The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (123 page)

10:38 believe the works:
The miracles of Jesus are meant to authenticate his mission in the eyes of Israel (5:36; 14:11) and to corroborate his claims to divinity (5:18; 10:33). The Jews knew that only God, who has absolute power over creation, can suspend the laws of nature in a miraculous way (3:2; 9:33) (CCC 548). 
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10:40 where John . . . baptized:
An unknown location near Bethany, east of the Jordan River (1:28). 
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11:1-44
The raising of Lazarus is the sixth of seven "signs" that Jesus performs in John (12:18), giving emphatic support to his claim to give "life" (5:25-29; 6:40). There is a dark side to the episode as well, as it provokes Jewish opposition that will precipitate Jesus' death (11:45-53). Similar miracles are recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, such as the raising of Jairus' daughter (Mk 5:21-43) and the raising of the widow's son from Nain (Lk 7:11-17) (CCC 994). See word study:
Signs
at Jn 2. • Precedent for raising the dead was set by the prophets Elijah (1 Kings 17:17-24) and Elisha (2 Kings 4:32-37). 
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11:1 Lazarus:
A beloved friend of Jesus (11:5).
Bethany:
A small village about two miles east of Jerusalem (11:18).
Mary . . . Martha:
Possibly the friends of Jesus mentioned in Lk 10:38-42. The personalities of these two women in John, with Martha as the busy hostess (12:2) and Mary giving her attention to Jesus (12:3), make this identification probable. 
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11:2 Mary who anointed the Lord:
Anticipates the following episode in 12:1-8. 
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11:4 not unto death:
Lazarus will in fact die (11:14). But this will not be his ultimate fate because Jesus will raise him to new life, affording an opportunity for others to glorify God by means of the miracle (9:3). 
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11:6 two days longer:
The delay of Jesus proves fatal for Lazarus. This period of waiting is not a mistake or miscalculation, but part of his plan to generate faith in the disciples (11:15, 42). Raising the dead to new life will have a more profound effect on them than raising the sick to health. 
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11:9 walks in the day:
Jesus can travel safely in Judea so long as his "hour" lies in the future (see 7:30; 8:20; 10:39). 
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11:11 fallen asleep:
A euphemism for biological death (Mt 27:52; Acts 7:60; 1 Cor 15:6). The disciples take Jesus' words literally, thinking Lazarus has only to be awakened. 
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11:16 die with him:
An obscure statement. It may be that Thomas, like Peter in 13:37, is full of confidence that will prove to be rash when Jesus is later arrested and the disciples scatter for their lives (16:32). 
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11:17 in the tomb four days:
Decisive confirmation of Lazarus' death, since by this time the process of bodily decay was thought to begin in earnest. Martha thus expected the tomb to emit an unpleasant "odor" (11:39). Jews during NT times customarily wrapped the dead with a shroud, tied strips of cloth around their extremities (11:44), and anointed their bodies with fragrant oils and spices (19:39-40). The procedure was not strictly equivalent to embalming, but it helped to delay temporarily the stench of bodily corruption (CCC 627).
• Allegorically (Glossa Ordinaria):
four days in the tomb signifies four stages of spiritual death. Original sin is the first death of the human race; violation of the natural law is the second; violation of the written Law of Moses is the third; and despising the gospel of grace is the fourth. A preview of man's resurrection from this fourfold death is seen as Christ brings Lazarus to life after his four-day entombment. 
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11:22 even now:
Martha's faith fills her with confidence. Although she neither begs nor even asks Jesus to intervene for Lazarus, she knows that God's love is more powerful than death and leaves Jesus to handle the situation as he sees fit. 
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11:24 the resurrection:
A doctrine already current in Judaism (Dan 12:2-3; 2 Mac 7:9). Only the Sadducees denied that our bodies would live again on the last day (Mt 22:23; Acts 23:8). See topical essay:
Who Are the Sadducees?
at Mk 12. 
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11:25 I am the resurrection:
Jesus places all hopes for a future resurrection upon himself. He possesses the absolute sovereignty over life and death that was always believed to be the sole prerogative of Yahweh (1 Sam 2:6; Wis 16:13; CCC 994). 
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11:32 if you had been here:
Mary's initial disappointment mirrors that of Martha (11:21). 
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11:33 troubled:
Literally, "angered". Though left unexplained, Jesus is probably angry with the Jews who are now weeping with Mary but who will soon betray him to hostile authorities (11:46). In other words, he foresees that the raising of Lazarus, while strengthening the faith of some, will also occasion the unbelief and treachery of others (11:53; 12:10). 
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11:35 Jesus wept:
Tears, not of despair, but of love and sympathy for Lazarus and his family. This small narrative detail points to an awesome theological mystery: Jesus, who became man in every respect except sin, experienced a full range of human emotions (CCC 478). 
