the inspiration and authority of Scripture. He was not speaking on that subject, but only answering a charge of the Jews from their own standpoint.

37. If I do not] From turning their own Scriptures as they interpreted them against themselves, to answer their charge of blasphemy, Jesus again appeals to his works. Are the works not in harmony with right views of God and his character? If the evidence they give is insufficient, do not believe me. If they are in harmony with the Father, though you refuse to believe my assertions, you surely must believe the works. Their testimony is irresistible. From this time onward, you must know, from seeing the facts, and understand, from examining the particulars of these works and reasoning about their origin and character, that the author of them is God; the Father working in Jesus, and Jesus with and in the Father; or, as he had before asserted, "I and the Father are one," v. 30.

39. sought again to take him] The inference is that they now were aroused into stronger animosity and wished to take him forcibly from the temple area to execute their previous purpose to stone him. Some hold that πáv, "again," is opposed to this interpretation and must point back to the intent to take him noticed in John 7:30, 32, 44. But the word is omitted by Tischendorf, though admitted by Tregelles and the Revised Version. It is used in v. 31, and may simply signify a renewal of the efforts violently to stop his teaching. In the confusion and tumult they raised, Jesus went forth out of their reach. It is not necessary to suppose his escape was by miracle. He had many friends; and his prudence, dignity, and power were quite adequate to account for his escape from a turbulent crowd.

40. went away again beyond Jordan] If" again" is taken here as some take it in v. 39, we must suppose that he had on some previous occasion escaped from the rulers by going beyond the Jordan. But when? There is no definite record of a previous escape beyond the Jordan. Are we to infer one that is not recorded? This is probable; or the "again" may refer only to the escape from the Jews and not to his going beyond the Jordan. Or, it may allude to his presence there at his baptism mentioned in John 1:28. The narrative does not enable us to decide with certainty in respect to these inferences. The place to which Jesus went was, however, "Bethany beyond Jordan," 1: 28, the place where John baptized before he went to Ænon near Salim, 3:22. This Bethany some have placed on the wady Nimrin about 6 miles from the Jordan, and 12 or 15 miles north-east from Jericho.

41. John did no miracle [sign] John the Baptist was a 66 voice crying in the wilderness." No miracle, wonder, or sign is recorded as done by him. The multitude who now resorted to Jesus in this place beyond Jordan, were on the scene of John's preaching and baptism. This suggests the work of John in contrast with the wonder-working of Jesus, and also the definite testimony of John about Jesus, which the people now perceive to be true in every respect. This caused many to be convinced that Jesus was the Messiah. So they "believed on him there," not merely believed him, that is, his sayings, but believed on him. He was the Messiah, the Saviour of the world; they believed unto salvation. They did what Jesus urged the Jews to do, believed the evidence of his works as convincing.

SUGGESTIVE APPLICATIONS.-1. The great question, Do you know that Jesus is the Christ? 2. Have you believed his words? 3. If not, have you believed his works? 4. Unbelief cannot be excused on the ground of insufficient evidence. 5. Your disbelief is proof that you are not of God's flock. 6. The true Christian knows, follows, and is saved by Christ. 7. Christ and the Father are pledged to protect their own. 8. The miracles and works of Jesus attest his character as Son of God. 9. The power of God the Father will uphold his saints. 10. Jesus and the Father are one. 11. The works of Christ prove him to be one with the Father. 12. Jesus retires from the violence of enemies, when no good could be done by further withstanding them; his followers may imitate him in this. 13. The testimony of John and of the works of Jesus agree in proving Jesus to be the Messiah.

This is the most remarkable miracle in Christ's ministry. John alone records it. There are eighteen notable miracles recorded in one Gospel only. Of these eighteen, two are given by Mark only, three by Matthew only, seven by Luke only, and six by John only. Why was this wonderful miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead omitted by all the other evangelists, especially by Luke who used so much diligence in securing the materials for his narrative? As John wrote after the others, and doubtless had seen their Gospels, it would be expected that he would omit some miracles recorded by them, unless their narration was necessary to complete his purpose. Why the others omitted this great miracle, is unknown. Some reasons may be suggested to account for it: 1. The three synoptic writers deal mainly, almost exclusively with the Galilæan ministry. Luke, it is true, narrates the Peræan ministry, but neither he nor Matthew nor Mark give the Judæan ministry as John does. This miracle belongs to Christ's work in Judæa. 2. There may have been some of the Bethany family living when the synoptics wrote, and

COMMON VERSION.

41 And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.

42 And many believed on him there.

REVISED VERSION.

41 baptizing; and there he abode. And many came unto him; and they said, John indeed did no sign: but all things whatsoever Jolin spake of this man were true. 42 And many believed on him there.

the narration of this miracle might put them in peril of persecution by the Jewish authorities. 3. The miracles of Jesus were so numerous, that a few only were described by any of the evangelists, John 20:30. Among so many miracles, many perhaps of raising the dead ("the dead are raised," Luke 7:22), this one of the raising of Lazarus may not have stood out so prominently in their minds as it now does in ours. 4. John finds it a necessary part of his history of the hate and conflict of the Jews with Jesus. This miracle in some measure led to a culmination of their plots to destroy Jesus. The wild conjecture that the narrative of this miracle grew out of the parable of Dives and Lazarus shows how hard-pushed the rationalists are in their efforts to eliminate miracles from the Gospel history. The narrative of this miracle is remarkable for its minute touches, significant of the reality and truthfulness of the account, and also for its silences. The touches are: the close friendly relations of the family to Jesus; the mention of Lazarus sleeping; the precise location of Bethany; the contrasted act of the two sisters when Jesus was coming; the pause and weeping of Jesus; the appearance of Lazarus as he came from the tomb. The silences are: the return of the messenger and message to Mary; the words of Lazarus, and the welcome by his sisters when he arose.

