John 11:40 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

NIV: Then Jesus said, 'Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?'

NASB: Jesus *said to her, 'Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?'

CSB: Jesus said to her, "Didn't I tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God? "

NLT: Jesus responded, 'Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?'

KJV: Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

NKJV: Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

Jesus is reassuring Martha by reminding her of their prior conversation (John 11:17–27). Since Martha has spent some time learning from Him (Luke 10:38–42), this may also refer to other teachings she has absorbed. The reason for her doubt is that her brother has been in the grave for four days (John 11:17). For practical and emotional reasons, she's not eager to see the putrid corpse of her loved one (John 11:38–39).

From the start of this incident, Jesus arranged various details to set up this very moment. That includes waiting until well after Lazarus has died (John 11:6), arriving only when death was beyond doubt (John 11:17), and allowing a crowd to form (John 11:19; 11:31). The next few verses will show Jesus praying very publicly, specifically so that what happens won't be lost on those who witness it. That fits with the purpose of miracles recorded in the gospel of John: they are "signs" meant to prove Jesus is divine (John 20:30–31).

John 11:38–44 describes the seventh and final miraculous ''sign'' recorded in the gospel of John. This is by far the most spectacular, as Jesus restores life to a man who has been dead for four days. Lazarus' death is confirmed to the point that his family hesitates to open his tomb, fearing what a putrefying corpse will smell like. For the benefit of the crowd, Jesus prays loudly, then commands Lazarus to arise. Lazarus does so, still wrapped in his burial shrouds. This display of divine power only increases the resolve of Jesus' enemies to have Him killed as soon as possible.

Jesus has left the vicinity of Jerusalem to avoid hostile religious leaders. While gone, He receives word that a good friend, Lazarus, is sick. In fact, Lazarus has died by the time this message reaches Jesus. He purposefully waits a few days before returning to Bethany, arriving four days after Lazarus' burial. In front of Lazarus' mourning sisters—who Jesus weeps with—and an assembled crowd, Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead in a stirring and spectacular miracle. This is the seventh of John's seven ''signs'' of Jesus' divine power. In response, religious leaders coordinate in their effort to have Jesus murdered.

After giving sight to a man born blind (John 9), Jesus sparred with religious leaders on at least two occasions (John 10). After another failed arrest attempt, Jesus left the area and went out where Jerusalem's politics had little influence. In this chapter, He returns to resurrect a recently-departed friend, Lazarus. That results in a renewed commitment from Jerusalem's religious leaders to have Jesus murdered. As the crucifixion draws near, Jesus will stage His triumphal entry in chapter 12, and then begin His final teachings to the disciples.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 4/27/2024 9:53:50 PM