Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 11:36
Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
36. Then said loved him ] Here, as in Joh 11:12 ; Joh 11:14 ; Joh 11:16-17 ; Joh 11:20-21 ; Joh 11:31-32 ; Joh 11:41 ; Joh 11:45 ; Joh 11:47 ; Joh 11:53 ; Joh 11:56, ‘then’ should rather be therefore, as rightly given in Joh 11:3 ; Joh 11:33 ; Joh 11:38 ; Joh 11:54: it is S. John’s favourite particle in all these verses. Both the verbs here are imperfects; ‘ kept saying,’ ‘ used to love.’ What follows shews that this remark was not made by all the Jews. The word for ‘love’ is the more passionate word used in Joh 11:3 by the sisters, not the higher word used in Joh 11:5 by the Evangelist.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Joh 11:36
Behold how He loved him
Christs love to man
This is seen
I.
IN HIS ORIGINAL ENGAGEMENT IN HIS FAVOUR. By covenanting to live with us, die for us, and take our happiness into His hands.
II. IN HIS ASSUMPTION OF HUMAN NATURE.
1. He passed by the higher nature of angels.
2. He took our nature with all its poverty and trial.
III. IN THE TENOR OF HIS LIFE AND CONVERSATION.
1. His inspiration was that of mercy. When His disciples would have called down fire from heaven He told them that that was not His spirit.
2. This mercy was not a sentiment which dwelt in imagination on miseries it was not prepared to relieve, but was a vigorous active principle. He went about doing good.
IV. IN THE SOURCES OF HIS JOY AND GRIEF. Nothing reveals the character so much as the action of the passions.
1. We have joy when our health, friends, temporal circumstances are good. Christs joys turned not on Himself, but were connected with the happiness of men.
2. His griefs, too, were not connected with His own poverty and trouble, but with our misery. Ye will not come unto Me.
V. IN THE CHARACTER OF HIS MINISTRY.
1. Its subject–salvation.
2. Its invitations, so tender and winning–Come unto Me.
3. Its very threatenings are only hedges thrown up against the way to danger.
VI. IN HIS DEATH.
1. He died for us, which is a proof of love in any case.
2. He died when He had no need to die.
3. He died as no other could die.
VII. IN HIS LEAVING THE WORLD.
1. This was expedient for us, not for Him.
2. He establishes the ministry of reconciliation as He leaves.
3. He now governs all things for our good. (A. Reed, D. D.)
Demonstration of Christs love
If the Jews exclaimed, Behold how He loved Lazarus! merely because they saw Him weeping at the tomb, with how much reason may we exclaim, Behold how He loved us when we see Him at Bethlehem, in Gethsemane, and on Calvary! Christs love is demonstrated
I. BY THE SACRIFICES IT MAKES. The greater the inconvenience to which our friends submit for us, the greater do we take their love to be. To what has not love impelled affectionate parents and devoted servants. But Jesus, Though He was rich, etc., He laid aside His glory and lived a life of labour, poverty, and contempt for us. Persons who had seen heaven only would be able to estimate this sacrifice
II. BY THE SUFFERINGS IT ENDURED. Self-love makes us unwilling to suffer. Here again we labour under a difficulty arising from ignorance. We can know little even of His physical sufferings, which were the smallest of His agonies. His mental pain wrung from Him great drops of blood, the occasion of which was the curse of the law He bore for us. Of this He said, If it be possible; this extorted the My God, etc. Greater love hath no man than this. Should we die for a friend we should but anticipate what would come sooner or later; but Christ was immortal: and although as averse to suffering as we consented to die in a most painful manner.
III. BY THE GIFTS IT BESTOWS. Tried by this Christs love is great beyond all comparison. He gives Himself, and all that He possesses–pardon, illumination, grace, comfort, heaven. Nor does He give what costs Him nothing. If we measure His gifts by what He gave for them they are inestimable.
IV. BY THE PROVOCATIONS IT OVERLOOKS. To love the kind and grateful is easy; but to persevere in doing good to the ungrateful and perverse, to forgive again and again is the triumph of love. The love of Christ transcends a fathers or mothers love for their ungrateful offspring. He came to a race which for four thousand years had been disobeying Him, and when He came He was persecuted, and so He has been ever since. Even His professed disciples treat Him with distrust, etc.; but He endures still the contradiction of sinners. Conclusion: Is the love of Christ so immeasurably great?
