John 11:37 (WEB)
Some of them said, “Couldn’t this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have also kept this man from dying?”
Fathers and councils · 29
Cyril of Jerusalem
“Lazarus died: one day had passed, and a second, and a third: his sinews were decayed, and corruption was preying already upon his body.” — editor's note: John xi. 14–44.
Read the whole comment
John Chrysostom
“…for there were many of His enemies, who said, “Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?” ( ver. 37 ); but cast out all mortal things in the presence of her Master, and was given up to one thing only, the honor of that Master.” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment
Augustine of Hippo
“…Arise;” and when on another occasion He groaned in the spirit, and wept, and again groaned, and then afterwards “cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.”” — editor's note: John xi. 33–44.
Read the whole comment
Catena Aurea on John
- John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Christ did not answer Mary, as He had her sister, on account of the people present. In condescension to them He humbled Himself, and let His human nature be seen, in order to gain them as witnesses to the miracle:…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
For who but Himself could trouble Him? Christ was troubled, because it pleased Him to be troubled; He hungered, because it pleased Him to hunger. It was in His own power to be affected in this or that way, or not.…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
To prove His human nature He sometimes gives it free vent, while at other times He commands, and restrains it by the power of the Holy Ghost. Our Lord allows His nature to be affected in these ways, both to prove…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
And said, Where have ye laid him? He knew where, but He asked to try the faith of the people.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
He did not wish to thrust the miracle upon them, but to make them ask for it, and thus do away with all suspicions.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
The question has an allusion too to our hidden calling. That predestination by which we are called, is hidden; and the sign of its being so is our Lord asking the question: He being as it were in ignorance, so long…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
He had not yet raised any one from the dead; and seemed as if He came to weep, not to raise to life. Wherefore they say to Him, Come and see.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
The Lord sees when He pities, as we read, Look upon my adversity and misery, and forgive me all my sin. (Ps. 24:18.) Jesus wept.
Read the whole comment - Alcuin of YorkCatena Aurea on John
Because He was the fountain of pity. He wept in His human nature for him whom He was able to raise again by His divine.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Wherefore did Christ weep, but to teach men to weep?
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on John
It is customary to mourn over the death of friends; and thus the Jews explained our Lord’s weeping: Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Loved him. Our Lord came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. And some of them said, Could not this Man which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? He was…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
It was His enemies who said this. The very works, which should have evidenced His power, they turn against Him, as if He had not really done them. This is the way that they speak of the miracle of opening the eyes of…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
And do thou too groan in thyself, if thou wouldest rise to new life. To every man is this said, who is weighed down by any vicious habit. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. The dead under the stone is the guilty…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on John
A cave is a hollow in a rock. It is called a monument, because it reminds us of the dead. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
But why did He not raise him without taking away the stone? Could not He who moved a dead body by His voice, much more have moved a stone? He purposely did not do so, in order that the miracle might take place in the…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Take ye away the stone; mystically, Take away the burden of the law, proclaim grace.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Perhaps those are signified who wished to impose the rite of circumcision on the Gentile converts; or men in the Church of corrupt life, who offend believers.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, though they had often seen Christ raise the dead, did not fully believe that He could raise their brother; Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto Him, Lord, by…
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
Martha said this from weakness of faith, thinking it impossible that Christ could raise her brother, so long after death.
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on John
Or, these are not words of despair, but of wonder.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
Thus every thing tends to stop the months of the unbelieving. Their hands take away the stone, their ears hear Christ’s voice, their eyes see Lazarus come forth, they perceive the smell of the dead body.
Read the whole comment - Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on John
Christ reminds Martha of what He had told her before, which she had forgotten: Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
She did not remember what He said above, He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. To the disciples He had said, That the Son of God might be glorified thereby; here it is the glory of the…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on John
Herein is the glory of God, that he that stinketh and hath been dead four days, is brought to life again. Then they took away the stone.
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on John
The delay in taking away the stone was caused by the sister of the dead, who said, By this time he stinketh, for he hath been dead four days. If she had not said this, it would not be said, Jesus said, Take away the…
Read the whole comment
Cross-references · 1
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on John 11:33–41 (3) (Catena Aurea).