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11:43 with a loud voice:
Dramatizes what will take place at the general resurrection on the last day, when the dead will hear the "voice" of the Son of man and come forth from their tombs to live again (5:25-29; CCC 988-91). 
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11:47 the council:
The Sanhedrin, the supreme court of the Jews. Though many reasons underlie their conspiracy against Jesus (11:53), the raising of Lazarus was particularly insulting to the Sadducees, who did not believe such a thing was possible in the first place (Acts 23:6-8). See notes on Jn 11:24 and Mk 14:55. 
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11:48 the Romans will come:
The statement is brimming with historical irony. The Romans did in fact destroy both Jerusalem and its Temple in
A.D.
70, not because the Jewish authorities let Jesus continue his ministry in peace, but precisely because they condemned him to a violent death. In the end, it was not the acceptance of Jesus that threatened the city but the rejection of him that made its demise inevitable (CCC 59697, 1753).
See note on Jn 2:19
.
our holy place:
A reference to the Temple or to Jerusalem more generally (Acts 6:13; 21:28). 
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11:49 Caiaphas:
The high priest of Israel from
A.D.
18 to 36. As such, he was the recognized head of the Jewish "council" (11:47). 
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11:51 he prophesied:
Caiaphas unwittingly announces that Jesus will die for the salvation of the nation. This is not his own insight, but the grace of prophecy speaking through him in virtue of his priestly office and position as chief teacher of Israel. 
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11:52 the children of God:
Recalls the "other sheep" that Jesus promised to gather into his "one flock" (10:16). It indicates that Christ calls to himself not only Israelites living in the land of Judea, but Israelites and Gentiles who are scattered throughout the Mediterranean world and beyond (Is 43:5-7; 66:18-21; Jer 31:10). The gospel of Christ thus reunifies the human family by gathering believers from every nation into the divine family of God (CCC 706, 2793).
See note on Jn 1:12
. 
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11:54 Ephraim:
A village of uncertain location, but probably north of Jerusalem in the lower region of Samaria. 
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11:55 the Passover:
The third mention of this feast in John (2:13; 6:4).
to purify themselves:
Jews underwent a process of ritual purification before the Passover, since it was forbidden to celebrate the festival in a state of ceremonial uncleanness (Num 9:9-11; 2 Chron 30:18-21). 
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12:1-8
The anointing of Jesus at Bethany is also narrated in Mt 26:6-13 and Mk 14:3-9. The episode is similar but distinct from the earlier anointing at the house of Simon the Pharisee in Lk 7:36-50. 
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12:1 Six days before the Passover:
The chronology of the Fourth Gospel places this event on Saturday evening just before Holy Week. The following day is Palm Sunday (12:12). 
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12:3 pure nard:
An imported spice from India.
anointed the feet:
Matthew and Mark have her also anoint the "head" of Jesus (Mt 26:7; Mk 14:3).
the house was filled:
The detail suggests John is testifying to what he himself smelled on the occasion. It may be symbolic of what Jesus says explicitly in the Synoptic tradition: the spread of the fragrance throughout the house anticipates the news of this event spreading throughout the world (Mt 26:13; Mk 14:9). 
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12:5 three hundred denarii:
Nearly an entire year's income for a laborer, since a single denarius was equivalent to a single day's wage (Mt 20:2). It is tragic that Judas complained about Mary's extravagance when he himself betrayed Jesus for much less—a mere "thirty pieces of silver" (Mt 26:15). 
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12:6 not that he cared:
Judas wants to pocket the proceeds of the sale for himself, not to give it away as alms for the needy.
the money box:
Suggests that Judas was the treasurer in charge of the disciples' funds (13:29; Lk 8:3). 
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12:8 The poor:
Jesus is not indifferent toward the poor. Elsewhere he promotes almsgiving in no uncertain terms (Mt 6:2-4; Lk 6:30; 12:33). • The words of Jesus echo the words of Deut 15:11, which states that the unceasing presence of the poor offers countless opportunities to give generously to less fortunate neighbors. The disciples, too, will have plenty of chances to give alms, but only a brief time remains to be generous toward Jesus while he remains among them (CCC 2449). 
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12:12 The next day:
Palm Sunday.
come to the feast:
Three times a year the nation of Israel traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the great festivals of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles (Acts 2:5-11). Even Gentiles were known to make the pilgrimage from considerable distances (12:20; Acts 8:27). 
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12:13 branches of palm:
Recalls how the Israelites waved bundles of palm branches for the feast of Tabernacles (Lev 23:40; 2 Mac 10:6-7).
Hosanna!:
A Hebrew acclamation meaning "Save us!" (Ps 118:25).
Blessed . . . name of the Lord:
An excerpt from Ps 118:26, one of the Hallel Psalms (113-118) customarily sung at Israel's great feasts.
See note on Mk 11:8-10
and CCC 559. 
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