Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 11:15
And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
15. I am glad ] Christ rejoices, not at his friend’s death, but at His own absence from the scene, for the disciples’ sake. Had He been there, Lazarus would not have died, and the disciples would have lost this great sign of His Messiahship.
to the intent ye may believe ] S. John’s favourite construction, indicating the Divine purpose: see on Joh 9:2-3. Would any forger have written this? Would it not seem utterly improbable that at the close of His ministry Christ should still be working in order that Apostles might believe? Yet S. John, who heard the words, records them, and he knew from sad experience (Mar 14:50; Mar 16:11; Luk 24:11; Luk 24:21) that this work was not superfluous. Just before the trial of faith which His Passion and Death would bring to them, His disciples had need of all the help and strength that He could give. See on Joh 2:11.
nevertheless let us go ] He breaks off suddenly.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I am glad … – The meaning of this verse may be thus expressed: If I had been there during his sickness, the entreaties of his sisters and friends would have prevailed with me to restore him to health. I could not have refused them without appearing to be unkind. Though a restoration to health would have been a miracle, and sufficient to convince you, yet the miracle of raising him after being four days dead will be far more impressive, and on that account I rejoice that an opportunity is thus given so strikingly to confirm your faith.
To the intent – To furnish you evidence on which you might be established in the belief that I am the Messiah.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. I am glad for your sakes that I was not there] “I tell you plainly, Lazarus is dead: and I am glad I was not there – if I had been, I should have been prevailed on to have healed him almost as soon as he fell sick, and I should not have had so striking an occasion to manifest the glory of God to you, and to establish you in the faith.” It was a miracle to discover that Lazarus was dead, as no person had come to announce it. It was a greater miracle to raise a dead man than to cure a sick man. And it was a still greater miracle, to raise one that was three or four days buried, and in whose body putrefaction might have begun to take place, than to raise one that was but newly dead. See Joh 11:39.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Had I been upon the place, my kindness to his sisters, and pity, would have prevailed far with me to have prevented his death; but it is better, for your sakes at least, and I am glad. I was not there. For by this means I shalt have an advantage, by putting forth my Divine power in raising him from the dead, to confirm your faith in me as the Son of God, and the true Messias; therefore, though he be dead,
let us go unto him.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. I am glad for your sakes I wasnot thereThis certainly implies that if He had been present,Lazarus would not have died; not because He could not have resistedthe importunities of the sisters, but because, in presence of thepersonal Life, death could not have reached His friend [LUTHARDT].”It is beautifully congruous to the divine decorum that inpresence of the Prince of Life no one is ever said to have died”[BENGEL].
that ye may believeThisis added to explain His “gladness” at not having beenpresent. His friend’s death, as such, could not have been to Him”joyous”; the sequel shows it was “grievous”; butfor them it was safe (Php3:1).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there,…. At Bethany, before he died, or when he died; because he might have been prevailed upon through the solicitations of his dear friends, Mary and Martha, and through tender affection to Lazarus, to have prevented his death, by rebuking the distemper, and restoring him to health, or to have raised him immediately as soon as he was dead; and in either case the miracle would not have been so illustrious, nor have been such a means of confirming the faith of his disciples, as now it would be:
to the intent ye may believe; more strongly, that he was the Son of God, and true Messiah:
nevertheless, let us go unto him; to Lazarus, to the grave where he lies: the Syriac version reads, “let us go there”; to Bethany, where he lived, and died, and now lay interred.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
For your sakes (‘ ). That they may witness his raising from the grave.
That I was not there ( ). Imperfect middle of the later Greek instead of the common active in indirect discourse in place of the usual present retained as in verse 13.
To the intent ye may believe ( ). Purpose clause with and the ingressive aorist active subjunctive, “that ye may come to believe” (more than you do). See the same use of the ingressive aorist in (2:11) where the disciples gained in belief.
