Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 11:31
The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
31. followed her, saying ] For ‘saying’ read with the best authorities, thinking. Their following interferes with the privacy at which Martha had aimed.
to weep there ] The word rendered ‘weep’ here and in Joh 11:33, as distinct from the one used in Joh 11:35, indicates a loud expression of grief; wailing and crying, not merely shedding of tears.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Saying, She goeth unto the grave – Syriac, They thought that she went to weep. They had not heard Martha call her. The first days of mourning among the Jews were observed with great solemnity and many ceremonies of grief.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 31. She goeth unto the grave to weep there.] It appears that it was the custom for the nearest relatives of the deceased to go at times, during the three days of weeping, accompanied by their friends and neighbours, to mourn near the graves of the deceased. They supposed that the spirit hovered about the place where the body was laid for three days, to see whether it might be again permitted to enter, but, when it saw the face change, it knew that all hope was now past. It was on this ground that the seven days of lamentation succeeded the three days of weeping, because all hope was now taken away. They had traditions that, in the course of three days, persons who had died were raised again to life. See Lightfoot.
Mr. Ward says: “I once saw some Mussulman women, near Calcutta, lying on the new-made grave of a relation, weeping bitterly. In this manner the Mussulman females weep and strew flowers over the graves of relations, at the expiration of four days, and forty days, after the interment.”
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
31. The Jews . . . followed her . .. to the graveThus casually were provided witnesses ofthe glorious miracle that followed, not prejudiced, certainly,in favor of Him who wrought it.
to weep thereaccordingto Jewish practice, for some days after burial.
fell at his feetmoreimpassioned than her sister, though her words were fewer. (See on Joh11:21).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Jews then which were with her in the house,…. Who came from Jerusalem to visit this afflicted family, and continued in the house with them
and comforted her; which was the end of their coming, Joh 11:19. This they endeavoured to do, though they did not succeed:
when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily, and went out, followed her; they did not know what Martha whispered to her, but observed that she rose off her seat in great haste, and went out of the house at once; and therefore they went after to see where she went, and to persuade her to return;
saying, within themselves; “thinking”, as all the Oriental versions seem to read,
she goeth unto the grave to weep there: the Jews were wont to go to the graves on different accounts; one was to see whether the persons were dead or not: for so it is said p,
“they go to the graves and visit until three days.”
It happened that they visited one, and he lived five and twenty years, and after that died: and another was on a religious account; such went to the graves of the prophets, wise men, and righteous, and prostrated themselves upon them, to pray with weeping and supplication, and seek mercy for themselves, and for their brethren, expressing their faith in the resurrection q. Dr. Pocock r has given a large form of prayer used by them at such times, from Solomon bar Nathan; and is as follows:
“let it be the will of the Lord our God, our Creator, our Holy One, the Holy One of Jacob, who hath created all the children of his covenant in judgment, and causes them to die in judgment, and will raise them again to the life of the world to come, who knows the number of them all; that he would hasten to awake our master and doctor, (such an one,) that holy, (or that righteous, or that wise doctor,) whose body dwells in this sepulchre, whose bones rest in the midst of these stones; and that he would quicken him with that eternal life which no death follows; with that life which swallows up all death, and which wipes away all tears, and takes away all reproach; together with all those who are written unto life in Jerusalem; with the seven shepherds, and eight principal men, who are spoken of in Mic 5:5, and give him a part with them that understand, and with them that justify many, who will be like the stars for ever and ever; and the whole residue of the people of the Lord, the house of Israel, who keep the covenant of our God, and do his pleasure, may the Lord our God shake all these out of their dust, and let their lot, and our lot, be in life, in everlasting life, that in it he may establish all, both great and small, according to what is written, Ps 72:16: “there shall be an handful of corn”, c. and confirm the assurance he gave by Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amos, Isa 26:19: “thy dead men shall live”, c. and as he promised to Daniel, a man of desires,
Da 12:13: “but go thou thy way till the end be”, &c. and as he promised to all the congregations of Israel, by his servant Ezekiel, the son of Buzi the priest, Eze 37:12: “therefore prophesy and say to them”, &c. that the saints may rejoice with glory, and sing upon their beds, and that the righteous may rejoice, and exult before God, and be glad in his salvation, and say in that day, “behold this is our God, we have waited for him”, &c. Isa 25:9 and we will bless the Lord from this time forth, and for ever, Hallelujah.”
