, with which Lazarus was

bound, to unloose themselves from around his body, before he came forth: but
he brought him out just as he was lying, and ordered the spectators to loose
him, that they might be the better convincedof the miracle. Accordingly, in
taking off the grave-clothes, they had the fullest evidence, both of his death
and resurrection;for on the one hand the manner in which it is supposedhe
was swathed, (see ch. John 19:40.)must of itself have killed him in a little
time, had he been alive when buried, and consequentlyhave demonstrated
beyond all exception, that Lazarus was severaldays dead, before Jesus called
him forth. Some, however, suppose, that the body was not bound over with
bandages, but only wrapped up in a large linen cloth, tied at the hands and
feet, [ Κειριαις, a word which Phavorinus explains by επιταφιοι δεσμοι,
sepulchral bands,] not altogether, perhaps, unlike what is customarywith us;
and this is the more probable, as we may reasonablyconclude, both from the
words of Martha, John 11:39 and from this verse, that Lazarus was not
embalmed, when it was usual to make use of such bandages. However, be this
as it may, in taking off the grave-clothes, the linen might offer both to their
eyes and smell abundant proofs of his putrefaction, and by that means
convince them, that he had not been in a deliquium, or swoon, but was really
departed. On the other hand, by his lively countenance appearing when the
napkin was removed, his fresh colour, his active vigour, and his brisk walking,
they who camenearhim and handled him, were made sensible that he was in
perfect health, and had an opportunity to try the truth of the miracle by the
closestexamination. It may be proper just to reply here to a difficulty
suggestedupon this history of Lazarus's resurrection. It is said that, when
Jesus calledupon Lazarus to come forth, he came out bound hand and foot;
but deists, talking of this miracle, commonly ask with a sneer, how could he
come out of a grave, who was bound in that manner? The answerhowever, is
obvious. The reader is first desired to considerthe form of the Jewish
sepulchres, as describedin the note on Luke 24:4 and then to reflect that the
evangelistmeans not that Lazarus walkedout of the sepulchre;but that, lying
on his back, he raisedhimself into a sitting posture, then, putting his legs out
of his niche or cell, slid down and stood upright on the floor; all which he
might easily do, notwithstanding his arms were bound close to his body, and
his legs were tied strait togetherby means of the shroud and rollers, or
bandages, orwhatever they were with which he was confined. Accordingly,

when he was come forth, it is said, that Jesus orderedthem to loose him, and
let him go; a circumstance plainly importing, that the historian knew that
Lazarus could not walk till he was unbound. If the Jews buried as the
Egyptians did, the napkin did not cover the face of Lazarus, but only went
round his forehead, and under his chin; so that he could easily see;but even
on supposition that it was wound about his face, he could easilyhave raised
himself out of his niche without seeing, in the manner above described.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Coke, Thomas. "Commentaryon John 11:44". Thomas Coke Commentaryon
the Holy Bible. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tcc/john-
11.html. 1801-1803.
Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
44.]κειρία εἶδος ζώνης ἐκ σχοινίων, παρεοικὸς ἵμαντι, ᾗ δεσμοῦαι τὰς κλίνας
(see ref.), Suidas. κειρία ὁ τῶν νηπίων δεσμός, ἤγουνἡ κοίνως φασκία (fascia),
καὶ ᾗ δεσμοῦαι τοὺς νεκρούς, Moschopulus (in Kuinoel). It does not appear
whether the bands were wound about eachlimb, as in the Egyptian mummies,
so as merely to impede motion,—or were looselywrapped round both feet and
both hands, so as to hinder any free movement altogether. The latter seems
most probable, and has been supposed by many, e.g. Basil, Homil. de gratiar.
actione, c. 5, vol. iii. p. 29, ὁ νεκρὸς ἐζωοποιεῖτυ καὶ ὁ δεδεμένος περιεπάτει·
θαῦμα ἐν θαύματι,κειρίαις δεδέσθαι τοὺς πόδας, καὶ μὴ κωλύεσθαι πρὸς
κίνησιν. Ancient pictures representLazarus gliding forth from the tomb, not

