| 34:15). 7613 One would honor persons by meeting them and conducting them to their destination (e.g., 12:13; Dionysius of Halicarnassus R.A. 7.7.2; Chariton 4.7.6; Judg 4:18; 11:31,34 ; 1Sam 13:10; 16:4; 21:1; 25:32 ; cf. royal parousia contexts, e.g., 1 Thess 4:17; cf. 2Sam 19:25 ; Jdt 5:4; 7:15; Pesiq. Rab. 51:8). Certainly cities treated visiting dignitaries in this manner, and the same is probably true for visiting scholars among those who respected them (cf. Acts 28:15). Yet at least by later custom, one should not greet a mourner (p. Ber. 2:6, §3). 7616 Haenchen, John, 2:61. Others regard her faith as inadequate; «any Pharisee could have said this» (Fenton, John, 122). 7619 Cf. similarly Koester, Symbolism, 109. On the soul " s immortality, see, e.g., Sir 9:12 ; Josephus War 1.84; 2.154–155, 163; 7.341–348; Ant. 17.354; 18.14,18; Philo Abraham 258; Moses 2.288; T. Ab. 1:24–25A; 4:9; 9:8B; Ps.-Phoc. 108; Apoc. Mos. 13:6; 32:4; 33:2; Jos. Asen. 27:10; Wolfson, Philo, 395–413. For exceptions, see 1Macc 2:63; Josephus Ant. 18.16. 7620 Malzoni, «La résurrection,» prefers the shorter reading «I am the resurrection» (following some Old Syriac witnesses); the textual tradition would more likely be expansive here, and the omission has significant and early geographic range. The longer reading is more widely attested from the beginning, however (cf. Metzger, Commentary, 234). In either case, «life» is implicit in «resurrection» and «lives.» 7621 «Not die» makes «live» more emphatic (e.g., L.A.B. 23:10; see comment on 8:51), but it deals with the question of eternal life, not the question of Lazarus " s physical raising central to the narrative itself (unless to say that Lazarus " s physical state was irrelevant to his eternal life; cf. Gamble, «Philosophy,» 55; 1 Thess 4:13–14). 7622 Such foreshadowing made sense in a Jewish framework, e.g., Pesiq. Rab Kah. 9:4. John elsewhere uses «tomb» only for that of Jesus (19:41–20:11) or the dead he will raise (5:28). Derrett, «Lazarus,» infers a connection, probably anachronistically, between Lazarus " s resurrection and Moses bringing water from the rock (based on later Roman catacomb paintings). |
| 7562 2. The Request (11:1–6) In this account Jesus does his Father " s will, recognizing what such obedience will cost him; as in previous narratives (e.g., 4:4), Jesus» movements follow divine necessity, and thereby provide a model for the believer (cf. 3:8, though it explicitly refers only to the origin and destination). In 7:1–10 others close to Jesus sought to persuade him to go to Jerusalem, but Jesus objects. In 11:1–16, Jesus announces that he is going in spite of his disciples» objection; the contrast between the narratives stems from the fact that in 7:1–10, Jesus» time had not yet come (7:6); now his «hour» is arriving. 7563 Ancient writers sometimes assumed knowledge shared by their readers when recounting something commonly known; given the wide circulation of the Synoptics, undoubtedly the anointing at Bethany was such an incident ( Mark 14:3, 9 ). 7564 That Bethany is identified as the village of «Mary and her sister Martha» but that Lazarus " s identity must be explained suggests that Mary and Martha are already known to the audience. Further, «Lazarus is wholly passive and silent,» making his sisters the main characters of this narrative and their faith the primary issue. 7565 Martha (11:1,5:12:2) was an uncommon but sufficiently attested Jewish name in this period, 7566 including in the Diaspora; 7567 Eleazar is a more common Jewish name, sometimes occurring in transliteration in Greek 7568 and sometimes occurring in an alternative Greek form, Lazarus (11:1). 7569 Because Mary, Martha, and Eleazar (sometimes «Lazarus» in Greek) appear together among names in a burial cave in Bethany, some suspect that these may be the friends of Jesus mentioned in this narrative. 7570 John shows no clear knowledge of the story in Luke 10:38–42, which independently and earlier attests Mary and Martha as friends of Jesus in a village. lohn also writes about Mary " s anointing of Jesus» feet (12:1–8) as if his audience already knows that a particular Mary anointed Jesus» feet (11:2), evidencing pre-Johannine tradition on this count even though that tradition is no longer extant outside this Gospe1. |