A shorter one, which is in their liturgies, and is used as they pass by the sepulchres of the Israelites, is this:
“blessed art thou, O Lord our God, who has formed you in judgment, and has quickened you in judgment, and has fed you in judgment, and knows the number of all of you, and he will quicken you, and restore you blessed art thou, O Lord, that quickens the dead.”
But sometimes they went only to vent their grief, and lament the loss of their deceased friends, which the Jews imagined was the case of Mary. And such a custom as this is used by the Turks, whose women on Friday, which is their day of worship, go before sun rising to the graves of the deceased, which are without the city, where they mourn over the death of their friends, and sprinkle their monuments with water and flowers; and even such as are not at the funeral or interment of the dead, after some days, will go to the graves, and make their lamentations there, and inquire of the dead the reason of their departure, and, as it were, expostulate with them, and to their lamentations add oblations of loaves, cheeses, eggs, and flesh s. The Persians also visit the sepulchres of their principal “Imams”, or prelates t; and the Jews were wont to visit the graves of their great men, in honour to them; yea, the disciples of the wise men used to meet there to study the law, thereby showing respect, and doing honour to the deceased. It is said of Hezekiah,
2Ch 32:33: “that all Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, did him honour at his death”; from whence say the Talmudists u we learn, that they fixed a sitting or a school at his grave; the gloss is, a session (or school) of the wise men to study in the law there. So says Maimonides w, when a king dies they make a sitting at his grave seven days, as it is said, 2Ch 32:33: “they did him honour at his death”; that is, they made a sitting at his grave.
p Massech. Semachot, c. 8. fol. 15. 1. q Cippi Heb. p. 3, 4. r Misc. not. in port. Maimon. p. 224. s Gejer de Ebraeor. Luctu, c. 6. sect. 26. t Reland de Relig. Mohammed. l. 1. p. 72. u T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol. 16. 2. w Hilchot Ebel. c. 14. sect. 25.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Followed her ( ). First aorist active indicative of with associative instrumental case (). This crowd of consolers () meant kindly enough, but did the one wrong thing for Mary wished to see Jesus alone. People with kind notions often so act. The secrecy of Martha (verse 28) was of no avail.
Supposing that she was going unto the tomb ( ). First aorist active participle of , justifying their conduct by a wrong inference. Note retention of present tense in indirect discourse after the secondary tense .
To weep there ( ). Purpose clause with and the first aorist active subjunctive of , old verb to weep. Sometimes to wail or howl in oriental style of grief, but surely not that here. At any rate this supposed purpose of Mary was a real reason for this crowd
not to go with her.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Saying [] . The best texts read doxantev, supposing. So Rev. She goeth [] . Withdraweth from our company. See on Joh 6:21; Joh 8:21.
To weep [ ] . Rev., in margin, wail. The word means loud weeping. See Mt 2:18; Mr 5:38; and on Luk 6:21; Luk 7:32.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “The Jews then,” (hoi oun loudaioi) “Then the Jews,” who had come out from the Jerusalem area to mourn and comfort the sisters, Martha and Mary, Joh 11:18-19.
2) “Which were with her in the house, and comforted her,” (hoi ontes met’ autes en te oikia kai paramuthoumenoi aute) “The ones who were with her (with Mary) in the residence and consoling her,” comforting her in her sorrow, the purpose for which they had come to the home or residence of Martha and Mary, Joh 11:33.
