John 11 19

John 11:19 kjv

And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

John 11:19 nkjv

And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

John 11:19 niv

and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.

John 11:19 esv

and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.

John 11:19 nlt

and many of the people had come to console Martha and Mary in their loss.

John 11 verses

John 11 19 Meaning

John 11:19 details the social setting in Bethany following Lazarus's death, highlighting that a significant number of "Jews" had already arrived to console Martha and Mary. This indicates a period of established mourning, typical Jewish custom, and sets the scene for Jesus's later arrival and the miracle of resurrection amidst a crowd of witnesses and mourners. It underscores the profound grief felt by the sisters and the community's practice of offering comfort to the bereaved.

John 11 19 Context

John chapter 11 opens with the news of Lazarus's illness, Jesus's delay in responding, and eventually his death. The narrative establishes Jesus's deep affection for the family and His deliberate intention to perform a significant sign demonstrating His power over death and solidifying faith. This verse (John 11:19) specifically details the initial phase of mourning, before Jesus's arrival in Bethany. It paints a picture of intense sorrow within the community, observed through the lens of customary Jewish mourning practices. Bethany, being only two miles from Jerusalem, explains the substantial presence of "Jews," implying influential individuals or at least a considerable number of sympathizers who would travel such a short distance to pay their respects and offer customary condolences. This gathering of mourners sets a public stage for the upcoming divine intervention.

John 11 19 Word analysis

• And (καί - kai): Connects this scene to the preceding verses, establishing continuity in the narrative flow. It introduces a description of the prevailing situation.
• many (πολλοὶ - polloi): Denotes a considerable number. This suggests the social standing of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, indicating they were a well-known or respected family, or simply reflects the customary large gatherings for mourning. This public presence amplifies the later impact of Jesus's miracle.
• of the Jews (τῶν Ἰουδαίων - tōn Ioudaiōn): In John's Gospel, this phrase sometimes refers to the Jewish authorities or those hostile to Jesus. Here, in this context, it appears to denote ordinary Jewish people from the surrounding region, likely Jerusalem, who had come to observe mourning rituals. Their presence also creates an immediate body of witnesses to the unfolding events.
• had come (ἐληλύθεισαν - elēlytheisan): This is a pluperfect tense, indicating that their arrival was completed before the time being discussed, meaning they were already present when Jesus eventually arrived in Bethany. It emphasizes the duration and depth of the mourning period already underway.
• to Martha and Mary (πρὸς τὴν Μάρθαν καὶ Μαριάμ - pros tēn Marthan kai Mariam): Directly specifies the recipients of the comfort, highlighting the sisters' central role in the mourning family and their deep personal loss.
• to console (παραμυθήσωνται - paramythēsōntai): From paramytheomai, meaning "to comfort, encourage, cheer up, soothe, offer solace." This is the precise purpose of their visit – to provide emotional and social support during a time of intense grief.
• them (αὐτάς - autas): Refers directly to Martha and Mary.
• concerning (περὶ - peri): Denotes the topic or reason for their presence.
• their brother (τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτῶν - tou adelphou autōn): Specifies Lazarus, emphasizing the familial loss that brought about this gathering and sorrow.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And many of the Jews": Establishes a substantial and specific segment of society was present, underscoring the public nature of the bereavement and the custom of community support in sorrow.
• "had come to Martha and Mary": Emphasizes the destination and target of the consolers, highlighting the focus on the immediate family of the deceased. The pluperfect "had come" indicates the depth of their commitment and the established nature of the mourning period before Jesus’s arrival.
• "to console them concerning their brother": Clearly states the singular, compassionate purpose of their gathering – to offer comfort and empathy in the face of profound familial loss, in accordance with Jewish social and religious traditions surrounding death.

John 11 19 Bonus section

The close proximity of Bethany to Jerusalem (approximately two miles or fifteen stadia, as mentioned in Jn 11:18) is key to understanding the large number of "Jews" present. It meant that not only relatives and local friends, but also prominent religious leaders and other city dwellers could easily come to console the family, participating in the shiv'ah (seven-day mourning period). This social convention, observed in this verse, indicates the deep-rooted cultural expectation for communal support during death, providing a backdrop against which Jesus's supernatural act of bringing Lazarus back to life would be widely attested and recognized by a diverse audience, some of whom would undoubtedly convey the news back to the Jewish council, influencing their subsequent actions against Jesus.

John 11 19 Commentary

John 11:19 serves as a crucial stage-setting verse in the Lazarus narrative. It highlights the established nature of Jewish mourning rituals, specifically the practice of community members gathering to offer comfort to the bereaved. The presence of "many of the Jews" underscores the public gravity of Lazarus's death and sets up a significant crowd of witnesses for Jesus's impending miracle. This public grief, shared among a large group, heightens the human tragedy that Jesus will encounter and dramatically reverse, demonstrating His ultimate authority over death in a visible and undeniable manner. The customary human consolation provides a sharp contrast to the divine, life-giving comfort Jesus is about to bring.