| Jesus» tears (11:35) would be considered pious as well as compassionate. 7642 As noted above, Jewish people considered sharing in others» lamentation a religious duty. But showing lavish emotion at the appropriate time, especially grief over bereavement, was considered praiseworthy behavior throughout the ancient Mediterranean world 7643 and could move an audience. 7644 Ancient writers would describe a herós tears for others» pain as part of his praiseworthy behavior, 7645 or the tears of those who loved and sacrificed themselves for others. 7646 (Many philosophers and moralists, who counseled against the value of grief, proved to be the exception; 7647 some others shared their perspective, 7648 though this was probably more often a stereotypical counsel than a genuine expectation. 7649 Brave heroes might also hold out against tears, refusing to be deterred from a mission.) 7650 One might weep out of sympathy for others» grief, though not grieving for the situation itself (e.g., Ps.-Callisthenes Alex. 2.21); thus Moses, initially not mourning over his own imminent death, was said to have been moved to tears by his people weeping so much over it (Josephus Ant. 4.321). 7651 That this tradition about Moses was widely known is not likely; that it reflects broader feelings in the milieu about the heroic protagonist " s tears is virtually certain. It is thus not surprising that those who have come to mourn with Mary recognize that Jesus cared deeply for Lazarus (11:36; cf. 11:5). That John contrasts some «others» (11:37) with those who praised his love (11:38) suggests that the latter group, while perhaps recognizing his love, doubted his power to have changed the situation. Some scholars suspect that this is the reason for Jesus» possible «anger» in 11(see comment on 11:33). 6. The Miracle (11:38–44) Lazarus " s rescucitation prefigures Jesus» resurrection for the Fourth Gospel, and parallels of language between the two are more than fortuitous, such as the stone (11:38; 20:1), the essential role of a woman close to the deceased (11:39; 20:1–18), and the wrappings (11:44; 20:6–7). Nevertheless, the primary purpose of the parallels may be to draw attention to the equally explicit contrasts between the two. In Lazarus " s case, people must remove the stone (11:39), but Jesus» resurrection produces an immortal body following a different order of existence (cf. 1Cor 15:42–44 ; Phil 3:21 ); his resurrection may leave the grave clothes untouched (20:5, 7) and allows him to enter closed rooms (20:19, 26). 7652 |
| Many of the bystanders responded in faith (11:45; cf. 11:15,40); the language suggests that the majority did so. 7676 (On the significance of such signs-faith, see comment on 2and related texts.) That John calls the bystanders «the Jews» indicates his continuing confidence that even among those who constitute the primary opposition (see introduction on «the Jews»), faith remains possible. Although it is not part of his purpose to emphasize it, John may even share the earlier Christian optimism in an eschatological repentance of his Jewish people ( Rom 11:26 ). 7677 But the specter of rejection remains, for some of the bystanders took word to the authorities that Jesus was again in Judea and doing signs that were influencing others» opinions ( John 11:46 ). In an analogous setting in the Fourth Gospel, a report about Jesus» signs directed toward the elite is intended not as witness (as in 7:46; 9:30–33) but as betrayal (5:15–16); given the equally immediate hostile response, such is probably in view here. New Testament miracle stories frequently include rejection, but nearly all other ancient miracle stories lack this element, although its converse, acclamation, is common. 7678 The motif of rejection or persecution after miracles 7679 undoubtedly stems from the ministry of Jesus and/or the experience of his earliest followers. 2. The Elite Plot Jesus» Death (11:47–53) The plot of the leaders (11:47–53) fittingly follows the Lazarus narrative (11:1–44); Jesus is the resurrection and the life, but to give Lazarus life must set his own in danger (11:8, 16). In this epitome of Johannine irony, Jesus would die on behalf of others (11:50). 7680 2A. Historical Plausibility Mark also draws on a tradition in an earlier passion narrative in which leaders plot against Jesus ( Mark 14:1–2 ), very likely in response to his demonstration and teaching in the temple earlier that week ( Mark 11:15–18 ). In John, the demonstration in the temple opens Jesus» public ministry, framing it with the ethos of the passion week and the Jerusalem leaders» hostility. In John, the immediate precedent and provocation for the final plotting is Lazarus " s resuscitation. Because this was Jesus» climactic sign before the cross, it suggests a rejection of his whole public ministry (1:11). 7681 |