3) “When they saw Mary,” (idontes ten Mariam) “Upon seeing Mary,” watching her actions after Martha had come into the home and spoken to Mary privately, of the Master’s appearance nearby and His call to see her, Joh 11:28.
4) “That she rose up hastily and went out,” (hoti tacheos aneste kai ekselthen) “That she rose up quickly and went out,” from the house, apparently accompanied by Martha, as she left hastily. For “the king’s business requireth haste,” 1Sa 21:8.
5) “Followed her saying,” (ekolouthesan aute doksantes) ”They followed after her thinking,” supposing, or concluding, perhaps repeatedly saying to one another, as they followed her.
6) “She goeth unto the grave to weep there.” (hoti hupagei eis to mnemeion hina kalause ekei) ”That she is going to the tomb, in order that she may weep or grieve out there,” or cry loudly with an outburst of tears, not knowing the good news that Martha had brought, “The Master is come and calleth for thee,” has need of you, is interested in you, Joh 11:28.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
31. Then the Jews who were with her. Though Martha was permitted by Christ to return home for the purpose of withdrawing her sister from the numerous assembly, yet Christ had another design in view, which was, that the Jews might be witnesses of the miracle. True, they have no thought of it, but it was no new thing that men should be led, as it were in darkness, and by the secret providence of God, where they did not intend to go. They think that Mary is going to the tomb, according to the custom of those who seek excitements of their grief. For it is a very prevalent disease, that husbands deprived of their wives, parents deprived of their children, and, on the other hand, wives deprived of their husbands, and children deprived of their parents or other relatives and friends, are eager to increase their grief by every possible method. It is also customary to resort to various contrivances for this purpose. The affections of men are already sufficiently disordered; but it is still worse, (322) that they inflame them by new excitements, that they may rush against God with greater ardor and violence. It was their duty to dissuade Mary from going, that the sight of the tomb might not give fresh occasion for her grief; yet they do not venture to apply so harsh a remedy, but even themselves contribute to the excess of her grief, by accompanying her to the tomb. Thus it frequently happens, that they who treat too gently the excesses of their friends do them little good by their consolations.
(322) “ Mais voyci le pis.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(31) And comforted her.Better, were comforting heri.e., were engaged in the prescribed ceremonial of those who were called comforters.
Saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.The better reading is, thinking, She goeth . . . The practice was and is common among the Orientals, as well as among other nations.
Their following her, defeats the object Martha had in view in calling her secretly. We may say, also, that it defeated our Lords object in remaining outside the village; but this is not inconsistent with His knowing that it would be so.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
31 The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
Ver. 31. She goeth unto the grave ] That, Niobe-like, she might weep herself into a tombstone. Ex eorum more qui luctus sui irritamenta quaerunt. Of the character of them who seek comfort from their sorrow. Calvin. Such a heathenish custom it seems they had among them, and many other funeral rites, forbidden by the law. But what should dropsy men do eating salted meats?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
31. ] . as is the custom even now in the East [see an affecting account in Lamartine’s, Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. English Translation, vol. ii. pp. 76 78].
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 11:31 . But she was not allowed to go alone: . The Jews who were with her in the house comforting her interpreted her sudden movement as one of those urgent demands of grief which already, no doubt, they had seen her yield to, and in sincere sympathy (Joh 11:33 ) followed her.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
saw. Greek. eidon. App-133.
saying. T Tr. A WH R read, “supposing”.
unto. Greek. eis. App-104.
weep (Greek. klaio) = . to wail. Not the same word as in Joh 11:35.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
31.] . -as is the custom even now in the East [see an affecting account in Lamartines, Pilgrimage to the Holy Land. English Translation, vol. ii. pp. 76-78].
