John 11:32, commentary and pictures

When Mary meets Jesus after the death of her brother Lazarus, she falls weeping at His feet and tells Him that had He been present her brother would not have died, voicing both sorrow at His absence and trust that He could have prevented the death. This takes place at Bethany in the beloved household where Jesus often found rest and sincere friendship away from hostile Pharisees, after Martha has secretly called Mary to meet Him waiting outside the village. His delay in coming and Lazarus lying four days in the tomb with decay begun were guided by divine wisdom, since He could not witness suffering without bringing relief and permitted the death so the resurrection might stand as crowning evidence that He is the Son of God. At the grave He is troubled by her grief and the distress around her, and He weeps knowing He cannot save all whom Satan has laid low and that each life rescued deepens the humiliation and death He Himself must suffer as ransom on the cross. By His word He then calls Lazarus forth as His crowning miracle and final test to the nation, demonstrating His character as Saviour and Lifegiver, leading many to believe and glorify God while hardened leaders reject the undeniable proof of His Messiahship.

Setting at Bethany

The words belong to the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the tomb, spoken by Mary after her brother Lazarus has died. Lazarus of Bethany was among the most steadfast of the disciples, strong in faith from the first meeting and deep in love, and he was greatly beloved by the Saviour. Jesus loves all who seek His help and all the human family, yet to some He is bound by peculiarly tender associations, and His heart was knit by a strong bond of affection to the family at Bethany, and it was for Lazarus that the greatest of His miracles was performed.

The meeting takes place at Bethany in the peaceful household where Jesus had often found rest from the weary conflict of public life. Having no home of His own and being dependent on the hospitality of friends and disciples, when weary and thirsting for human fellowship He was glad to escape there from the suspicion and jealousy of the angry Pharisees. There He found sincere welcome and pure, holy friendship, a quiet home with interested listeners, for He longed for human tenderness, courtesy, and affection, and those who received His heavenly instruction were greatly blessed. There He could speak with simplicity and perfect freedom, knowing His words would be understood and treasured, and to that appreciative audience He opened the volume of Providence in private, unfolding what He did not attempt to tell the mixed multitude, so that He needed not to speak to His friends in parables.

At His bidding Martha secretly tells Mary that the Master has come and is calling for her. Mary rises hastily with an eager look and leaves the room with the friends who had come to comfort the afflicted sisters. The mourners think she is going to the grave to weep and follow her, and she comes after Martha to where Jesus is waiting.

When Mary comes where Jesus is and sees Him she falls down and kneels at His feet weeping. With quivering lips she repeats her sister's lament that her brother would not have died if Jesus had been there. Her words express sorrow over His absence and trust and confidence in His power to have healed Lazarus and prevented his death.

She longed to speak with Jesus privately, but the mourners with her and her awareness of some people's hostility toward Christ kept her from fully expressing her grief. Her grief and the distress of those with her trouble Jesus so that He groans in spirit. He asks where Lazarus has been laid and goes with them all to the grave, a cave with a stone upon it.

Grief, Delay, and Sympathy

Mary's words belong to a home whose members loved Jesus and trusted Him, who listened earnestly to Him and were wholly sympathetic to Him. Her coming to Jesus in grief expressed confidence that He could have kept Lazarus from dying. His delay in coming was guided by divine wisdom, and Lazarus's death before He arrived served God's plan. That plan was fulfilled when Jesus raised Lazarus, leading many to believe and glorify God, though hardened opponents rejected the evidence.

Jesus did not go at once to Lazarus because health and strength were in Himself and disease was always rebuked in His immediate presence. He could not witness suffering or death without bringing relief and combatting the power of Satan. The death of Lazarus was permitted so that through his resurrection the last and crowning evidence might be given to the Jews that Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus at the thought that He could not save everyone whom Satan's power had laid low in death.

When He raised Lazarus He knew that for that life He must pay the ransom on the cross of Calvary. Every rescue caused Him the deepest humiliation, and He must bear greater pain mingled with mockery and the greatest humiliation and taste death for every man. He had given Himself a ransom for many, even all who would avail themselves of coming back to loyalty to God, as God gave His only begotten Son a sacrifice for sin and transgression. His response to the sisters in their bereavement, as Mary grieved over Lazarus and fell at His feet trusting her brother would not have died if He had been there, shows His sympathy for mothers in their sorrow and His readiness to help them.

The verse belongs to an account in which Jesus is away from the people who reject Him. It is part of a setting where prejudice and hatred keep people from receiving the light, despite His works of healing and power.

Power and Public Witness

Mary's words at Jesus' feet belong to the raising of Lazarus, which was Christ's crowning miracle and the final test given to the Jewish nation. That miracle had a profound effect on people and drew a large, enthusiastic crowd to where Jesus was staying. Lazarus was raised to bear testimony to Christ.

Lazarus had been dead four days when Christ called him from the tomb by His word. His body had already begun to decay, yet Christ raised him. At his grave Christ's character as Saviour and Lifegiver was demonstrated. This miracle is evidence of Christ's divinity and divine authority, revealing the Father through the works Christ does, and it stood as a public sign of that authority.

Lazarus testified that Jesus was the Son of God and urged the people to consider what they would gain by putting Him to death. His return to life became a public testimony and public sign of Christ's divine power, identity as the Son of God, and divine authority. He had no experience or story to tell from the time he was dead.

The raising led many to believe in Jesus and glorify God. It was an undeniable evidence of Jesus' Messiahship to Nicodemus. Yet hardened opponents and the religious leaders rejected the evidence and did not recognize Him through it, though they had witnessed Lazarus raised after four days in the grave.

The raising of Lazarus is one of three raisings Jesus performed during His ministry, together with the son of the widow of Nain and the ruler's daughter, also called Jairus' daughter. These raisings restored mortal life only, for those raised were not clothed with immortality but continued subject to death and decay. This is different from those who came forth from the grave at Christ's own resurrection, who were raised to everlasting life nevermore to see death or experience sorrow.

The raising of the dead connected with this verse shows Jesus just as certainly fulfilling His mission as the Pattern Man as when He toiled as a carpenter hiding His divine mission. It shows Him fulfilling it as when He trod the foaming white-capped billows on the Sea of Galilee. It shows Him fulfilling it as when He died as man's sacrifice upon the cross to lift up the whole race to a new and perfect life.