1. was sick.. Lazarus, of Bethany] He was sick at Bethany, less

The large ruin with two square towers, in the background, is now called the Castle of Lazarus. North of it, travellers are shown the traditional house of Lazarus. Near by is the traditional tomb of Lazarus, which may possibly be on the site where that great miracle, the raising of Lazarus, took place.

COMMON VERSION.

Chamed Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of

HAP. XI.-Now a certain man was sick, 11

Mary and her sister Martha.

REVISED VERSION.

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village of Mary and her

than two miles east of Jerusalem, and just over the spur of Olivet. His name Lazarus is a form of the Hebrew Eleazar, meaning "God is help." He cannot be identified with Lazarus in the parable of Dives and Lazarus, nor can his sister Mary be identified with Mary Magdalene, nor Magdalene with the woman that was a sinner in Luke 7:37. See 8: 2. The family is identified with the town. The Greek reads literally: "Lazarus from Bethany, out of the town of Mary." But a similar expression is used about Philip and Bethsaida in John 1:44. Bethany was a small village on the eastern slope of Olivet, about fifteen furlongs (about two miles) from Jerusalem, v. 18. It is thus carefully distinguished from the other Bethany beyond Jordan, where Jesus had gone. Compare John 1: 28 and 11:18, Revised Version. The site of Bethany has been identified and described. It is on the side of the mount of Olives, and has a ravine on the east of it. It consists of about 20 families, in houses which are poorly built of stone. The castle, house, and tomb of Lazarus are shown; the latter since the fourth century, when a church stood over it. The tomb is now shown north-east of the castle, in a vault of rock and masonry reached by 26 steps. The ante-chamber is about 15 paces square, the chamber about 10 feet square, and is two steps below the antechamber. The vault is now sacred to Christians and Moslems alike. A mosque with a white dome has been built over it. East of the village are rock-hewn tombs, and the rocky ground around the village is carefully terraced, and cultivated with figs, olives and other trees. The village is now called El-Azarieh.*

2. it was that Mary] To inform his readers more definitely about the family, John states which Mary it was, namely, the one who anointed the Lord's feet at this village, as he further narrates in 12:1-6. Moreover, that allusion is intended to show the ties of the family to Jesus. The form of the allusion assumes that this fact of the anointing was well known, as Matthew also intimates, Matt. 26: 13.

3. he whom thou lovest is sick] The message is tender, delicate, accompanied by no request. The sisters assumed that the information would be enough. Jesus would do what was wisest and best, when he knew the fact of the sickness. Yet they hoped he would come, as v. 21 shows. They believed Jesus had found their Bethany home a sweet and quiet retreat from the harassing plots of the Jews and the weariness of his work. His presence had been a comfort to the home, as the home was a comfort to him. The message was one to remind Jesus of all this, as well as of the friendship he had for the sick brother, and they had for Jesus. Moreover the absence of a definite request from them, suggests their fear of the great peril to Jesus in coming there.

COMMON VERSION.

2 (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

REVISED VERSION.

2 sister Martha. And it was that Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother 3 Lazarus was sick. The sisters therefore sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom

*See Pal. Memoirs, III, pp. 27, 28.

4. This sickness is not unto death, but] The design of this sickness is not death, but glory to God in impressing the truth that Jesus is the resurrection and the life, v. 25. It is not meant that he will not die of this sickness, but it does mean that in some way this sickness would signally be for the glory of God. The saying is not noted as an answer for the messenger to take back to the family, but was spoken to the disciples. Yet it is probable this message was returned to Bethany.

5. Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and] The evangelist adds this statement to show that each member of the family was loved of Jesus. And the Greek word for "loved" is not the common one to express human friendship but the one used to express the divine love of Jesus for his disciples. The affection was one of moral and religious choice and excellence.

6. he abode two days] He did not delay for lack of interest in or affection for the family. His love for them would naturally take him there at once, we would think. Nor was his delay primarily to test their faith, but it was for the glory of God as already stated in v. 4. Nothing is said of any special work or teaching that hindered him. It was no act of indifference or neglect; he intended to give them a signal blessing. He would wait until it could be done. The Greek does not imply, as do the English Versions, that Jesus abode there two days, because he heard that Lazarus was sick. It rather implies that he would have gone at once, but for reasons stated afterward. We are in trouble, we send a message to the Master; he delays an answer. We urge him; still he delays. We are in deeper trouble; has he forgotten or forsaken us? He loves us still; his delay may be one of the surest proofs of his love.

7. Let us go into Judæa] He did not go when the message came, that was a call to go; why go now? So the disciples naturally reasoned. He had but just now escaped stoning in Judæa, showing that he had not been long in Perea. Why should he risk his life in Judæa so soon again? The rulers were angry; there had not been time for them to cool. He was doing a good work where he was; why not remain? v. 8.

9. walk in the day] The answer of Jesus is as general as was his pro

COMMON VERSION.

4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again.

8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

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

REVISED VERSION.

4 thou lovest is sick. But when Jesus heard it, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of 5 God may be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When therefore he heard that he was sick, he abode at that time two days in the place 7 where he was. Then after this he saith to the disciples, Let us go into Judæa again. 8 The disciples say unto him, Rabbi, the Jews were but now seeking to stone thee; 9 and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If a man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this 10 world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him.