| The present description of the report of Lazarus " s raising (12:17), like the account of Lazarus " s raising itself, somewhat resembles the description of the future resurrection (5:28: μνημεον; φωυ/φωνω), functioning as a public advance notification of that day. Those who had believed (11:44) now functioned as witnesses (12:17), which fits John " s paradigm for discipleship. The interest of the crowds (12:18) again shows that John recognizes the diverse Jewish responses to Jesus; his «enemies» are not his fellow Jews, but the «Pharisees» (12:19). That the Pharisees tell one another, «You are doing no good» (12:19), is vintage Johannine irony; 7829 they mean, «We have proved ineffective in stopping Jesus» («profit nothing,» as in 6:63), but they actually comment on their own deficit of righteousness. Further, their complaint about «the world» is telling; they may mean «the rabble,» but their words become an unintended prophecy (cf. 11:51) of Gentiles turning to Jesus (12:20; cf. 11:48), 7830 which must have been compounding the offense of Christianity for the enemies of John " s audience. 7831 As in 11:48, their words are also exaggeration on a literal level even for John; every member of the world follows Jesus no more than every individual already honors the Father (5:23); John is not a universalist. But the word becomes widespread and crosses all boundaries of culture and geography. Gentiles and the Cross (12:20–36) The rest of the chapter (12:20–50) moves directly into the passion. 7832 The Pharisees had unwittingly prophesied the coming of Gentiles to Jesus (12:19); proleptically this coming begins in 12:20–21. The coming of Gentiles (12:20–21) marks the final prerequisite for the «hour» of Jesus» glorification (12:23). 7833 1. The Coming of Gentiles? (12:20–22) John could intend Diaspora Jews here, 7834 perhaps as representatives of the Gentiles. 7835 More likely, however, John has Gentile Greeks in view (see comment on 7:35); 7836 as Brown points out, nothing less dramatic than «the understanding that the first Gentiles have come to Jesus explains his exclamation that the hour has come» (12:23). 7837 Many Diaspora Jews did come to the feasts (Josephus War 5.199), though probably not frequently. 7838 But many interested Gentiles would also attend; 7839 most of these would have been «God-fearers,» a widely attested class of Gentiles interested in Judaism. 7840 Probably a fairly large percentage of the visiting Greeks would be from the region, especially from Syria and the Decapolis. 7841 |
| 7542 It is even possible that Mark may have suppressed the story to protect Lazarus and his sisters, who still lived near Jerusalem. 7543 If the story was originally part of the passion narrative, one might expect protective anonymity, as in the case of some other disciples who figured prominently in it (e.g., Mark 14:51–52 ); 7544 but in this instance the story was well-known enough that drawing attention to it, even anonymously, could have caused trouble for the family ( John 12:10–11 ). By contrast, if the story was not originally part of the passion narrative, Mark is no more obligated to report this event than the resuscitation at Nain (Luke 7:11–17; Q mentioned multiple raisings, Matt 11:5/Luke 7:22) or dramatic healings such as the centurion " s servant (Matt 8:5–13/Luke 7:1–10). If the early passion narrative or, alternatively, Mark, suppressed or simply omitted the story, Matthew and Luke may not have known of it or may not have understood it as critical to the movement of the story in the way John does. John " s community does seem to have already known of Mary " s involvement in the final anointing of Jesus (see comment on 11:2). A number of scholars have concluded that the story probably has a historical core. 7545 As difficult as it is to distinguish tradition and redaction anywhere in this Gospel, including in this narrative, 7546 Meier provides convincing evidence that the Lazarus story goes back to John " s tradition, though it was originally a brief story unrelated to Jesus» passion. Hence he does not regard it as surprising that the Synoptics omit it. 7547 By all critical approaches other than a philosophical predisposition against it, traditions indicate a popular belief that at least on some occasions Jesus raised the dead. 7548 It may be significant that third-century rabbis acknowledged these raisings but attributed them to necromancy; 7549 they may, however, well be responding to later Christian claims from the Gospels rather than to the traditions behind the Gospels. |
