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JOHN 11:1 — KING JAMES VERSION 0
John 11John 11:2
“Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.”
Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha — John introduces a new sign, the raising of Lazarus, by establishing the sick man's identity, location, and social connections. Bethany is a village near Jerusalem (2 miles away, according to verse 18), and the family is already known to readers (Luke 10:38-42 context, though John will introduce them). The naming of Lazarus (Lazaros, from Hebrew Eleazar, 'God helps') is significant; this will be the seventh and climactic sign in John's Gospel.

Church Fathers on John 11:1

After our Lord had departed to the other side of Jordan, it happened that Lazarus fell sick: A certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany. In some copies the copulative conjunction precedes, to mark the connection with the words preceding. Lazarus signifies helped. Of all the dead which our Lord raised, he was most helped, for he had lain dead four days, when our Lord raised him to life.

Bede · 8th century

The resurrection of Lazarus is more spoken of than any of our Lord’s miracles. But if we hear in mind who He was who wrought this miracle, we shall feel not so much of wonder; as of delight. He who made the man, raised the man; and it is a greater thing to create a man, than to revive him. Lazarus was sick at Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. The place was near Jerusalem.

Augustine · 4th century

And as there were many women of this name, He distinguishes her by her well-known act: It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick

Alcuin · 8th century
Read all 13 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain
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