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Further results of the raising of Lazarus:
v. 17. The people therefore that was with Him when He called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.
v. 18. For this cause the people also met Him for that they heard that He had done this miracle
v. 19. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? Behold, the world is gone after Him.
The ovation given to Jesus on the day of His entry into Jerusalem would probably never have reached such proportions, if it had not been for the fact that the witnesses of the raising of Lazarus spread the news on all sides. They had been present upon that occasion; they had heard the all of Jesus while the man still lay in his grave; they had seen Jesus raise the dead man and bring him back to life. This miracle therefore made Jesus the object of such great interest at this time, the knowledge that it had been performed brought many people out with the multitude that would under other circumstances have probably stayed at home. For the moment the sentiment was strongly in favor of Christ. And the Pharisees, the rulers of the people, had to acknowledge their helplessness in the face of such popular acclaim. Neither threatenings nor excommunications had any effect upon the people; they all, with one accord, took the side of Jesus. So the Pharisees had to admit their failure. In spite of all their crafty plans they could not get Jesus into their power. When His time had come, He came of His own free will, He took the suffering and death upon Himself for the benefit of the world. He delivered Himself into the hands of His enemies, just as He had planned it and at His time.