| 7562 Interestingly, later rabbis also relate Jesus» execution to his miracle-working, there called magic (b. Sanh. 43a), as Stauffer, Jesus, 103, points out; but the tradition is late and may well be secondary on this point. 7564 Xenophon Cyr. 7.2.15 assumes his audiencés knowledge of the common story of Croesus and the Delphic oracle (cf. Herodotus 1.46–48; Xenophon does this elsewhere, cf. Brownson, «Introduction,» x); 2 Chr 32seems to assume knowledge of the story preserved in 2 Kgs 20:12–21. 7566 On a Jerusalem ossuary, see CJ/2:264, §1261; 2:265, §1263; 2:290, §1311. See also Sipre Deut. 281.1.2. 7569 E.g., CI] 2:139, §935; 2:140, §938. Lazarus also appears in Hebrew [CP] 3:183), but Λζαρος explicitly translates , Eleazar, in CIJ2:123, §899 (undated, from Joppa in Palestine). Vermes, Jesus the Jew, 190–91, argues that «Lazarus» is a Galilean form because Galileans typically dropped the open-ing gutteral in Aramaic. By this period, however, the form was probably more widely distributed. 7570 Yamauchi, Stones, 121; cf. Finegan, Archeology, 240. For a more contemporary excavation re-port of a Second Temple period tomb from Bethany, see Loffreda, «Tombe» (also including Byzantine data); the hospitium of Martha and Mary in Bethany is Byzantine (Taylor, «Cave»). 7571 Witherington, Women, 104; Haenchen, John, 2:57. There is no need to see the verse as a later addition to the text (cf. 1:40); it may point the reader forward to Jesus» passion (ODay, «John,» 685–86). 7572 Theissen, Stories, 49, cites, e.g., Acts 9:36; h. Ber. 34b; Lucian Philops. 11; Philostratus Vit. Apol1. 4.10. 7577 So Malina and Rohrbaugh, John, 195, noting that he also missed the funeral (though messengers would not have reached him in time to announce this). 7579 Burial on the day of death was the Jewish custom (Watkins, John, 259; cf. 11:17, 39; Acts 5:6–10). 7580 Barrett, John 391; Morris, «Jesus,» 42. The trip from the Jordan plain (10:40) to the hills around Bethany (11:1) would take longer than the downhill trip from Bethany to the plain; Bethany is nearly 2,700 feet above sea level, and the Jordan plain roughly 1,100 feet below it (LaSor, Knew, 51). |
| 7581 Haenchen, John, 2:58, cites the «narrow, stone-strewn paths» in much of Palestine, apart from Roman roads. Having depended heavily on flashlights for traversing such paths in the dark in rural Nigeria, I can testify to the difficulties where lighting was unavailable. 7582 Outsiders to the community naturally walked in darkness, i.e., did evil (1QS 4.11). Tannaim could apply an expression such as «The fool walks in darkness» ( Eccl 2:14 ) to the theologically foolish, e.g., those who did not consistently agree with one of the Pharisaic schools (f. c Ed. 2:3). 7584 Brown, John, 1:423. Ancients debated whether light entered or came from the eye (cf. Aristotle On Sense and Sensible Objects 2, 438ab; Aulus Gellius 5:16; Diogenes Laertius 9.7.44; Plutarch T.T. 1.8.4, Mor. 626C; Jos. Men. 6:6/3; cf. Allison, «Eye»; perhaps Matt 6:22–23). 7585 See Bernard, John, 2:378. Nevertheless, the claim that Lazarus was merely nearly dead (Bretherton, «Lazarus») violates the story line (11:39) and its theology (11:25). 7587 Where it is one of the most frequent expressions: CIJ 1:8, §3; 1:12, §17; 1:17–19, §§16–20; 1:21, §24; 1:26, §35; 1:28, §37; 1:31, §44; 1:34, §50; 1:37, §55; 1:39, §§62–63; 1:41, §69; 1:56, §81; 1:59, §85; 1:60, §86; 1:62, §88; 1:63, §90; 1:65, §92; 1:66, §93; 1:67, §95; 1:70, §99; 1:71, §100; 1:72, §102; 1:73, §103; 1:74, §105; 1:75, §106; 1:76, §109; 1:78, §111; 1:81, §117; 1:84, §121; 1:90, §129; 1:92, §131; 1:92,§132; 1:95,§136; 1:96, §137; 1:97, §138; 1:102,§144; 1:103,§145; 1:104,§146; 1:105, §147; 1:107, §149; 1:109, §151; 1:110, §152; 1:111, §154; 1:113, §§156–157; 1:114, §159; 1:118–19, §167; 1:121–22, §169; 1:121, §171; 1:124, §172; 1:130, §180; 1:131, §§184–185; 1:135, §192; 1:195, §277; 1:202, §286. 7588 CIJ 1:144–45, §206; 1:149, §210; 1:150, §212; 1:160, §224; 1:162, §228; 1:187–88, §265; 1:338, §458; 1:473, §658; 1:473, §659 (with Hebrew also); 1:473, §660. But some Latin inscriptions have this stereotypical phrase in Greek (CIJ 1:163, §229; 1:166, §222; 1:338, §459; 1:342–43, §464; 1:384, §523). |
