Let us note that our Lord does not say, "lam glad Lazarus is dead, but I am glad I was not there." Had He been there, He seems to say, He could not have refused the prayer of Martha aud Mary to heal His friend. We are not intended to be so unfeeling as to rejoice in the death of Christian friends ; but we may rejoice in the circumstances attending their deaths, and the glory redounding to Christ, and the benefit accruing to saints from them.
Let us note that our Lord does not say, "I am glad for the sake of Martha and Mary and Lazarus that I am not there, but for your sakes." It is no pleasure to Him to see His individual members suffering, weeping, and dying; but He does rejoice to see the good of many spring out of the suffering of a few. Hence He permits some to be afflicted, in order thalf many may be instructed through their afflictions. This is the key to the permission of evil in the world ; it is for the good of the many. When we ourselves are allowed of God to suffer, we must re- member this. We must believe there are wise reasons why God does not come to our help at once and take the suffering away.
Let us note our Lord's desire that His disciples " may be- lieve." He did not mean that they might believe now for the first time, but that they might believe more firmly, heartily, and unhesitatingly ; that their faith, in short, might receive a great increase by seeing Lazarus raised. We see here the immense importance of faith. To believe on Christ, aud trust God's word, is the first step towards heaven. To believe more and trust more, is the real secret of Christian growth, progress, and prosperity. To make us believe more is the end of all Christ's dealings with us. (See John xiv. 1.)
[Nevertheless let us go unto Mm.'] The first word here would be more literally rendered "But." It is as though our Lord said, "But let us delay no longer ; let us cast aside all fears of danger ; let us go to our friend."
It is noteworthy that our Lord says, "let us go to Lazarus," though he was dead, and would be buried by the time they reached Bethany. Can it be that the disciples thought He had David's words about his dead child in His mind, " I shall go to him " ? The words of Thomas, in the next verse, seem to make it possible.
We may notice three gradations in our Lord's language about going to Bethany. The first, in the 7th verse : there He says in the plural, "Let us all go into Judaea." — The second, in verse 11: there He says in the singular, "I go to awake him; "as though He was ready to go alone. — The third is here in the plural, " Let us al1 go."
Toletus thinks that by these words our Lord meant to hint His intention of raising Lazarus.
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Burkitt remarks : " O love, stronger than death ! The grave cannot separate Christ and his friends. Other friends ac- company us to the brink of the grave, and then they leave us. — Neither life nor death can separate from the love of Christ.
Bengel remarks: "It is beautifully consonant with Divine propriety, that no one is ever read of, as having died while the Prince of Life was present."
16.— [Then said 71wmas...go...die with him.] The disciple here named is also mentioned in John xiv. 5, and John xx. 24, 26, 27. On each occasion he appears in the same state of mind,— ready to look at the black side of everything,— taking the worst view of the position, and raising doubts and fears. In John xiv. 5, he does not know where our Lord is going. In John xx. 25, he cannot believe our Lord has risen. Here he sees nothing but danger and death, if his Master returns to Judaea. Yet he is true and faithful nevertheless. He will not forsake Christ, even if death is in the way. "Let us go," he says to his fellow- disciples, " and die with our Master. He is sure to be kilied if He does go; but we cannot do better than be killed with him."
Some, as Brentius, Grotius, Leigh, Poole, and Hammond, think that " with him," refers to Lazarus. But most commenta- tors think that Thomas refers to our Lord ; with them I entirely agree.
Let it be noted that a man may have notable weaknesses and infirmities of Christian character, and yet be a disciple of Christ. There is no more common fault among believers, perhaps, than despondency and unbelief. A reckless readiness to die and make an end of our troubles is not grace but impa- tience.
Let us observe how extremely unlike one another Christ's disciples were. Peter, for instance, overrunning with zeal and confidence, was the very opposite of desponding Thomas. Yet both had grace, and both loved Christ. We must not foolishly assume that all Christians are exactly like one another in de- tails of character. We must make large allowances, when the main features are right.
Let us remember that this same Thomas, so desponding in our Lord's life-time, was afterwards the very Apostle who first preached the Gospel in India, according to ecclesiastical his- tory, and penetrated further East than any whose name is re- corded. Chrysostom says, " The very man who dared not go to Bethany in Christ's company, afterwards ran alone through the world, and dwelt in the midst of nations full of murder and ready to kill him."
Some have thought that his Greek name " Didymus," signify- ing " two " or " double," was given him because of his character being double, viz., part faith and part weakness. But this is
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