us more diligent in trying to " know Him and the power of His resurrection." (Philip, iii. 10.) If true Christians would only strivTe, as St. Paul says, to J* comprehend what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge," they would be amazed at the discoveries they would make. They would soon find, like Hagar, that there are wells of water near them of which the}7 had no knowledge. They would soon discover that there is more heaven to be enjoyed on earth than they had ever thought possible. The root of a happy religion is clear, distinct, well-defined knowl- edge of Jesus Christ. More knowledge would have saved Martha many sighs and tears. Knowledge alone no doubt, if unsanctified, only " puffeth up." (1 Cor. viii. 1.) Yet without clear knowledge of Christ in all His offices we cannot expect to be established in the faith, and steady in the time of need.
Notes. John XI. 17—29.
17. — {Then when Jesus came."] We are left entirely to conjecture as to the time spent by our Lord in His journey from Bethabara to Bethany. We do not know anything certain of the place where He was abiding, except that it was beyond Jordan. Probably it was between twenty and thirty miles from Bethany, and this distance, to those who travel on foot, would be at least a day's journey.
[He found... lain... grave... four days already.'] The Greek form of language here is peculiar, and a literal translation would be impossible. It would be, " He found him being already four days in the grave." It is highly probable that Lazarus was buried the same clay that he died. In a country like Palestine, with a hot climate, it is quite impossible to keep corpses long unburied, without danger and discomfort to the living. A man may talk to his friend one day, and find him buried the next day.
One thing is abundantly proved by this verse. Lazarus must certainly have been dead, and not in a trance or swoon. A per- son lying in a grave for four days, all reasonable people would admit, must have been a dead man.
The various fo:*ms of death which our Lord is recorded to have triumphed c rer should not be forgotten. Jairus' daughter