1. Then surely we ought to return it with a love which bears some proportion to His.
2. Those who have not loved Christ begin to love Him now. (E. Payson, D. D.)
Christ as a Friend
I. KNOWS ALL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES AND FEELINGS. Want of knowledge is a great impediment to friendship, and so is want of suitable expression. But Christ knows all, and needs no laboured utterances of ours.
II. HAS MANIFESTED SUPREME AFFECTION. No mother, sister, or lover can compare with Him. His love is neither impulsive, influenced by fancy, variable, selfish, or fastidious.
III. HAS HAD GREAT EXPERIENCE. He has always been in the world making friends. Abraham rejoiced to see His day; Jacob enjoyed His friendship; and He will continue to form new friendships as long as the world stands. Hence He knows how to treat different types of friends.
IV. HAS PASSED THROUGH GREAT AFFLICTIONS. In such a world as this an angel would be an unsuitable friend; there would be no minor key in his feelings, for what has he ever known of sorrow. We want a friend stricken of God and afflicted. Then we can tell each rising grief, knowing that He has felt it. In all points tempted as we are, and as Captain of our salvation made perfect through suffering, He has been wherever it must be our lot to go.
V. IS CONSTANT. Having loved His own, etc., He never gave up one friend for another. Those whom He loves once He loves forever. Amid the changes of life, and when we cease to move the affections once felt for us, the Saviour will love us as He did when we were young.
VI. IS KIND.
1. He never reproaches or upbraids. Who has not been subdued by the delicate methods of a true friend? His gentleness hath made me great.
2. We should have broken the heart of any other friend; but He is long suffering.
VII. IS ALWAYS WITH US. Some of our greatest trials are by separations. We land among strangers, but Christ is at our side.
VIII. CAN DO FOR US WHAT NO OTHER FRIEND CAN.
1. When the wisdom of friends fail He is the Wonderful,
Counsellor.
2. When our friends are dead He abides.
3. When friends are impotent, as at the hour of death and in the day of judgment, He is the hope of glory.
IX. IS EVER ACCESSIBLE. If we called on our best earthly friend as often as we call on Christ, he could not endure it. When we have stated our case to our friend we have to leave it; Christ permits us to state it over and over again. Conclusion:
1. Whoever may love us we cannot be truly happy with out the friendship of Christ.
2. We should be such friends to others as Christ is to us.
3. The greatest sin, which is not unpardonable, is ingratitude to Christ. (N. Adams.)
The tender love of Christ
He never flattered the friends who enjoyed His closest intimacy; but He made them feel His penetrating affection; See how He loved him was a testimony to the deep reality of a calm, unostentatious sorrow. (Knox Little.)
The love of Christ
Behold how He loved him. What? for shedding some few tears for him? Oh, how then did He love us for whom He shed the dearest and warmest blood in all His heart! (J. Trapp.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 36. Behold how he loved him!] And when we see him pouring out his blood and life upon the cross for mankind, we may with exultation and joy cry out, Behold how he hath loved US!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Love showeth itself, as in a complacence in the object beloved, while we enjoy it; so in a grief for it when we are deprived of it: the Jews therefore rightly concluded Christs kindness to Lazarus, from his human affection expressed at his death.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
36. Then said the Jews, Behold howhe loved him!We thank you, O ye visitors from Jerusalem, forthis spontaneous testimony to the human tenderness of the Sonof God.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then said the Jews, behold, how he loved him!] Lazarus; for they supposed that these tears were shed purely on his account; and by all circumstances they could not but judge, that they proceeded from an hearty and sincere affection to him; and it was amazing to them, that his love to him should be so strong, when he was no relation, only, as they imagined, a common friend. Christ’s love to all his people, even when they are dead in trespasses and sins, is wonderful, and passes knowledge. And it is amazing indeed, if it be considered who the lover is, the eternal Son of God, who is God over all, blessed for ever, the Creator of all things, the King of kings, and Lord of lords: and also, who they are that are loved by him, not only creatures, but sinful ones, exceeding mean and abject; the base things of this world, bankrupts, beggars, yea, comparable to the beasts that perish; who had nothing external, nor internal, to recommend them to him, and engage his affections; yea, everything to give him an aversion to them, and render them odious in his sight, being enemies in their minds by wicked works, and children of wrath, as others: and likewise, if it be considered what he has done for these, in which his love appears to them; as before time, in espousing their persons, becoming their surety, engaging in covenant with his Father for them, agreeing to all he proposed, taking the care of their persons, and of all blessings and promises, grace and glory for them; and in time here on earth, by assuming their nature, fulfilling the law for them, dying in their room and stead, paying their debts, procuring all blessings for them, peace, pardon, righteousness, and eternal redemption; and now in heaven, by preparing a place for them, being their intercessor and advocate there, supplying their wants, frequently visiting them, and indulging them with communion with himself, preserving them safe to his kingdom and glory, into which he will introduce them, presenting them to his Father with exceeding joy; all which are marvellous acts of love and grace: to which may be added, the consideration of the nature of his love, that it should be from everlasting, before these persons were born; that it should be a love of complacency and delight in them; that it should be free, and unmerited, without any reason, or motive on their part; that it should be distinguishing, that they, and not others, should be the objects of it; and that it should continue unchangeably the same, notwithstanding their manifold transgressions, and provocations; wherefore it may be justly said, behold, how he loved them!
