John 11:1 Commentary and Bible Study

In this chapter, John records what is undoubtedly the greatest of Christ’s sign miracles – the raising of Lazarus. There is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, under threat of death from the leaders of the Jews – the scribes and the Pharisees – it was now official, there was now the word out that he should be located and arrested, and that he should be put to death. And he comes back into the region and, almost under the noses, as it were, of the authorities, demonstrates his mighty power in bringing Lazarus back to life. Bethany was some two miles from Jerusalem. Although we are told in verse 18 that it was ‘the town of Mary and her sister Martha’, it was more of a large village, a small town, some two miles away from Jerusalem.