Nevertheless let us go to him ( ). Volitive subjunctive, repeating the proposal of verse 7. He is dead, but no matter, yea all the more let us go on to him.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
For your sakes – to the intent ye may believe. These two clauses, which are separated in the A. V. and Rev., are, in the Greek order, placed together : for your sakes, to the intent ye may believe; the latter clause being explanatory of the former.
That I was not there. Bengel’s comment is beautiful and characteristic. “It accords beautifully with divine propriety that we read of no one having died while the Prince of life was present. If you suppose that death could not, in the presence of Jesus, have assailed Lazarus, the language of the two sisters, vv. 21, 32, attains loftier meaning; and the Lord ‘s joy at His own absence is explained.”
Unto him [ ] . Most touching. To him, as though he were yet living. Death has not broken the personal relation of the Lord with His friend.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And I am glad for your sakes,” (kai chairo di’ humas) “And I rejoice because of you all,” instead of grieving at this point, for He knew what He would do. He desired to be glorified and glorify His Father before the disciples in the miracle that was ahead, Joh 9:3; 2Co 12:9-10.
2) “That I was not there,” (hoti ouk hemen ekei) “That I was not out there,” in Bethany at the time of his critical illness. For in His presence no man died. And the implication is that Lazarus would not have died had He been there, therefore healing of him would not have had the miraculous influence that raising him from the dead did later, Joh 11:44-45.
3) “To the intent that ye may believe;- (hina pisteusete) “in order that you all may believe,” or have your present belief strengthened, made firmer, or confirmed. His delay brought extended grief to the sisters of Lazarus but good to so many more, Joh 11:45. Out of the sorrow of some, others are caused to rejoice, even as in the birth of a child, Joh 16:21.
4) “Nevertheless let us go to him.” (alla agomen pros auton) “But let us go unto him,” to ere he is in Bethany, in Judea, Joh 11:1. He knows the “place where they have laid” every man, and will cause them to come forth one day, just as surely as Lazarus was brought forth from the sleep of death, Php_1:21.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
15. And I rejoice, on your account, that I was not there. He means that his absence was profitable to them, because his power would have been less illustriously displayed, if he had instantly given assistance to Lazarus. For the more nearly the works of God approach to the ordinary course of nature, the less highly are they valued, and the less illustriously is their glory displayed. This is what we experience daily; for if God immediately stretches out his hand, we do not perceive his assistance. That the resurrection of Lazarus, therefore, might be acknowledged by the disciples to be truly a Divine work, it must be delayed, that it might be very widely removed from a human remedy.
We ought to remember, however, what I formerly observed, that the fatherly kindness of God towards us is here represented in the person of Christ. When God permits us to be overwhelmed with distresses, and to languish long under them, let us know that, in this manner, he promotes our salvation. At such a time, no doubt, we groan and are perplexed and sorrowful, but the Lord rejoices on account of our benefit, and gives a twofold display of his kindness to us in this respect, that he not only pardons our sins, but gladly finds means of correcting them.
That you may believe. He does not mean that this was the first feeble commencement of faith in them, but that it was a confirmation of faith already begun, though it was still exceedingly small and weak. Yet he indirectly suggests that, if the hand of God had not been openly displayed, they would not have believed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(15) And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there.The words are at first sound startling, as following immediately upon the plain statement, Lazarus is dead. The utterance is not of sorrow, but of joy; but the joy is not at the fact of death, but at the fact that He was not there. Had He been there, Lazarus would not have died (Joh. 11:21; Joh. 11:32), and his recovery would have added to the work of healing. There is the assured consciousness of power over death itself, which sees as present all that is to follow, and sees in the strengthening of their faith ground for joy.
To the intent ye may believe.They were already disciples, but this sign would be to them the vehicle of a higher spiritual truth, and the growth of their spiritual life would be such that it may be regarded as a new act of faith. (Comp. Note on Joh. 2:11.)
