Exposition of John, Chapter 11 · Verse 27
Ver. 41. Then they took away the ſtone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jeſus lift up his eyes, and ſaid, Father, I thank thee that thou haſt heard me.
42. And I knew that thou heareſt me alwayes: but becauſe of the people which ſtand by, I ſaid it, that they may beleeve that thou haſt ſent me.
The ſecond antecedent at the grave, is, his thankſgiving to the Father after the ſtone was taken away, and before he wrought the miracle. Theſe who were commanded, ver. 39 taking away the ſtone, which it ſeems they had intermitted, till Martha's unbelief, interrupting them, was reproved; He (who had been praying to the Father) doth now, 1. Publickly give him thanks for hearing him in this matter, ver. 41. 2. He gives a reaſon why he publiſhed this thankſgiving, which was not becauſe it was unuſual for him to be heard, who was never refuſed in any ſute, but that theſe who were preſent might be convinced that he is the Mediatour ſent and approved of the Father, ver. 42. Chriſts making uſe of prayer in this miracle, doth nothing croſſe what was marked on, ver. 22.25. of his doing theſe things by his own power; for, as God, he is a principal effi…ient, as man, he is the inſtrument of the Godhead, and as Mediatour, he acts as the Fathers ſervant. And albeit he had ſpoken before of his own power as God, yet he chooſeth rather to take this way before the people, to manifeſt that he was owned and approved by God, and not contrary to him, as the Jewes gave it out.
From ver. 41. Learn, 1. Unbeliefe in any of the Lords people is not only their own ſin, but when it breaks forth, it is alſo a ſtumbling block to others, in their going on in their duty; for, Martha's exception had hindered the men, and, it ſeems, drawn them to doubt with her, Then (to wit, when ſhe is reproved and paſſeth from it, and not till then) they took away the ſtone from the place where the deal was laid. 2. It is an evidence that the people of God have quit their unbelief, or are not maſtered with it, when they ſilence their reaſonings and exceptions, and do not ſuffer unbelief to impede obedience to commanded duties; for, this is the evidence that Martha is ſatisfied, in that ſhe reaſons no more, and in that ſhe puts no new impediments to hinder the removing of the ſtone, as Chriſt had commanded. 3. Such things as we do earneſtly deſire, we ought to pray ſeriouſly for them to God; As Chriſts practice doth teach us, who had been praying about this miracle, as is here imported. 4. Honeſt and ſincere prayer will aford matter of praiſe; And men need not make much ſhew or noiſe of their ſeeking of God; for, God will openly reward them by publike teſtimonies of his favour, calling for praiſe; for, herein alſo hath our ſurety led the way, who praying in ſecret among the crowd, gets matter of publike praiſe, and hath the fruits of the prayer appearing in the ſubſequent miracle. 5. Sincere ſeekers of God may know that their prayers are heard, albeit the thing ſought be not as yet performed; for, Chriſt acknowledgeth he is heard, although the miracle was not yet wrought. And albeit he knew this in a peculiar way, yet Saints alſo have rules whereby to diſcern this, Joh. 16.23. 1 Joh. 5.14. 6. Gods hearing of prayer obligeth us to praiſe; And all theſe who know their need, and the mercy of God reſpecting their cry in their need, will not faile to make conſcience of praiſe; for, ſo doth his practice teach us, I thank thee, that thou haſt heard me. See Pſal. 50.15. 7. As theſe who expect and deſire their prayers to be heard in mercy, ſhould make ſure an intereſt in God, and that they are his children; So Gods hearing of his peoples prayers is a ſweet confirmation of that intereſt, and this ſhould be fed upon with a warm and thankful acknowledgement of that relation; for, ſo doth Chriſts example teach, who in this thankful account of his Fathers anſwer, expreſſeth this ſweet relation, Father, I thank thee, that thou haſt heard me, as indeed he was his Father in a ſpecial manner, and did give ſignal proofes thereof, in hearing him as Mediatour. 8. Chriſts people are ſo dear to him, that not only do their neceſſities call him to prayer for them; But his being heard in their behalfe doth affect and oblige him, as if it were for himſelfe: for, he doth here not only pray, but accounts it matter of praiſe, when he is heard. 9. Such as are rightly employed in ſpiritual duties, their heart and affections will be toward God, and heaven-ward; And theſe affections will carry the outward man with them, in ſo far as is convenient; for, in this thankſgiving, Jeſus lift up his eyes, to teſtifie where his heart was. And albeit in his prayer we finde neither words nor any ſuch ſignes uſed, becauſe it was ſecret; Yet now, in this publike thankſgiving, he will edifie the hearers by this very outward directing of the eye.
From ver. 42. Learn, 1. Chriſt is a Mediatour who continueth conſtant in the exerciſe of interceſſion for his own; for, if he be heard alwaies, then he prayeth alwayes. 2. Such is the conformity betwixt the Father and the Mediatours will, and ſo ſtrictly hath the Father obliged himſelfe to his Son, undertaking that office, that all he prayes for is granted; for, Thou heareſt me alwayes. 3. It is a ſpecial favour not only to be heard of God, but to know and be ſatisfied that it is ſo; that we be not cruſhed under miſtakes; Therefore Chriſt publiſheth it as a part of that favour to him as Mediatour, I know that thou heareſt me alwayes. See 1 Cor. 2.12. 1 Joh. 5.15. 4. It concerneth the children of men, to underſtand well how great acceptance Chriſt hath with the Father, that ſo it may deterre them from coming in oppoſition to him, and may invite them to employ him who cometh ſuch ſpeed in their affairs; for, this was his end in publiſhing this his ſucceſſe, not only to lay before them a pattern of duty in the like caſes, as is marked on ver. 41. But chiefly, that he may be known, But becauſe of the people that ſtand by, I ſaid it, that they may beleeve. 5. We do then take up Chriſt comfortably, when not only we ſee his own affection and reſpect to us, but when we ſee him one with the Father, and his Ambaſſadour, and that the Father is well pleaſed, and to be found in him; for, this is it he would have gathered from his acceptance in prayer, That they may beleeve that thou haſt ſent me. And for this cauſe, he chooſeth rather to take this way, then only to manifeſt his own power in this.