stepping: and that apparently is right. The σουδάριονappears to have tied up
his chin.
ὑπάγειν, probably, to his home.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on John 11:44". Greek TestamentCritical
ExegeticalCommentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/john-11.html. 1863-1878.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
John 11:44. τοὺς πόδας, feet) The two feethad been swathedup together, or
else eachseparately.— κειρίαις)The same word occurs in LXX. Proverbs
7:16, “I have deckedmy bed with coverings” [κλίνην— κειρίαις].
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on John 11:44". JohannAlbrecht
Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/john-11.html. 1897.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
The fashion of their dressing up the dead differeth, according to the fashion of
severalcountries;among the Jews, we understand by this text, they tied a
napkin about their head, and some clothes about their hands and feet. They
wound the whole body in linen clothes with spices, John19:40;this was (as is
there said) their manner to bury. So, Acts 5:6, the young men are said to have
wound Ananias, and carried him out, and buried him. And this is that which
certainly is meant here by these words,
bound hand and foot: and here is a secondmiracle, that one so wrapped and
bound up should be able to move and come forth. Christ bids,
Loose him, and let him go, to evidence him truly recoveredto life again, and
that the miracle was perfectly wrought. About this miracle there are two
curious questions started:
1. Whether the raising of Lazarus to life was done by the mere Divine power
of Christ, or by the personof Christ; so as the human nature, being personally
united to the Divine nature, had also a share in it; the Divine nature
communicating its property of quickening the dead to the human nature?
That it was the person of Christ that raisedLazarus, and he who did it was
truly man and truly God, is out of doubt. But that there was any such
communication of the properties of the Divine nature to the human nature,

that it also had a share in this effect, is justly denied, and doubted by many
greatdivines: but it is a question tending to no greatprofit for us to know.
2. Where Lazarus’s soul was these four days wherein it was separatedfrom
the body? The Scripture hath not told us this, and it speaks too greatcuriosity
to inquire too strictly. Though we are taught from the parable of Dives and
Lazarus, that the souls of departed saints do ordinarily and immediately pass
into heaven, or Abraham’s bosom; yet what should hinder, but that in these
cases, where it appears to have been the Divine will that the souls of persons
departed should againbe returned into their bodies in a short time, they
might by a Divine power be kept under the custody of angels, until the time of
such restorationof them.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon John 11:44". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/john-11.html. 1685.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
44. ἐξῆλθεν. It is safestnot to regardthis as an additional miracle. The
winding-sheet may have been looselytied round him, or eachlimb may have
been swathedseparately:in Egyptian mummies sometimes every finger is
kept distinct.

κειρίαις. The word occurs here only in N.T. Comp. Proverbs 7:16. It means
the bandages whichkept the sheetand the spices round the body. Nothing is
said about the usual spices (John 19:40)here; and Martha’s remark (John
11:39)rather implies that there had been no embalming. If Lazarus died of a
malignant disease he would be buried as quickly as possible.
ὄψις. The word occurs in N.T. only here, John 7:24, and Revelation1:16 : one
of the small indications of a common authorship (see on John 1:14, John 4:6,
John 5:2, John 7:30, [John 8:2,] John 13:8, John 15:20, John 19:37, John
20:16).
σουδαρίῳ. The Latin sudarium, meaning literally ‘a sweat-cloth.’It occurs
John 20:7; Luke 19:20; Acts 19:12. Here the cloth bound under the chin to
keepthe lowerjaw from falling is probably meant. These details shew the
eyewitness.
ἄφετε αὐ. ὑπ. The expressionis identical with ‘let these go their way’ (John
18:8); and perhaps ‘let him go his way’ would be better here. Lazarus is to be
allowedto retire out of the way of harmful excitement and idle curiosity.
Comp. Luke 7:15; Luke 8:55. On all three occasions Christ’s first care is for
the personraised.
The reserve of the Gospelnarrative here is evidence of its truth, and is in
marked contrastto the myths about others who are said to have returned
from the grave. Lazarus makes no revelations as to the unseen world. The
traditions about him have no historic value: but one mentioned by Trench
(Miracles, p. 425)is worth remembering. It is said that the first question
which he askedChrist after being restoredto life was whetherhe must die
again;and being told that he must, he was never more seento smile.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
"Commentary on John 11:44". "Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools
and Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/john-
11.html. 1896.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
44. Bound hand and foot—Literally, bound as to his hands and as to his feet.
So that his feetand hands were bandagedseparately, as is the case with
Egyptian mummies. Yet his hands were so bound that he could not unbind
himself. There is no need of supposing, with some ancient commentators, a
miracle in his being able to walk bound.
Whether this man, who had seenthe spirit-world related, or not any of the
secrets ofthat abode;whether all who inquired of him, or all save a chosen
few or one, found in him a mysterious repugnance to utter a syllable upon the
subject; whether he felt silencedby the consciousness thathe had seenthings
not lawful for man to utter; or whether on his return to the light of the sun all
traces of the other world were erasedfrom his mind, we know not. To reveal
our future was not the purpose of his return. Yet we can hardly doubt that the
very choice of the name Lazarus, for the parable of the rich man and the
beggar, is significant that one might rise from the dead without convincing the
sceptic, as the conduct of some of the Jews on this occasionshowed. It is an