Nevertheless let us go unto him.The thought of the final issue of the sleep brings the whole future before the mind. But for this, His presence is needed at Bethany, and He abruptly breaks off this conversation about it, by what is at once a resolution and a summons to go there.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. I am glad Jesus, here, seems to rejoice at the opportunity for the miracle. But was not miracle always in his power? Doubtless in his power always; but not always accordantly with the divine will. He who moved by the Father’s will, and timed his steps by the divine clock, (see notes on Joh 11:7; Joh 11:9-10,) rejoiced when the hour struck for some great work confirmatory of his mission.
Ye may believe John uses the word believe for the various degrees and stages of faith. See note on Joh 2:11. This great work would stand in memory and on record, one of the pillars for faith to repose upon.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Joh 11:15. And I am glad for your sakes, &c. “I am glad for your sakes, that I was not in Judea before he died; for had I been there and recovered him, your faith in me as the Messiah must have wanted that great confirmation, which it will receive by your beholding me raising him again from the dead. Nevertheless,(rather therefore, , see Act 10:20; Act 26:16.) to confirm your faith, and to manifest the great designs of my Father and myself, let us go unto him.” Thus Jesus, who could have raised up Lazarus without opening his lips, or rising from his seat, leaves the place of his retirement beyond Jordan, and takes a journey into Judea, where the Jews lately attempted to kill him. The reason was, his being present in person, and raising Lazarus to life again before so many witnesses, at Bethany, where he died, and was well known, would be a means, under divine grace, of bringing the men of that and future ages to believe in his doctrine, which is so well fitted to prepare them for a resurrection to life eternal,an admirable proof and emblem of which, he gave them in this great miracle.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
Ver. 15. I am glad for your sakes ] If the confirmation and increase of faith in his be so great a joy to Christ, how acceptable must it needs be unto him, that we believe at first on his name! we cannot do him a greater honour, a more pleasing service. None greater in the father’s house than the prodigal returned. And what a high price did our Saviour set on the centurion’s faith.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
15. ] “Notice that Jesus rejoices not over the sad event itself, but that He was not there , which might prove salutary to the disciples’ faith.” Meyer. The . is not to be taken as the great end of the miracle (expressed in Joh 11:4 ), but the end as regarded them . Beware of the imaginary ecbatic , which does not exist.
breaks off: “indicat, satis argumentorum allatum esse.” Herm. ad Viger. p. 811.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
for your sakes = on account of (Gr dia. App-104. Joh 11:2) you.
believe. App-150. i.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
15.] Notice that Jesus rejoices not over the sad event itself, but that He was not there, which might prove salutary to the disciples faith. Meyer. The . is not to be taken as the great end of the miracle (expressed in Joh 11:4), but the end as regarded them. Beware of the imaginary ecbatic , which does not exist.
breaks off: indicat, satis argumentorum allatum esse. Herm. ad Viger. p. 811.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 11:15. , that I was not there) It is beautifully consonant with Divine propriety, that no one is ever read of as having died whilst the Prince of life was present. If you suppose that death could not, in the presence of Jesus, have assailed Lazarus, the language of the two sisters, Joh 11:21; Joh 11:32, attains thereby a more sublime conception, Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died: and thereby also the joy of the Lord at His own absence is illustrated.- , unto him) to the place where he lies dead.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
I am glad: Joh 11:35, Joh 11:36
for: Joh 12:30, Joh 17:19, Gen 26:24, Gen 39:5, Psa 105:14, Isa 54:15, Isa 65:8, 2Co 4:15, 2Ti 2:10
to: Joh 11:4, Joh 2:11, Joh 14:10, Joh 14:11, 1Jo 5:13
Reciprocal: Exo 4:5 – That they 1Ki 17:24 – Now by this Mat 8:24 – but Joh 19:35 – that ye
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
5
This verse explains why Jesus tarried the two days in verse 6.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Verse 15
That I was not there; to heal him of his sickness, instead of, as now, restoring him from the dead.