The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-07-17


Night-His Affection for Martha and
Mary and Lazarus.
John ri. 10:
/. Now a certain man was SICK, named Lazarus OF
Bethany, the town OF Mary and her sister Martha.
.. III was that Mary which anointed the Lord with
ointment, AMI wiped his feet with her hair, whose
brother Lazarus was sick.)
T. Therefore his sisters sent unto him. saying
lord behold, he whom thou lowest II sick.
g. when Jesus heard that he said, This sickness IL
not unto death. but for the glory OF God that the
Son Of God might be glorihrd thereby.
b Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister ano
Lazarus.
&. When he Ia heart therefore that he was sick
he abode two days still In the same place where he
WA
:. Then after that he sad to his disciples Let u
60 into Jnica again.
T. His disciples say unto him. Master the Jews Of
late sought 10 stone theci AMI goest taou thlthei
AGAIN.
., Jesus answered. Ar" there twelve hours In the
day. II any man walk IN the day. he stumbeth
nj, because he secth the light OF this world.
10 But II man walk In the night he stumbleth,
because there IL no light In him.
II. These things said he: ami inter that he satin
unto them, Our friend Lazarus seepeth; but go
that may awake him ont OF sleep.
~. Then said his disciples, Lord, " he sleep he
shall do well
H. HDwbcit Jesus sppkc of his death; but they
thought he had spoken OF taking ofrcst In sleep.
H. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is
dead.
Il. And am glad for your sakcs that was not
there To the intent yc may believe nevertheless Let
Us go unto him.
49, Then SAID Thomas, which IL called Didymus.
unto his fellow disciples Let ~ go also that we may
die with him.
EXPLANATORY NOTES.
Verse l. A certain man. He is not
named except in this gospel, perhaps be-
cause no was still Living when the other
gospels were written. But there is no rea-
son for supposing that the gospel writer's
considered his resurrection greater and more
noteworthy than tho other miracles. Named
lazarus A Greek form of the Hebrew
name Eeazer, "God is my help" OF Beth
any. A small village on the eastern slope
OF the Mount of Olives, about two miles
from Jerusalem. Ii is now called after the
name of Lazarus, ell Amriyeh. The town
of Mary. S,veral persons Of this name are
mentioned in tho New Testament This
Mary was not the Mary Magdalens who
first saw tho Saviour, nor "the woman
which was sinner" who anointed him
earlier in the ministry. Her sister Martha.
She il was who was ''cumbered with much
serving" during the visit OF Jesus tI.uke K
$50. The fam ly seems to have been one
Of wealth and social position, il we can
Judge by the friends at tho funeral verses
3l-t5,. tho feast, tho family tomb and
Mary's costly gift, John xii, 2, ,. ~ Notice
that the smallest place is worthy OF note If
it is the home Of friends Of Jesus.
g 1t was that Mary. Tho amounting by
Mary did not take place until after the
death and raising OF Lazarus, but it is men-
toned hero by anticipation. Which an
ointed tho Lori. This act OF love had al.
ready become widely known when Johns
gospel was ten, thus fulfilling the
prophecy OF Matthew XVI, Il ca Deeds Of
love to Christ are never forgotten. but viii
bring everlasting honor to the doer.
3 Therefore his sisters sent Knowing
that Jesus had healel others, thoy sent to
Him word Of their brothers illness He
whom thou lowest is sick. They do not ask
Jesus to come and heal his friend IL is
enough to inform Him of Lazarus illness;
the S,viour's love will read between the
lines their desire. t3) We TOO may en- 10y
the honor OF being friends Of Jesus al We
can tell to Jesus all our troubles, and feel
sure that He will help us.
4 This sickness is not unto death. He
meant that death should not be its final
result but the sisters doubtless understood
that Lazarus would recover How their
faith in Jesus must have been tried when
they saw Him diet But for the glory OF
God. Observe how often Christ points our
thoughts onward to results, when we would
look back to causes. Col would be glori- |
fled far more in the resurrection Of Lazarus
than ih his restoration to health. May we
not say tho same OF the death and resurrec.
Al. Is frtn don 10 Par
raise them up from the grave than to pre-
serve them from dying. That the Son of
God. With what calmness the Nazarene
carpenter takes TO himself this loftiest of all
names. Might b, gloritied. The raising of
Lazarus WINS to be an important link in this
chain of events leading to tho death, re ur-
rection, and ascens on of Christ, which in
Johns gospel are referred to collectively as
his being glorifled." ~ Gods glory 10
often hidden in events that bring to us sor-
row.
!. Now Jesus loved Martha The word in |
the original refers To friendship only, and |
not to an emotional affection. II is said that
he loved Lazarus w. 3, but that he was
friend TO Martha and Mary. Martha and |
her sister. The two sisters represent differ
ent types Of character, one that Of zeal and |
activity, tho other that OF eontemp alton. |
They are doubtless named here In the order
of their age, and Lazarus was younger than |
either. o. There may be genuine love for |
Christ under tho most opposite forms of |
9 When he had heard therefore There |
Is peculiar emphasis on this word there |
fore. He loved them, and therefore He de-
layed His coming; because He would come |
when He could bring them the greatest bless |
ing aud develop in them the strongest !
faith. In the same place He was at Beth |
abara, or, according to tho Rev Yer,
Bethany beyond Jordan. Most writers |
have identified this at a ford Of the Jordan |
nearly opposite Jericho. but some recent |
authorit es favor the ford Abarah, a little |
south OF the Sea. OF Galilce. "a The seeming
delays of Christ in answering our prayers
are because H. loves us. and would make |
our deliverance the more marked.
:. Then after that When his divine ON |
niscience showed him that the right moment |
for intervention had now arrived Let us
90 into Judea again. He said nothing about |
going to Bethany, and his disciples did not |
know the errand OF his journey, but sup |
posed that he IN tended to return to Jerusa-
lem.
& His disciples. Who were surprised that |
lust ns no was beginning his work IN Perea |