early legend of the Church, that Lazarus was now thirty years of age, and
survived this event another thirty.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on John 11:44". "Whedon's Commentary on
the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/john-11.html.
1874-1909.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
John 11:44. καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ τεθνηκὼς, “And out came the dead man,”
δεδεμένος … περιεδέδετο, “bound feet and hands with grave-bands,” κειρίαις,
apparently the linen bandages with which the corpse was swathed. Opinions
are fully given in Lampe. “And his face was bound about with a napkin.” Cf.
John 20:7. “The trait marks an eye-witness,”Westcott.—λέγει … ὑπάγειν.
“Jesus says to them, ‘Loose him and let him go away’.” He did not require
support, and he could not relish the gaze of the throng in his present
condition.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on John 11:44". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/john-11.html. 1897-1910.
JosephBenson's Commentaryof the Old and New Testaments
John 11:44. And he that was dead — Greek, ο τεθνη κως, he that had been
dead; came forth — “The dead man heard the voice of the Son of God, and
came forth immediately. For he did not revive slowly, and by degrees, as the
dead child did which was raisedby the Prophet Elisha; but the effectinstantly
following the command, plainly showedwhose the powerwas that reanimated
the breathless clay.” As the people presentwere not so much as thinking of a
resurrection, they must have been greatly “surprisedwhen they heard our
Lord pray for it. The cry, Lazarus, come forth, must have astonishedthem
still more, and raised their curiosity to a prodigious pitch. But when they saw
him spring out alive and in perfect health, that had been rotting in the grave
four days, they could not but be agitatedwith many different passions, and
overwhelmed with inexpressible amazement.” Bound hand and foot with
grave-clothes — Which were wrapped round eachhand and eachfoot. And
his face was bound about with a napkin —
If the Jews buried as the Egyptians did, the face was not coveredwith it, but it
only went round the forehead, and under the chin, so that he might easilysee
his way. “It would have been the leastpart of the miracle, had Jesus made the
rollers, wherewith Lazarus was bound, unloose themselves from around his
body before he came forth. But he brought him out just as he was lying, and
ordered the spectatorsto loose him, that they might be the better convinced of
the miracle.” Accordingly, in taking off the grave-clothes, they had the fullest

