John 11:3 — Community Reflections

JOHN 11:3 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.”

So the sisters sent word to Jesus, 'Lord, the one you love is sick' — the message from Mary and Martha is brief but theologically loaded: they address Jesus as 'Lord' (kyrios) and appeal to His love (philos, affection) for Lazarus. This intimate appeal expects immediate action, reflecting the assumption that Jesus will come quickly to heal His friend.

Church Fathers on John 11:3

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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