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Loved (). As in verse 3 which see. Imperfect active. Even the Jews saw that Jesus loved Lazarus.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Loved [] . Not the word in ver. 5. See on 5 20, and compare Joh 20:2.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Then said the Jews,” (elegon oun hoi loudaioi) “Then the Jews said,” those who had come from around about to mourn and to offer condolence to Martha and Mary, Joh 11:18-19; Joh 11:31; Joh 11:33.
2) “Behold how he loved him!” (ide pos ephilei auton) “Behold how he loved him,” with the affection of a dear friend, as expressed in His shedding soft tears, Joh 11:36, without any hypocrisy or shame. Yes, He loved Lazarus and had let it be known to him and his sisters, Joh 11:3. So should we express love to friends and one another, before it is too late, Joh 13:34-35; Heb 13:1.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
36. Behold, how he loved him! The Evangelist John here describes to us two different opinions which were formed about Christ. As to the former, who said, Behold, how he loved him! though they think less highly of Christ than they ought to have done, since they ascribe to him nothing but what may belong to a man, yet they speak of him with greater candor and modesty than the latter, who maliciously slander him for not having hindered Lazarus from dying. For, though they applaud the power of Christ, of which the former said nothing, yet they do so, not without bringing against him some reproach. It is evident enough from their words, that the miracles which Christ had performed were not unknown to them; but so much the more base is their ingratitude, that they do not scruple to complain, because now, in a single instance, he abstained from working. Men have always been ungrateful to God in the same manner, and continue to be so. If he does not grant all our wishes, we immediately launch into complaints: “Since he has been accustomed to aid us hitherto, why does he now forsake and disappoint us?” There is here a twofold disease. First, though we rashly desire what is not expedient for us, yet we wish to subject God to the perverse desires of the flesh. Secondly, we are rude in our demands, and the ardor of impatience hurries us before the time.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(36) Then said the Jewsi.e., part of them. (See the next verse.) The term Jews is repeated with a frequency (Joh. 11:31; Joh. 11:33) which makes prominent their hostile position.
Behold how he loved him!Or, more exactly, how He used to love him. The word used is the strong word for love which the sisters had themselves used in Joh. 11:3. How He must have loved him, they think, during his life, if He thus sheds tears for him after his death!
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
36. Then said the Jews In the wake of Mary (Joh 11:31) these Jews followed, as they supposed, to the tomb, when, lo! the mysterious One stood before them, the maiden kneeling at his feet! From his refuge beyond the Jordan this wonder-worker, who had so lately startled Jerusalem by his words and deeds, had come. His face was not as some had seen it, looking upon the stormy mob of the capital, placid and majestic, but instinct with indignant grief, the grief soon overpowering the ire and pouring forth in tears.
