What is the meaning of John 11?
Introduction to John 11
John 11 stands as one of the most profound demonstrations of Yeshua’s divine power and compassionate heart in all of Scripture. This pivotal chapter records the resurrection of Lazarus, perhaps the most dramatic miracle in Yeshua’s earthly ministry before His own resurrection. The narrative masterfully weaves together themes of faith, divine timing, human grief, and the ultimate power of the Messiah over death itself.
This chapter serves as a crucial turning point in John’s Gospel, where Yeshua’s identity as “the resurrection and the life” is not just proclaimed but dramatically demonstrated. The raising of Lazarus becomes the catalyst that ultimately leads to the Jewish leadership’s final decision to put Yeshua to death, ironically using His power over death as the reason to kill Him.
Context of John 11
Within the Gospel of John, chapter 11 serves as a dramatic climax in the series of signs that John presents to prove Yeshua’s divine identity. It follows the healing of the blind man in chapter 9 and the Good Shepherd discourse in chapter 10, where Yeshua declared His unity with the Father. The raising of Lazarus is the seventh and final sign in John’s Gospel before the Passion narrative begins.
This miracle occurs near the end of Yeshua’s public ministry, likely in early 30 AD, just weeks before His crucifixion. The location shifts between Perea (where Yeshua was ministering), Bethany (near Jerusalem), and the wilderness area of Ephraim. The geographical movements in this chapter are significant, as Yeshua deliberately returns to Judea despite the death threats against Him, demonstrating His sovereign control over the timing of His own death.
In the broader context of Scripture, this chapter echoes several Old Testament resurrection accounts, particularly Elijah raising the widow’s son (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Elisha raising the Shunammite’s son (2 Kings 4:18-37). However, Lazarus’s resurrection is distinct in that he had been dead for four days, well beyond the rabbinic belief that the soul remained near the body for three days after death.
Ancient Key Word Study
- Ἠγάπα (Ēgapa) – “loved” (v. 5): The imperfect tense of ἀγαπάω is used here, indicating a continuous, deep divine love. This is distinct from φιλέω used in verse 3, showing the different dimensions of Yeshua’s love for this family.
- Ἐκοιμήθη (Ekoimēthē) – “fallen asleep” (v. 11): A euphemism for death common in both Jewish and Greek literature. The word literally means “to sleep” and is used metaphorically for death throughout the New Testament, emphasizing the temporary nature of death for believers.
- Παρρησίᾳ (Parrēsia) – “plainly” (v. 14): This term implies bold, clear speech without metaphor or hidden meaning. It’s often used in John’s Gospel to describe Yeshua’s public proclamations of truth.
- Ἀνάστασις (Anastasis) – “resurrection” (v. 25): The noun form relates to standing up or rising again. This word becomes a technical term for resurrection in the New Testament, carrying deep theological significance about the defeat of death.
- Ἐτάραξεν (Etaraxen) – “deeply moved” (v. 33): This strong verb suggests intense emotional disturbance, even anger. It’s the same word used to describe the stirring of water and can indicate righteous indignation at the effects of sin and death.
- Ἐδάκρυσεν (Edakrysen) – “wept” (v. 35): A specific word for shedding tears, distinct from the loud wailing of the mourners. This shows Yeshua’s genuine human emotion and empathy.
- Δόξα (Doxa) – “glory” (v. 40): In biblical usage, this term refers to the visible manifestation of God’s presence and power. It’s a key theme in John’s Gospel, showing how Yeshua’s miracles reveal His divine nature.
- Ἐνεβριμήσατο (Enebrimēsato) – “groaned” (v. 38): This intense verb suggests deep emotional disturbance with an element of anger or indignation, possibly at death itself as an enemy.
- Κειρίαις (Keiriais) – “grave clothes” (v. 44): Specific strips of cloth used for binding a corpse, distinct from the shroud (σινδών) mentioned in the synoptic gospels.
Compare & Contrast
- Verse 4: “This sickness is not unto death” (οὐ πρὸς θάνατον) – The phrase could have been written as “will not end in death,” but the chosen wording emphasizes the purpose rather than just the outcome. The preposition πρὸς (pros) indicates the ultimate goal or purpose, suggesting that death was not the final intended result but rather a means to a greater end.
- Verse 11: “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep” – The use of κεκοίμηται (kekoimētai) in the perfect tense rather than the aorist emphasizes the continuing state of sleep. This grammatical choice reinforces the temporary nature of death and hints at the coming resurrection.
- Verse 25: “I am the resurrection and the life” – The deliberate ordering of resurrection before life is significant. In Jewish thought, resurrection preceded eternal life. The construct emphasizes Yeshua’s power over both physical and spiritual death.
- Verse 33: “He groaned in the spirit and was troubled” – The use of ἐνεβριμήσατο (enebrimēsato) rather than a simpler word for emotional distress suggests a complex reaction including righteous anger at death itself, not merely sadness.
- Verse 35: “Jesus wept” – The choice of ἐδάκρυσεν (edakrysen) rather than κλαίω (klaiō) used for the mourners shows a distinct type of weeping – quiet tears rather than loud lamentation, revealing both His deity and humanity.
- Verse 43: “Lazarus, come forth!” – The use of the personal name is significant. Jewish tradition suggested that in resurrection, all souls would respond to a general call. The specific naming of Lazarus shows Yeshua’s particular authority and personal relationship.
- Verse 48: “The Romans will come” – The choice of ἐλεύσονται (eleusontai) in future tense rather than subjunctive mood shows the Sanhedrin’s certainty about Roman intervention, revealing their political rather than spiritual concerns.
