Study Desk

Large numbers of people also came to Him. Their report was, "John did not work any miracle, but all that John said about this Teacher was true."

Jesus received the message and said, "This illness is not to end in death, but is to promote the glory of God, in order that the Son of God may be glorified by it."

But if a man walks by night, he does stumble, because the light is not in him."

He said this, and afterwards He added, "Our friend Lazarus is sleeping, but I will go and wake him."

Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought He referred to the rest taken in ordinary sleep.

"Lazarus is dead; and for your sakes I am glad I was not there, in order that you may believe. But let us go to him."

Martha, however, as soon as she heard the tidings, "Jesus is coming," went to meet Him; but Mary remained sitting in the house.

Now Jesus was not yet come into the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met Him.

But others of them asked, "Was this man who opened the blind man's eyes unable to prevent this man from dying?"

I know that Thou always hearest me; but for the sake of the crowd standing round I have said this--that they may believe that Thou didst send me."

But one of them, named Caiaphas, being High Priest that year, said, "You know nothing about it.

It was not as a mere man that he thus spoke. But being High Priest that year he was inspired to declare that Jesus was to die for the nation,

and not for the nation only, but in order to unite into one body all the far-scattered children of God.

Therefore Jesus no longer went about openly among the Jews, but He left that neighbourhood and went into the district near the Desert, to a town called Ephraim, and remained there with the disciples.

So they gave a dinner there in honour of Jesus, at which Martha waited at table, but Lazarus was one of the guests who were with Him.

The reason he said this was not that he cared for the poor, but that he was a thief, and that being in charge of the money-box, he used to steal what was put into it.

But Jesus interposed. "Do not blame her," He said, "allow her to have kept it for the time of my preparation for burial.

For the poor you always have with you, but you have not me always."

Now it became widely known among the Jews that Jesus was there; but they came not only on His account, but also in order to see Lazarus whom He had brought back to life.

The meaning of this His disciples did not understand at the time; but after Jesus was glorified they recollected that this was written about Him, and that they had done this to Him.