evidence, both of his death and resurrection. For, on the one hand, in
stripping him, the linen would offer both to their eyes and smell abundant
proofs of his putrefaction, (John 11:39,) and by that means convince them that
he had not been in a deliquium, but was really departed: and on the other, by
his lively countenance appearing when the napkin was removed, his fresh
colour, his active vigour, and his brisk walking, they who came near him and
handled him, were made sensible that he was in perfect health, and had an
opportunity to try the truth of the miracle, by the closestexamination.
“Every readermust be sensible, that there is something incomparably
beautiful in the whole of our Lord’s behaviour on this occasion. After having
given such an astonishing instance of his power, he did not speak one word in
his ownpraise, either directly or indirectly. He did not chide the disciples for
their unwillingness to accompanyhim into Judea. He did not rebuke the Jews
for having, in former instances, maliciouslydetractedfrom the lustre of his
miracles, every one of which derived additional credit from this incontestable
wonder. He did not say how much they were to blame for persisting in their
infidelity, though he well knew what they would do. He did not intimate, even
in the most distant manner, the obligations which Lazarus and his sisters were
laid under by this signal favour. He did not upbraid Martha and Mary with
the discontentthey had expressed, athis having delayed to come to the relief
of their brother. Nay, he did not so much as put them in mind of the mean
notion they had entertained of his power; but, always consistentwith himself,
he was on this, as on every other occasion, a pattern of perfecthumility and
absolute self-denial.” — Macknight.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Benson, Joseph. "Commentaryon John 11:44". JosephBenson's
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rbc/john-
11.html. 1857.
George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
Loose him, and let him go. Christ, says St. Gregory, by giving these orders to
his apostles,shews thatit belongs to his ministers to loose andabsolve sinners,
when they are moved to repentance, though it is God himself that forgiveth
their sins; and they by his authority only. (Witham) --- Lazarus comes forth
bound from the sepulchre, that he might not be thought to be a phantom; and
that the bystanders might themselves loose him, and touching and
approaching him, might know for certain that it was he. (St. John
Chrysostom, hom. lxiii. in Joan.) --- St. Cyril and St. Augustine both adduce
this verse to shew the powerof priests in absolving sinners. See St. Cyril, lib.
vii. last chap. in Joan. and St. Augustine, tract. 49. in Joan.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Haydock, George Leo. "Commentaryon John 11:44". "GeorgeHaydock's
Catholic Bible Commentary".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hcc/john-11.html. 1859.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
he that was dead. Greek. ho tethnekos, the dead man. Compare Luke 7:12.
graveclothes.Greek.keiriai. Only used here in N.T. In the Septuagint it is
used in Proverbs 7:16, as the rendering of the Hebrew marebaddim.
Originally it meant a bed-girth, and so any kind of wrapping. Here, =
swathings.
napkin. Greek soudarion. A Latin word, sudarium, or sweat-cloth. Usedonly
here, John 20:7. Luke 19:20, and Acts 19:12.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on John 11:44". "E.W.
Bullinger's Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/john-11.html. 1909-1922.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes;
and his face was bound about with a napkin.
Jesus saithunto them, Loose him, and let him go. Jesus will no more do this
Himself than roll awaythe stone. As the one was the necessarypreparation
for resurrection, so the other was the necessarysequelto it. THE LIFE-
GIVING ACT ALONE HE RESERVES TO HIMSELF. Even so in the
quickening of the dead to spiritual life, human instrumentality is employed
first to prepare the way, and then to turn it to account.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on John
11:44". "CommentaryCritical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -
Unabridged". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/john-
11.html. 1871-8.
The Bible Study New Testament

The dead man came out. This is the third time Jesus invades the world of the
dead to rescue someone. This time no one could doubt that a dead man had
been raisedto life! It is part of the miracle that Lazarus came out tied up
hand and foot, and John puts specialemphasis on this fact.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Ice, Rhoderick D. "Commentary on John 11:44". "The Bible Study New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ice/john-11.html.
College Press, Joplin, MO. 1974.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(44) And he that was dead came forth.—“Wonderat a wonder within a
wonder!” is Basil’s commenton these words; and many of the older expositors
regard the power to move, when bound hand and foot, as itself a miracle. But
this seems not to be necessary, and if not necessary, is not to be resortedto.
(Comp. Note on John 6:21.) The grave-clothes may have been bound round
the limbs separately, as in the Egyptian mummies, and this would not prevent
motion; or (and this is more probable) the body may have been “wrapped in a
linen cloth,” which encompassedthe whole, exceptthe head (Matthew 27:59),
but still left motion possible. The word rendered “grave-clothes”is used
nowhere in the New Testamentexceptin this passage. It means properly the
bands or straps by which the linen sheetwas fastenedto the body, and which
kept the spice from falling out. (Comp. John 19:40.)We find it used elsewhere
for straps and thongs generally. They were made of rushes, linen,, and other

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