| The Holy Fire is brought to Russia from Israel every year since 2003. This year it will be taken for the first time to Crimea, a former Ukrainian region that became a part of Russia last month. Every Orthodox church in Russia holds Paschal liturgies on the night of Holy Saturday that last well into Easter morning. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, who heads the Russian Orthodox Church, will lead the divine service in downtown Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral, traditionally attended by top Russian officials. Preparation for Easter celebrations begins in the Russian Orthodox Church on Holy Saturday – the last day of Holy Week, also known in Russia as Passion Week. On that day, people come to churches in great numbers to have paschal cakes and eggs blessed by priests. In Eastern Christianity, the Holy Saturday is the mournful day on which Christians bewail the Jesus Christ, who died on the cross on Good Friday. The Easter divine service starts shortly before midnight. At midnight, the solemn festive procession with crosses and icons starts, with priests and believers going around the church and glorifying the Resurrection. The procession is often attended by nonbelievers attracted by its splendor. The service lasts into the early hours of Sunday. The Resurrection of the Savior symbolizes his victory over sin and death and the birth of a new world redeemed by his Passion. This year, it is marked by the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic churches on the same day, which sometimes happens although the churches use different calendars. Easter is preceded by a long period of fasting. The fasting period before Easter in Eastern Christianity lasts 48 days. The first 40 days of the period are called Great Lent, symbolizing Jesus spending 40 days in the wilderness before being tempted by Satan. In the Orthodox tradition, all days are included into the day count. The 40 days are followed by Lazarus Saturday, commemorating Jesus raising Lazarus of Bethany from the dead, and Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem, and then by Holy Week, the last week of the fasting period. |
| возношение святых даров – anaphora возрождение – renewal; Renaissance воинство небесное – heavenly host волхвы – the magi волюнтаризм – voluntarism волюнтарист – voluntarist волюнтаристский – voluntarist вонмем – let us attend воплощать – to incarnate воплощение – incarnation воплощённый – incarnated воскресать – to resurrect воскресение Господне – the Resurrection воскресенье – Sunday, the Lord’s Day, First Day, Dominical Day воскресенье Лазаря – Sunday of Lazarus воскресенье отец первого вселенского собора – Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council воскресенье праотцев христовых – Sunday of the Holy Ancestors of Christ воскресенье святых отец – Sunday of the Holy Fathers воскресенье святых отец первых шести вселенских соборов – Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the First Six Ecumenical Councils воскресенье седьмого вселенского собора – Sunday of the Seventh Ecumenical Council воскресная школа – Sunday school воскреснувший – resurrected воскресный – Sunday, dominical воскрешать – to bring to life, to revive воскрешение Лазаря – raising of Lazarus воспевать – to praise восприемник – godfather; sponsor восприемница – godmother восприемничество – adoption by baptism восприемный – baptismal воцерковление – churching (of women) впадать в искушение – to yield to temptation враг – foe, enemy враг рода человеческого – arch-foe, arch-enemy вражда – hostility, enmity врата – doors врата ада – gates of hell времена апостольские – the apostolic age вручать душу Богу – to commend one’s soul to God всадник апокалипсиса – the apocalyptic horseman Всеведующий – the All-knowing Всевышний – the Highest, the Almighty, the Most High God Вседержитель – the Sovereign God, Pantocrator Всезнающий – the All-knowing вселенская суббота – Great and Holy Saturday Вселенская церковь – the Universal Church вселенский собор – ecumenical council Всемирная ассоциация христианских основ – World Christian Fundamentals Association Всемирная евангельская миссия – World Gospel Mission Всемирная лига домашней Библии – World Home Bible League |
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