world of spirits ! A soul that had left its earthly tene- ment was called back from Paradise, and joined once more to its owner's body. — Well may the Church of Christ main- tain that He who could work such works was " God over all blessed forever." (Rom. ix. 5.)
Let us turn from the whole passage with thoughts of comfort and consolation. Comfortable is the thought that the loving Saviour of sinners, on whose mercy our souls entirely depend, is one who has all power in heaven, and earth, and is mighty to savre. — Comfortable is the thought that there is no sinner too far gone in sin for Christ to raise and convert. He that stood by the grave of Lazarus can say to the vilest of men, " Come forth : loose him, and let him go." — Comfortable, not least, is the thought that when we ourselves lie down in the grave, we may lie down in the full assurance that we shall rise again. The voice that called Lazarus forth will one day pierce our tombs, and bid soul and body come together. "The trumpets shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incor- ruptible, and we shall be changed." (1 Cor. xv. 52.)
Notes. John XI. 38—46.
38. — [Jesus.. .groaning... cometh. ..grave.'] The word here rendered "groaning" is the same that was used at 32d verse, and the same remarks apply to it. The only difference is that here it is "groaning in Himself," and there "groaning in the spirit." This, however, confirms my impression that in the former verse " in the spirit" simply means " inwardly and spiritually," and that the general idea is " under the influence of very strong inward emotion."
The situation of the grave, we need not doubt, was outside the village of Bethany. There was no such thing as interment within a town allowed among the Jews, or indeed among ancient nations generally. The practice of burying the dead among the living is a barbarous modern innovation, reflecting little credit on Christians.
Calvin remarks : " Christ approaches the sepulchre a^ a cham- pion preparing for a contest ; and we need not wonder that He groans, as the violent tyranny of death, which He had to con- quer, is placed before His eyes."