Exposition of John, Chapter 11 · Verse 1
Ver. 1. NOw a certaine man was ſicke, named Lazarus …f Bethany, the towne of Mary, and her ſiſter Martha.
2. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with oyntment, and wiped his feet with her haire, whoſe brother Lazarus was ſick.)
This being one of the greateſt and moſt famous miracles, and being one of the laſt wrought by Chriſt, upon occaſion whereof many paſſages of divine providence are manifeſted, and much precious doctrine publiſhed; Therefore the Antecedents thereof are ſo largely inſiſted on. And the Antecedents previous to his returne, may be taken up in theſe, 1. A remote occaſion of his return, and Antecedent of the miracle which is Lazarus ſickneſſe, ver. 1, 2. 2. A nearer occaſion of his returne, which was a meſſage ſent to Chriſt in behalfe of ſick Lazarus, ver. 3. 3. Chriſts preſent return to this meſſage, both in word, ver. 4. and action, ver. 5, 6. 4. is preparation at laſt to return, with his conference with, and trial of the diſciples in that matter, verſe 7. — 16.
In theſe verſes (which contain a remote occaſion of his return, and antecedent of the miracle) we have a deſcription of the perſon on whom it was wrought, 1. From his name Lazarus, the ſame, as appears, with, Eleazar. 2. From his condition, he was ſick, or infirme, as the Word imports. 3. From the place of his habitation, and friends; He was of Bethany, a village near to Jeruſalem, ver. 18. and Mary and Martha, (of whom Luk. 10.38, 39) were his ſiſters, as afterward appears. This village is called Mary and Martha's town, becauſe they were born there, as Joh. 1.44. or, becauſe indeed it was Lazarus and their property, and ſo they are afterward viſited by them of Jeruſalem, as perſons of reſpect; and the ſiſters get the name of it, becauſe they have been ſpoken of before, Luk 10.38. and ſo are better known in this hiſtory, then Lazarus yet was. Or, the reaſon of this deſignation is, rather becauſe whoever was Maſter of this village, yet they are moſt eminent of any in it, in Chriſts account, they being godly, and he having been entertained there. 4. To make this deſcription more clear, and becauſe there are ſeveral Maries mentioned in the Goſpel; therefore John deſcribes this Mary the ſiſter of Lazarus from a particular practice of he…s, ver. 2. Which doth not relate to that hiſtory, Luk. 7.37 38. which was done by another woman, but to that which is afterward mentioned, Joh. 12.3, &c. And albeit that was done after Lazarus ſickneſſe and reſtitution, in order of time; Yet John who wrote the Hiſtory long after, doth here record it by way of anticipation. Doctrine 1. As the Lords children are not exemp…ed from ordinary trials, and are never well but when they have ſome exerciſe or other: So, their being under exerciſe is a mean to make both their honeſty, and Gods love to them, not our; for, Lazarus, a friend of Chriſt, was ſick, and albeit he was a good man, yet there is no mention of him in the former hiſtory, Luk. 10. but only of his ſiſters, till now that he is ſick, and then he is taken notice of, and Chriſts love to him regiſtrate. 2. Whatever ba…k Saints do bear in the world, yet they be ratifie the place where they dwell, and their houſe who entertain Chriſt, is moſt eminent in his account, were it never ſo mean otherwiſe; for, this is the character Chriſt gives of Bethany, it is the town of Mary, and her ſiſter Martha. It is needleſſe to aſſert that Martha, who it ſeems was the eldeſt, Luk 10.38. is named after Mary the youngeſt, becauſe Mary was moſt eminent in piety, which Chriſt reſpects above all; for in the 5th. ver. we finde this order inverted, and Martha placed firſt. 3. Chriſtian friends, eſpecially if they be alſo near in relation, are uſeful helps in a day of trial; Therefore is mention made of Mary and Martha, upon occaſion of Lazarus ſickneſſe, becauſe they were uſeful and eminent in the following paſſages, relating to their brothers recovery. See Eccleſ. 4.9, 10, 11, 12. 4 As for that practice of Mary, recorded ver. 2. ſeeing it is only mentioned here to diſtinguiſh her from others, I ſhall remit it to the proper place, Chap. 12. Only we may gather from it. 1. The Lord will not ſuffer mens actions to die with them; and particularly, A good turn done to Chriſt, will not be forgotten of him; Therefore, according to that promiſe, Matth. 26.13. that this ſhould be told of her, John doth here, on this occaſion, record it. 2. Love to Chriſt is that which God takes eſpecial notice of, and which doth commend them who have it; for, it was an act of Maries love, which is ſo diligently recorded. 3. It is the will of God, that poſterity take notice of the eminent graces that have ſhined in Saints, that they may imitate them; for, this is recorded not only to her commendation, but that Chriſts commending it, and the ſavour thereof, may invite others to imitate her.