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 11:31. , that she may weep) It was a well-known custom, that the friends of the dead should give themselves up to mourning during the time that intervened whilst the funeral preparations were being made, and indulge in paying the pious [affectionate] tribute of their tears.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 11:31
Joh 11:31
The Jews then who were with her in the house, and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going unto the tomb to weep there.-They thought she was going to the grave to give greater expression to her grief. Mary, less active and self-reliant, likely gave way to grief over the loss of her brother more than Martha did. A number of her Jewish friends were with her in the house to console and comfort her, and saw her rise up hastily and go out-not knowing that Martha had called for her-supposed she arose to go to the grave to weep so they followed her. In deep grief and sorrow, persons alone are liable to give way to excess that may work injury to them, so their friends dislike to leave them alone. The Jews followed Mary to console her.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Jews: Joh 11:19
She goeth: Gen 37:35, 2Sa 12:16-18, 1Co 2:15
Reciprocal: Gen 23:2 – mourn Psa 77:2 – my soul Ecc 7:4 – heart Joh 11:42 – but Joh 11:45 – Jews Joh 12:17 – people Act 8:2 – made
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1
Verse 28 says Martha called her sister “secretly,” which explains why the others in the house did not know why she left the room. Goeth to the grave to weep there. While that was not the reason Mary left, yet the remark shows it was a practice in those times to manifest sorrow for a departed loved one in such a manner. It is natural and right for us to sorrow for our dead friends, but it is worse when we have to sorrow as those without hope. In the case of the sisters of Lazarus it was the sorrow that was lightened by their hope for the resurrection of the just.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.
[Followed her.] “It is a tradition. Let no man follow a woman upon the way, no, not his own wife.” If this grain of salt may be allowed in the explication of this passage, then, either all that followed Mary were women: or if men, they followed her at a very great distance: or else they had a peculiar dispensation at such solemn times as these, which they had not in common conversation. But the observation indeed is hardly worth a grain of salt.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Joh 11:31. The Jews, therefore, which were with her in the house, and were comforting her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she went unto the tomb to lament there. The movements of her sister had suggested no such thought; but as soon as Mary rose and went out, only one explanation seemed possible. She sought to go alone, but, according to the custom of the East, the friends who were with her attend her to the tomb to join in her lamentation over the dead. That they will meet Jesus has apparently not entered into their thought.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Vv. 31, 32. The Jews therefore who were with her in the house and were comforting her, when they saw that she rose up suddenly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32.When therefore Mary had come to the place where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died.
One and the same thought had filled the soul of the two sisters and perhaps that of the dying man in his last hours: If Jesus were here! But on this common foundation of grief and regret some significant differences between the two sisters appear. We have remarked the masculine character of Martha’s faith. Mary, on the contrary, seemed to be altogether overwhelmed by her grief: hers was a nature wholly feminine. And, like persons of vivid impressions, she makes no energetic effort to overcome the dejection which got the mastery of her. She lets herself fall at Jesus’ feet, which Martha had not done; it is, moreover, the place which she loves (Luk 10:39; Joh 12:3). She does not add to the expression of her grief, as does her sister, a word of faith and hope. There are, finally, in the exclamation which is common to her and Martha, two shades of differences which are not accidental. Instead of , he is dead (the actual state), which the Byzantine authorities place in the mouth of Martha, Joh 11:21, she says: : he has done the act of dying; it is as if she were still at the cruel moment in which the separation was accomplished. This shade of difference in the received reading (Joh 11:27) speaks in favor of its authenticity. Then the pronoun , of me, is placed in the mouth of Mary before , the brother, and even, according to the Alexandrian reading, before : a part ofherself, as it were, is gone. Thus, in Martha, a nature practical and full of elasticity, capable of energetically reacting against a depressing feeling; in Mary, a sensibility given up, without the least trace of reaction, to the feeling which absorbs her. What truth in every feature of this picture!
Jesus knows the human heart too well to attempt to apply to Mary the method which He has just employed with Martha. With a grief like hers, there is no need of teaching and speaking; there is need of sympathizing and acting.