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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadCambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges - John 11:4 - 11:4
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4. εἶπεν. Not ἀπεκρίθη: His words are not a mere answer to the message, but a lesson to the Apostles also.
οὐκ ἔστιν πρὸς θ. Is not to have death as its final result: for ‘He Himself knew what He would do’ (Joh 6:6). Christ foresaw both the death and the resurrection, and (as so often) uttered words which His disciples did not understand at the time, but recognised in their proper meaning after what He indicated had taken place. Comp. Joh 2:22, Joh 12:16, Joh 21:23.
ἵνα δοξασθῇ. In two ways; because the miracle (1) would lead many to believe that He was the Messiah; (2) would bring about His death. Δοξάζεσθαι is a frequent expression of this Gospel for Christ’s Death regarded as the mode of His return to glory (Joh 7:39, Joh 12:16; Joh 12:23, Joh 13:31-32); and this glorification of the Son involves the glory of the Father (Joh 5:23, Joh 10:30; Joh 10:38). Comp. Joh 9:3; in the Divine counsels the purpose of the man’s blindness and of Lazarus’ sickness is the glory of God.
We ought perhaps to connect the special meaning of ‘glorified’ with the first clause: ‘This sickness is to have for its final issue, not the temporal death of an individual, but the eternal life of all mankind.’
It is worth noting that both the first and the last of the seven miracles of the ministry recorded by S. John are declared to be manifestations of glory (Joh 2:11, Joh 11:4; Joh 11:40) and confirmations of faith (Joh 2:11, Joh 11:15).
δι' αὐτῆς, i.e. διὰ τ. ἀσθενείας, not διὰ τ. δόξης τ. Θεοῦ.