John 11 Unique Insights
The chapter contains several layers of meaning that would have been particularly significant to its original audience. The four-day delay before Yeshua’s arrival was especially meaningful in Jewish tradition. According to rabbinic teaching (Leviticus Rabbah 18:1), the soul was believed to hover near the body for three days after death, hoping to re-enter it. By the fourth day, decomposition would have begun, and the soul would depart. Thus, Lazarus being in the tomb for four days emphasized the completeness and finality of his death.
The location of Bethany, being just two miles from Jerusalem, added political tension to the miracle. The proximity to the religious center of Judaism meant that many prominent Jews witnessed the miracle, leading to both increased belief in Yeshua and intensified opposition from the religious authorities. The Sanhedrin’s response reveals the complex political dynamics between Jewish leadership and Roman authority in first-century Judea.
The word used for “deeply moved” (ἐνεβριμήσατο) in verses 33 and 38 has sparked much scholarly discussion. While often translated as emotional disturbance, the word typically indicates anger or indignation in other Greek literature. This suggests Yeshua’s reaction was not merely grief but righteous anger at death itself as an enemy of God’s creation, providing a powerful glimpse into His divine perspective on human suffering.
Early church father Clement of Alexandria saw in this chapter a profound metaphor for spiritual resurrection, noting how Lazarus came out still bound in grave clothes, needing others to “loose him and let him go.” This parallels how new believers often need the community of faith to help them shed old patterns of life after their spiritual resurrection.
The Jewish mystical tradition finds significance in the name Lazarus (Hebrew: Eleazar, meaning “God has helped”), seeing in his resurrection a fulfillment of Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones (Ezekiel 37) and a foreshadowing of the final resurrection.
John 11 Connections to Yeshua
This chapter presents some of the most explicit claims of Yeshua’s deity in the Gospels. His declaration “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25) is the fifth “I Am” statement in John’s Gospel, deliberately echoing God’s self-revelation to Moses at the burning bush. The power to give life was understood as an exclusively divine prerogative in Jewish theology, making this demonstration of power over death a clear assertion of Yeshua’s divine nature.
The raising of Lazarus serves as a prophetic enacted parable of Yeshua’s own coming death and resurrection. Just as Lazarus emerged from a sealed tomb after several days, so would Yeshua Himself rise on the third day. However, while Lazarus would die again, Yeshua’s resurrection would be to eternal life, making Him truly “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). The chapter also foreshadows how Yeshua’s power over death would lead to His own death, as the religious leaders begin plotting to kill Him in response to this miracle.
Moreover, this miracle demonstrates the intimate connection between faith and seeing God’s glory. Martha’s confession of faith in verse 27 parallels Peter’s confession in Matthew 16:16, showing how personal encounters with Yeshua lead to recognition of His true identity.
John 11 Scriptural Echoes
This chapter resonates with numerous Old Testament passages and themes. The raising of Lazarus recalls similar miracles by Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:32-37), but surpasses them in scope and significance. The theme of resurrection connects to Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones (Ezekiel 37:1-14), which promised national restoration through resurrection.
Martha’s confession “You are the Messiah, the Son of God” echoes Psalm 2:7 and 2 Samuel 7:14, where divine sonship is connected to messianic kingship. The chapter’s emphasis on believing and seeing God’s glory recalls Moses’ request to see God’s glory in Exodus 33:18.
John 11 Devotional
This profound chapter challenges us to examine our own faith in times of delay and disappointment. Like Martha and Mary, we may sometimes feel that Yeshua has arrived “too late” in our circumstances. Yet the story reveals that God’s timing, while mysterious, is always perfect and aimed at revealing His glory in ways we couldn’t imagine.
Yeshua’s tears at Lazarus’s tomb remind us that our Lord is not distant from our grief. Even knowing He would raise Lazarus, Yeshua entered fully into the human experience of loss and sorrow. This gives us permission to grieve while still holding onto hope, knowing that our tears are precious to Him.
The command to “take away the stone” and later to “unbind him” shows how God often involves human participation in His miraculous work. While only Yeshua could raise Lazarus, others were invited to participate in preparing for and responding to the miracle. This reminds us that we too have a role to play in God’s redemptive work in the lives of others.
Did You Know
- The name Lazarus (Eleazar in Hebrew) means “God has helped,” making his resurrection a literal fulfillment of his name’s meaning.
- The village of Bethany was known in Aramaic as “Beth-Ananiah” meaning “house of the poor,” and tradition suggests it housed many of Jerusalem’s destitute, making this miracle especially significant to its community.
- The detail about Lazarus being dead for four days was particularly significant because of the Jewish belief that the soul remained near the body for three days after death, making this resurrection especially miraculous.
- Martha’s confession of faith in John 11:27 is one of the most complete christological statements in the Gospels, parallel to Peter’s famous confession.
- The Greek word used for Yeshua’s emotional response (ἐνεβριμήσατο) is the same word used to describe a horse snorting in anger, suggesting intense emotional and spiritual warfare.
- The detail about Lazarus’s grave clothes distinguishes this resurrection from Yeshua’s own, where the grave clothes were left behind, signifying Lazarus would die again while Yeshua’s resurrection was permanent.
- The Sanhedrin’s fear of Roman intervention was well-founded historically, as Romans had previously removed Jewish religious leaders from power for much less significant public disturbances.
- The location of Bethany, just two miles from Jerusalem, meant that many of the Jewish religious leaders could personally verify this miracle, making it particularly threatening to their authority.
- According to Jewish tradition, a person was not officially declared dead until the third day, making the four-day period significant in proving this was a genuine resurrection.
