What is the meaning of John 11:37? But some of them asked • The crowd at Lazarus’s tomb is mixed; some mourn, some believe, others hover in skeptical curiosity (John 11:31-33). • Scripture often records divided responses to Jesus: after the feeding of the 5,000, some followed Him for bread alone (John 6:26); at the cross, some mocked while others beat their breasts (Luke 23:48-49). • Even honest questions can carry doubt. James warns of the “one who doubts” being “like a wave of the sea” (James 1:6-8). Here the questioners are weighing evidence without full faith. “Could not this man • They recognize Jesus as “this man,” a real historical figure standing in front of them, not a distant legend (John 1:14). • Earlier, many had said, “When the Christ comes, will He perform more signs than this man?” (John 7:31), admitting His unparalleled power yet stopping short of surrendering to Him. • Their wording suggests a limit to Jesus’ reach—He is powerful, but perhaps not sovereign over every circumstance. Contrast: the centurion who believed Jesus could heal with a word “only” (Matthew 8:8-10). who opened the eyes of the blind • Direct reference to the man born blind in John 9:1-7—an undeniable, public miracle. • Isaiah foretold Messiah would “open eyes that are blind” (Isaiah 35:5). The crowd remembers prophecy yet hesitates to connect the dots. • They concede the miracle’s authenticity, underscoring the literal accuracy of both John 9 and John 11. also have kept Lazarus from dying?” • They measure Jesus’ past miracle against the current tragedy and assume prevention is the highest display of power. • Martha had voiced similar thinking: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21). • The question exposes a human tendency to limit God to our preferred timetable; yet Jesus had declared, “This sickness will not end in death but is for the glory of God” (John 11:4). • Jesus’ forthcoming action—raising Lazarus (John 11:43-44)—proves He is Lord over both sickness and death (Revelation 1:18). summary John 11:37 captures a moment of skeptical wonder: witnesses admit Jesus’ proven power yet doubt its present application. Their question highlights human limitation—believing God can do some things while questioning His will or timing in others. Jesus answers not with words but with an even greater demonstration, bringing Lazarus back to life and revealing that His glory exceeds prevention; it conquers the grave itself. |
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