Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
1. And one named Lazarus was sick. The Evangelist passes on to another narrative, which contains a miracle eminently worthy of being recorded. For not only did Christ give a remarkable proof of his Divine power in raising Lazarus, but he likewise placed before our eyes a lively image of our future resurrection.
We have in these verses, I. A particular account of the parties principally concerned in this story, Joh 11:1, Joh 11:2. 1. They lived at Bethany, a village nor far from Jerusalem, where Christ usually lodged when he came up to the feasts.
Commenting on John 11:1-16
Now a certain man was sick,.... Very likely of a fever; Nonnus calls it a morbid fire, a hot and burning disease: named Lazarus of Bethany; for his name, which the Ethiopic version reads "Eleazar", and the Persic version "Gazarus", See Gill on Luk 16:24; and for the place Bethany; see Gill on Mat 21:1, See Gill on Mat 21:17.