The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 84

loveetis siok (t,,. t•'-•isnominittive t,o ,l,,-8,v,,). wo do not sec here e.ny intention on his pnrt, The eieters knC'w well what peril Jcsue nnd by remaining, ro test their lovo (Olshnueen), his disciplce would encounter by lll'ming to nor to c-xllggcrate the effect of tho miracle Dcthany, nn<l they must have knuwn thBt by rRising e. deMI man from Me grave rnther I,<' co'.1ld hnvc healed him by a word; so tlum from hie death-bed or hie bier, It ls they eunply stRte the <'Bee. (On the difference not difficult to gather from the sequel the.\ between ,i,,>.,,,, itnd clyd,rav, see note's on eh. when the 1D'-'1!11Bge reached Jesus LozBrua v. 20; xxi. 15, 17. Trench, • New Test. wo.e dead and buried. We find tlmt when Syn.,' § xii. The former word is thnt of our Lord returned to Bethany four de.ye personal affection and fondness, though bad elA.psed since the rlenth of Lllzo.rns, o.nd occa,,ionitlly having grancler associations and the four de.ye must be calou lnted th ue : Firel equivnlenl toamo, while l.ya,rJ.w is eqnivitlent one long do.y'sjourney from Pormo. t,o Bethany, to diligo, and m,•itns the love of choice, of e. distance of eight or nine leagues. If the sentiment, of confidence nnd esteem.) There messenger of the sisters had lo.ken cquol is <lelicatc tact and beauty in the use of the lime to rcncb Jesus in Permo., or even a t11·0 words., one b:y the sisters, the other by longer pe1iod, 1\8 time might easily be oon- the evangelist. The statement of needs, sumed in the effort to find our Lord in the the simple voice of our wealrness, the infant's mountains of Jlfoob; then the two days of cry, goes up to heo.ven. The bleat of the his WA.iting o.fter receiving the message lost lo.mb is enough for the good Shepherd. wonld, with those occupied by the double Ver. 4.-When lesus heard (it), he eaid, journey, mo.ke up the four that bad passed This siolmees is not unto death, but for the when Jesus reached the grave. Liioke. glory of God, that the Son of God may be Neander, Godet, 11.nd Westcott think that glorified thereby. What message Jesus gave our Lord remo.ined in Perme. heco.use there to those who brought him these tidings we we.a work in which he we.a engo.ged and know not; the evangelist records who.t he could not relinquish. Meyer, Moulton, o.nd &s.id to the bystanders. Our Lord did not Weiss, that be wo.ited for some espeoio.1 mean to ea.y that the siclmess would not oommunication from hie Fo.ther, for some terminate in what men ordinarily call revelation of mornl necessity and heavenly "dentb," nor that it was not a deadly inspiration, like those which dictated all his disease, but that it wns not ,rphr oJ.vtrrov, other movements. B. Weiss: 11 It wo.s 11 "He shall not foll a prey to death " (Meyer). sacrifice to his calling, of his heBrt's most The sic1.-uess is so timed that it shall con- ardent desires, that be remained quietly two duce t,o the (MEo. e,oii) glory of God, i.e. to days in the some place." "We see," so.ys the maje,tic appreciation of the sublime Edersheim, "Christ once more asleep while perfections of God, and that by or in it the the disciples a.re despo.i.l'ing, swamped in the Sou of God may be glorified. 'T-n-,p else- storm I Chri.;;t never in baste, because where in the Gospel means "sa.criiice on e.lwe.ys sure." 'l'he silences of Scripture and behalf of; " so here the very sn1reriog of the wo.itings of God are often without ex- Lazarus and of th6 sisters, and the tears of ple.nation. Tho event proves tho.t deep J csus over the gmve, a.re part of the sacri- purpose presided over them. The "let ns ficial miuistry by which the glory of God go," etc., implies e. lofty courage, a sense or or of the Soo of God may be advanced. coming crisis. Love conquers fear o.nd peril Ver. 5.-Now leBUB loved (7]')'&.ro.) lllle.rtha, for himself and his followel'B. ••Judma" a.nd her sister, a.nd Lamrus. "Felix fami- is mentioned rather tho.n Betbo.ny for the lia ! " (Dengel). Martha ill here mentioned same reason. The "ago.in" points forcibly fir,it, becanse in all probability the head of back to the last visit, when he told both the lwusel,old. The love of selection, frieod- friends and foes that the good Shepherd slii p, or esteem is the result of long acquo.int- would snatch bis sheep from the jaws of o.nce, and reveals " the fragmentariness of death, even though be lay down his own life the evangelic records" (Westcott); see note in the doing of it. on ver. 3. Ver. 8.-The Are.mo.ic word II Rabbi" is Vere. 6, 7.-The .,.l,u ,,.i,, of ver. 6 implies frequently used by John, as the term of an understood li, in ver. 7, and the whole respect u.pplied to both the Baptist 11.nd our passage will be o.s follows : Ji ow l esu loved Lord. The extro.ordino.ry dignity which deeply l[a.rtha, and her sister, and Laze.rlll ; the Jews accorded to their rabbis mo.y throw when therefore he heard that he (La.r.arus) some light upon the honorific title when was Bick, he remained, it ia true, .,.1,,r, µ.•11 yielded or conceded to Christ. The disoiple11 two days in the place where he was, but then sa.y unto him, Rabbi, the l ews were but now lre,.,.o. (li•) after this (and bece.use he loved) seeking to stone thee; and g1>est thou thither he 118.ilh to hi.I dilaiples, Let us go &gajn into a.gain 1 The 11ii11 l(.frrov11 imply the COil• ludee.. He did not remain because he tinuous proceSB of their antagonism only loved, but, OI.Oll,f}h he remained, and becal/.H Just now arrested by a timely flight. Here he lovtd, he 1111,id, " Let 111, • etc. So that 10 Periea J esu.e found 11pprecie.ti vo lielener11o CH. XI. 1-57.] 'fllE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. ,JOHN. 87