Behold how he loved him was their word of wonder that this wonderful One could so love his fellow; thus evincing the impression of the divinity of Jesus, now made upon the minds of the people.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Joh 11:36-38. Then said the Jews, Behold, &c. Our Lord’s tears had also another use; they caused those who saw them to wonder the more at the death of Lazarus, and consequently to doubt of his divine power, who prevented it not; whence the subsequent miracle, as less expected by them, became the more wonderful. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! They perceived that his was no affected grief, but the real testimony of a sincere regard; and they could not but conclude that this regard for Lazarus was great indeed, when no ties of blood, relationship, or necessity, but undissembled friendship only, caused the generous woe: others, however, of a more malevolent and envious turn of mind, interpreted this circumstance to our Lord’s disadvantage. For, according to their mean way of judging, they fancied that he had suffered Lazarus to fall under the stroke of death, for no other reason but want of power to rescue him; and thinking the miracle, said to have been wrought on the blind man at the feast of tabernacles, at least as difficult as the curing of an acute distemper, they called the former in question, because the latter had been neglected: “If,” say they, “he hasreally opened the eyes of the blind, might he not have preserved this man from death?” These perverse and obstinate people were not persuaded by all the wonderful works which Jesus had done; neither would they be convinced by the great miracle that he was about to perform. They were to see him raise one to life and health again, who had been four days in the grave; yet so hard were their hearts, that many of them would persist in their infidelity still. Jesus, who knew the discourses which they now held among themselves in private concerning him, was likewise fully acquainted with the hardness of their hearts, and, at the same time, foresaw the miseries in which their unbelief would involve them; thatunbelief which yields not to his power, so soon as death itself. The thought of all these things afflicted him, and made him groan deeply within himself as he went to the sepulchre; which, according to the usual manner of burying with the Jews, was hewn out in a cave, and a stone was placed at it; that is, at the door of the cave, as was the case in our Lord’s sepulchre. See on Luk 24:4.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Joh 11:36-37 . The express themselves variously: those who were better disposed say, How must He have loved Lazarus whilst alive ( imper .), if He thus weeps for him now that he is dead; those who were maliciously and wickedly disposed treat His tears as a welcome proof, not of His want of love (Luthardt), but of His inability , apart from which He must surely have been able to heal Lazarus of his sickness , even as He had healed the blind man of his blindness! In this way they at the same time threw doubt on the reality of the healing of the blind man (for they regard it as the majus in their conclusion ad minus ), and suppose, moreover, that Jesus did not come sooner to Bethany because He was unable to save Lazarus; for the conclusion drawn by them implies that He had received information concerning the sickness. The malicious signification of the question in Joh 11:37 has been correctly recognised by Chrysostom, Nonnus ( ), Theophylact, Euth. Zigabenus, Erasmus, Calvin, Bengel, and most of the older commentators, as also by Luthardt, Lange, and Godet; some recent writers, however, as Lcke, De Wette, Tholuck, Maier, Brckner, Ewald, Gumlich, Hengstenberg, groundlessly reject this view, notwithstanding that the following words, ., rightly interpreted, find their explanation in these expressions of His opponents.
The circumstance of their appealing to the healing of the blind man , instead of to the awakenings from the dead , recorded by the Synoptics, is no argument against the reality of the latter miracles (Strauss); not even is this appeal less appropriate (De Wette), but it was, on the contrary, naturally suggested by their own most recent experience; it was also thoroughly appropriate, inasmuch as they were thinking, not of a raising from the dead, but simply of a healing of Lazarus, which was to have been effected by Jesus.
] the thought is: be active, in order that . Comp. on Col 4:16 .
] like the blind man whom He healed. For the healing (the opposite of ) is the point of comparison.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
Ver. 36. Behold how he loved him ] What! for shedding some few tears for him? Oh, how then did he love us for whom he shed the dearest and warmest blood in all his heart! Ama amorem illius, &c., saith Bernard.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Joh 11:36 . These tears evoked a very natural exclamation, , “see how He loved him”.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Joh 11:36
Joh 11:36
The Jews therefore said, Behold how he loved him!-The Jews who saw his tears interpreted them as signs of his love for Lazarus.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Victory over Death
Joh 11:36-44
1. The Lord had been praying about this matter before He came to the grave: Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.Notice that past tense. Perhaps He had done so when He first received the news of Lazarus sickness. He had prayed and had received the assurance that His prayer was answered. When He started back across the Jordan, it was with the full assurance that Lazarus would be raised to life.
2. He was conscious, also, of a life of unceasing prayer. There was unbroken and constant co-operation between Him and the Father. He always did the things that pleased God and God was always answering Him. This, also, might be our constant experience.
