MPV Commentary

18:1-2 The scene shifts to Bethany, where Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead four days prior. Martha, Lazarus' sister, was still reeling from the experience and struggling with doubts about her brother's restoration to life. She approached Jesus, who had come to visit them, and expressed her concerns.

18:3-4 The purpose of Jesus' visit was not just to comfort Martha but also to prepare her for what was about to happen. He loved Lazarus and his sisters, and he wanted to demonstrate his power over death once again. This time, however, it would be a public spectacle that would draw attention from the authorities.

18:5-7 Jesus' delay in coming to Bethany had been intentional, as he wanted to give the disciples an opportunity to see the glory of God at work. He also wanted to prepare them for the events that were about to unfold. The disciples, however, were unaware of what was happening and were concerned about the danger they might face.

18:8-9 Jesus' statement about Lazarus being asleep was a way of preparing Martha for the miracle that was about to take place. He knew that she had faith in him, but he also wanted to reassure her that everything would be okay.

18:10-11 Thomas, one of the disciples, expressed his concern about going back to Judea, where they would face opposition from the authorities. Jesus, however, was undeterred and told them that Lazarus was dead and that they should go back to Bethany.

18:12-14 The disciples were still hesitant, but Jesus reassured them that he was not going to be deterred by the danger. He wanted to demonstrate his power over death and show the world that he was the Son of God.

18:15-17 As they approached Bethany, Martha ran out to meet them and told them about Lazarus' condition. She also expressed her concerns about the smell of decomposition, which would be a problem for those who were about to see him.

18:18-19 Jesus reassured Martha that he was not deterred by the smell or the danger. He wanted to demonstrate his power over death and show the world that he was the Son of God.

18:20-21 The crowd that had gathered at Bethany was a mix of people who were there to mourn Lazarus' death and those who were curious about Jesus. They had heard about his miracles, but they didn't understand what was happening.

18:22-24 Martha took Jesus to the tomb, where she expressed her concerns about the smell and the danger. Jesus reassured her that he was not deterred by these things and that he would raise Lazarus from the dead.

18:25-27 The crowd followed them to the tomb, where they saw the stone covering it. Jesus told Martha to remove the stone, but she expressed her concerns about the smell.

18:28-29 Jesus reassured Martha that he was not deterred by the smell and that he would raise Lazarus from the dead. He then prayed to God, thanking him for hearing his prayer and asking him to manifest his glory through this miracle.

18:30-32 After praying, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" The crowd was amazed as Lazarus emerged from the tomb, alive and well.

18:33-35 Many people who saw this miracle believed in Jesus, but others went to report it to the Pharisees. They were afraid of what might happen if Jesus continued to perform miracles like this.

18:36-37 The Pharisees had given a command that anyone who knew where Jesus was should inform them so they could arrest him. This was their plan to get rid of him once and for all.

18:38-40 As the Passover approached, many people went up to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the feast. They were discussing whether Jesus would come to the festival or not.

18:41-42 The chief priests and Pharisees had given a command that anyone who knew where Jesus was should inform them so they could arrest him. This was their plan to get rid of him once and for all.

18:43-44 Many people were amazed by Jesus' miracles, but the authorities were afraid of what might happen if he continued to perform them. They saw him as a threat to their power and authority.

18:45-46 Some people believed in Jesus after seeing his miracles, but others went to report it to the Pharisees. The Pharisees were determined to get rid of him once and for all.

18:47-48 Caiaphas, the high priest, had prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, not realizing the significance of what he was saying. He meant that Jesus should be sacrificed to prevent a national disaster, but God used his words to predict the true purpose of Jesus' death.

18:49-50 The Pharisees were afraid of what might happen if Jesus continued to perform miracles like this. They saw him as a threat to their power and authority.

18:51-52 Caiaphas had prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, but he didn't realize the significance of his words. He meant that Jesus should be sacrificed to prevent a national disaster, but God used his words to predict the true purpose of Jesus' death.

18:53-55 The Pharisees were determined to get rid of Jesus once and for all. They had given a command that anyone who knew where he was should inform them so they could arrest him.

18:56-57 As the Passover approached, many people went up to Jerusalem to purify themselves before the feast. They were discussing whether Jesus would come to the festival or not. The chief priests and Pharisees had given a command that anyone who knew where he was should inform them so they could arrest him.