John 11:1-4 - He whom you love is ill

11:1,2

We now begin the account of one of the most famous miracles of Jesus, and the most dramatic (excluding the resurrection) in John’s gospel, namely the raising of Lazarus. As well as being dramatic, the miracle is of great theological significance, as John brings out. The miracle takes place in Bethany, which is where Mary and Martha lived. Mary anointed Jesus with oil and wiped his feet with her hair. We will read of this in the next chapter. Notice that John assumes that his readers know of this event. Mary and Martha are mentioned in Luke’s gospel 10:38-42, an additional connection between John’s gospel and the synoptics. Lazarus was their brother and he fell ill

11:3,4

So the sisters sent for Jesus, telling Him that Lazarus “whom you love” was ill. On receiving the message Jesus announces that the illness does not lead to death, but that the event has occurred for the glory of God, and that the Son of God may be glorified through it. So this would result in praise for God, and the significance of the Son would be demonstrated through it. Things happen in our lives, in the world, that we often find difficult to understand or appreciate. We should be looking for how Christ’s name will be glorified.