3. Christ made this prayer that those who stood around, as they saw the effect of prayer, should understand that prayer alone can work great miracles, which become the credentials of Christ, and of all who love and obey Him. His people similarity can do great miracles, as missionaries, Christian workers, and philanthropists.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
Behold: Joh 14:21-23, Joh 21:15-17, 2Co 8:8, 2Co 8:9, Eph 5:2, Eph 5:25, 1Jo 3:1, 1Jo 4:9, 1Jo 4:10, Rev 1:5
Reciprocal: Dan 10:19 – O man Joh 11:5 – loved Joh 11:15 – I am glad Joh 13:23 – whom Act 9:37 – she was Phi 2:26 – ye had
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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The Jews missed the point as to why Jesus wept. It is true he loved Lazarus, and that feeling blended with his sympathy for the sisters. Yet he had as much love for him at the time of his death, although he was many miles away; but there is no indication that he wept then. This flow of tears was caused by his sympathy for the sisters. (See the comments on Verses 33-35.)
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Joh 11:36-37. The Jews therefore said, Behold how he loved him! But some of them said, Gould not this man, which opened the eyes of him that was blind, have caused that this man also should not die? Again there is a division amongst the Jews. Many recognise the naturalness of His tears, as a proof of His love for the departed. But some (in no spirit of simple wonder and perplexity, but in unfriendliness) ask why He had not prevented the calamity over which He is mourning. They may mean, As He gave sight to the blind man, could He not, if He had really wished, have stayed the power of the fatal disease? But it is also possible that they merely assume the former miracle for the purpose of invalidating it: If He really did give sight, why could He not heal the sickness? To heal diseases was to them a less wonderful act than to give sight to one born blind. We are compelled to assume an unfriendly spirit of the second question, partly because of Johns use of the term the Jews, partly from the analogy of many other passages in which He records the opposing comments of different sections of the party: the sequel also (Joh 11:45-46) seems naturally to suggest such a division. The recurrence (in Joh 11:38) of the word discussed above (Joh 11:33) is thus very easily explained.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Joh 11:36-37. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him They seem to wonder he should have so strong an affection for one to whom he was not related, and with whom he had not had a long acquaintance, having spent most of his time in Galilee, at a great distance from Bethany. It becomes us, according to this example of Christ, to show our love to our friends, both living and dying. We must sorrow for our brethren that sleep in Jesus, as those that are full of love, though not void of hope; for though our tears profit not the dead, they embalm their memory. Christs tears, at the grave of Lazarus, were indications of his particular love to him; but he has given proofs, no less evident, of his love to all the saints, in that he died for them. Did these Jews, when they saw him shedding tears over the dead body of Lazarus, say, See how he loved him? How much more reason have we, for whom he laid down his life, to say, See how he loved us! And some said, Could not this man, &c. Some of them, however, interpreted this circumstance to his disadvantage; for, according to their mean way of judging, they fancied that he had suffered him to fall under the stroke of death for no other reason but want of power to rescue him. And, thinking the miracle, said to have been wrought on the blind man during the feast of tabernacles, at least as difficult as the curing of an acute distemper, they called the former in question, because the latter had been neglected. If, said they, he has really opened the eyes of the blind, might he not have preserved this man from death? Thus, when he was dying, because he did not save himself and come down from the cross, they concluded he could not; not considering that divine power is always directed in its operations by divine wisdom, not merely according to his will, but according to the counsel of his will, wherein it becomes us to acquiesce. If Christs friends, whom he loves, die; if his church, which he loves, be persecuted and afflicted, we must not impute these things to any defect, either in his power or love, but conclude that he permits them to happen, because he sees it to be for the best that they should. Jesus soon showed these whisperers, by raising Lazarus from the dead, that he could have prevented his death, but therefore did not, because he would glorify himself the more by doing a greater work than curing his disorder. So hard, however, were the hearts of many of these Jews, that, not withstanding the great miracle which they were now about to see Jesus perform, they would persist in their infidelity still. And Jesus, who knew the discourses which they now held among themselves in private concerning him, being likewise fully acquainted with their obstinacy, and foreseeing the miseries in which their unbelief would involve them, was still more afflicted, and groaned again in himself as he went to the grave.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Jewish onlookers interpreted Jesus’ angry tears in two ways. They took them as evidence of Jesus’ great love for Lazarus. They did reflect that, but not as the Jews thought. Jesus was not weeping because death had separated Him from His friend. The Jews also concluded that Jesus’ tears reflected the grief He felt over His apparent inability to prevent Lazarus from dying. This deduction revealed unbelief as well as ignorance of Jesus’ person. Jesus’ healing of the man born blind had occurred several months earlier, but it had obviously made a strong impression on the people living in Jerusalem since they referred to it now.