John 11 3

John 11:3

ESV: So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill."

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

NIV: So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."

NKJV: Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."

NLT: So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, "Lord, your dear friend is very sick."

Meaning

John 11:3 conveys an urgent and profound plea from Mary and Martha to Jesus regarding their gravely ill brother, Lazarus. It is not a direct demand but a statement of fact, framed around Jesus' personal affection for Lazarus, implicitly appealing for His immediate and miraculous intervention. The sisters, recognizing Jesus' power and their shared bond, simply communicate the dire situation, trusting His love will compel Him to act.

Cross References

Context

John 11 begins with the report of Lazarus's illness, setting in motion a crucial series of events in Jesus' ministry. Jesus had recently left Judea due to the Pharisees' plots against Him (Jn 10:39-40), withdrawing to Perea. Bethany, home to Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, was a familiar and beloved retreat for Jesus, a place where He found rest and companionship. The sisters' act of sending a messenger reflects both the distance separating them from Jesus and their deep conviction that Jesus held the power to heal Lazarus, even from afar. This incident is presented by John not merely as a dramatic healing, but as a deliberate demonstration of Jesus' identity as "the resurrection and the life," a miracle intended to deepen faith and serve as a catalyst for the culminating events of His passion. Their direct, yet respectful, communication underscores their established relationship and profound trust in Him.

Word analysis

• Therefore (οὖν - oun): This conjunctive particle links back to Jesus' recent relocation to Perea after facing opposition in Jerusalem (Jn 10:40). It signifies that the sisters' action is a consequence of the prevailing circumstances and Jesus' known whereabouts, initiating the narrative sequence.

• the sisters (αἱ ἀδελφαί - hai adelphai): Specifically Mary and Martha, Lazarus's siblings. This plural highlights their shared concern, united hope, and collective plea. It denotes a known, intimate household context.

• sent (ἔπεμψαν - epempsan): Aorist indicative, indicating a completed action. It implies a formal and urgent dispatching of messengers, a common practice in that era to communicate over distance, underscoring the severity and immediacy they felt the situation required.

• unto him (πρὸς αὐτόν - pros auton): Directly to Jesus, indicating their sole reliance on Him as the source of potential healing.

• saying (λέγουσαι - legousai): Present participle, conveying their ongoing message through the messengers.

• Lord (Κύριε - Kyrie): This title, when addressed to Jesus, reflects respect, recognition of authority, and often a profound personal relationship. In this context, coming from close friends, it signals deep deference and acknowledgment of His unique power, blending human affection with divine reverence.

• behold (ἴδε - ide): An imperative particle, an exclamation, acting as "look!" or "pay attention!" It heightens the urgency and draws Jesus' attention specifically to the crucial fact being communicated, not as new information for an omniscient God, but as a plea for action.

• he whom thou lovest (ὃν φιλεῖς - hon phileis): This phrase is the emotional core of their appeal.

  • whom (ὃν - hon): The masculine accusative relative pronoun, referring to Lazarus.
  • thou lovest (φιλεῖς - phileis): From phileō, a Greek word denoting affectionate love, fondness, a friendly or personal bond. This is distinct from agapaō (often used for God's divine, unconditional love), which is used in Jn 11:5 to describe Jesus' love for the entire family. By using phileis, the sisters are specifically appealing to Jesus' tender, human, personal affection for Lazarus, implicitly suggesting that this particular bond should motivate an immediate and compassionate response.

• is sick (ἀσθενεῖ - asthenei): Present indicative, highlighting the ongoing and current state of Lazarus's grave illness. Astheneō means to be weak, infirm, or ailing, indicating a serious condition. The bluntness of this factual statement, coupled with the preceding appeal to love, carries significant weight and urgency.

• Words-group by words-group analysis:

  • "Therefore the sisters sent unto him": This phrase immediately establishes the setting and the source of the communication, emphasizing a desperate and intentional action stemming from Jesus' location and their pressing need. It suggests a journey, time, and forethought involved in seeking Him out.
  • "Lord, behold": This direct address combines reverence with urgency. "Lord" recognizes Jesus' authority and identity, while "behold" serves as an immediate, emphatic call to attention, signaling that what follows is of paramount importance. It's a respectful yet insistent summons.
  • "he whom thou lovest is sick": This statement is not merely informative but strategically persuasive. They don't command Jesus to come or ask Him to heal; they simply state the fact of Lazarus's sickness while crucially reminding Jesus of His unique, personal affection for their brother. This form of petition relies entirely on the strength of Jesus' relationship and love for Lazarus, believing that this bond will be enough to move Him to act without a direct request.

Commentary

John 11:3, though brief, is profoundly insightful, encapsulating a blend of human desperation and implicit faith. The sisters' decision to send a message, rather than rushing to Jesus themselves (which Mary later does when He arrives, Jn 11:29), speaks to the depth of their belief that His knowledge alone would suffice. They avoid directly commanding Jesus, which shows deep respect, instead formulating their plea around Jesus’ established affection for Lazarus ("he whom thou lovest"). This demonstrates their astute understanding of Jesus' character: they knew that His love for their brother would be the most compelling motivation for His intervention. This verse subtly foreshadows the core theological truth of the chapter: that Lazarus's illness, and indeed death, would ultimately serve to manifest the glory of God through Jesus (Jn 11:4). It presents an early example of faith appealing to the heart of Christ, confident in His benevolent response, even when His timing or method might not align with immediate human expectations.

Bonus section

• The omission of Lazarus's name in the message itself (referring to him as "he whom thou lovest") suggests a deep intimacy where the name is implicitly understood, relying on the mutual bond shared with Jesus. It's an unspoken but powerful appeal to a specific, cherished relationship.
• The sisters' messengers, not privy to Jesus' deeper divine purpose (Jn 11:4, 15), would have delivered the message expecting immediate, humanly logical action: that Jesus would rush to His dying friend. This contrast between human expectation and divine timing is a central theme of the entire Lazarus narrative.
• This message can be seen as a model for prayer, especially for intercession: respectfully informing God of a situation, relying on His love and character, rather than dictating solutions or timelines. It embodies a trust in divine love as the ultimate motivator.

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