John 12:17
The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.
The people who had been with Jesus when He called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead bore witness to what they had seen as He entered Jerusalem, and so spread the knowledge of Him. Their report went far and near, drew multitudes to Bethany to see Him, continually enlarged the company going with Him toward Jerusalem for the Passover, and brought thousands out from the city to meet Him with palm branches and sacred songs until the shout of triumph echoed from hills and valleys. Those eyewitnesses were present in the vast multitude around the Saviour on the way, testifying by their very presence to His miracle-working power, with Lazarus himself among that happy throng in the strength of restored manhood, together with the blind given sight, the dumb loosed to shout, cripples healed, lepers cleansed, and others raised from the dead. This witness belonged to Christ's riding into Jerusalem just before His betrayal and death, when He accepted the homage of the people as Messiah and King in fulfillment of prophecy and drew widespread attention to Himself. That public entry was meant to direct minds to His coming sacrifice and faintly foreshadow His future glory as King, yet many who praised Him then later joined the cry for His crucifixion, while those He had healed and raised, including the witnesses of Lazarus, declared His works even at Calvary and asked why He was treated as a criminal.
Witnesses at the Entry
The verse is part of the account of Christ riding into Jerusalem. It belongs to words spoken on an occasion just before His betrayal and death. It records that the people who were with Jesus when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead testified about what they had seen as He entered Jerusalem, helping spread the news of Him.
The raising of Lazarus had a great effect in drawing a large, enthusiastic crowd eager to see Jesus. The report of the Bethany eyewitnesses who told what they had seen spread far and near. Their witness drew multitudes to Bethany to see Jesus and continually increased the company accompanying Him toward Jerusalem for the Passover. It brought thousands out from Jerusalem to meet Him and conduct Him to the city with waving palm branches and sacred song, creating a repeated shout of triumph echoed from hills and valleys that left the temple service empty so the rulers said in alarm that the world had gone after Him.
The eyewitnesses were present in the vast multitude surrounding the Saviour on the way to Jerusalem, bearing record of His miracle-working power by their presence. Lazarus himself was with that happy throng escorting the Saviour, his body that had seen corruption in the grave now enjoying the strength of glorious manhood. Together with him were the blind restored to sight, the dumb loosed to shout, the cripples healed, widows and orphans shown mercy, lepers cleansed, and others raised from the dead.
Purpose and Later Contrast
The verse belongs to the account of Jesus' public entry into Jerusalem, when He accepted the homage of the people as Messiah and King. That entry fulfilled prophecy and drew widespread attention to Him. It gathered crowds and fixed their attention upon Him. It was meant to turn minds toward His approaching sacrifice while faintly foreshadowing His future glory as King.
At Calvary those He had healed or raised from the dead, including those who had seen Him call Lazarus from the grave, proclaimed His works and demanded why He was handled as a criminal. Their steadfast testimony threw into relief the reversal in the multitude, since many who had joined in praising Him at His entry into Jerusalem afterward swelled the cry for His crucifixion.