John 11:37 kjv
And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
John 11:37 nkjv
And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?"
John 11:37 niv
But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"
John 11:37 esv
But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?"
John 11:37 nlt
But some said, "This man healed a blind man. Couldn't he have kept Lazarus from dying?"
John 11 37 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| John 11:37 | "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, also have kept this man from dying?" | Luke 18:31-34 (Jesus predicts his death), John 9:6-7 (Healing the blind man) |
| Isaiah 53:3 | "He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering." | Reflects Jesus' suffering leading to death |
| Psalm 22:6 | "But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people." | Foreshadows Jesus' rejection |
| Hebrews 2:9 | "But we do see Jesus, who was made lower, for a little while than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone." | Explains the necessity of Jesus' death |
| Romans 8:28 | "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." | God's sovereign plan including Lazarus' death and resurrection |
| John 2:4 | "My mother woman why do you involve me the hour for this has not yet come." | Jesus' timing not always understood by others |
| John 7:46 | "No one ever spoke like this man," they replied." | Recognition of Jesus' unique teaching |
| John 12:10-11 | "But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him." | Shows the impact of Lazarus' resurrection |
| Genesis 50:20 | "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." | Principle of God turning evil into good |
| Acts 4:28 | "Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed." | Even rulers conspired against Jesus |
| Mark 7:37 | "People were astonished beyond measure, saying, 'He has done everything well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.'" | Amazement at Jesus' works of power |
| Matthew 11:3-6 | "Go, tell John what you see and hear: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have been cleansed of leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor." | Jesus points to miracles as validation of his mission |
| 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 | "When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?'" | Ultimate victory over death |
| John 1:14 | "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father full of grace and truth." | Jesus' divine nature behind his actions |
| John 6:19 | "When they had rowed about five or six miles across the lake, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the lake. They were terrified." | Demonstrates Jesus' power over natural laws |
| Acts 3:12-16 | Peter healing the lame man at the temple gate, attributing power to Jesus | Jesus as the source of healing and power |
| Philippians 2:5-8 | "In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus... who, even though he was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!" | Jesus' obedience to the Father's plan, including death |
| Revelation 1:18 | "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the living one. I was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades." | Jesus' ultimate authority over death |
| 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 | "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." | Reframing suffering and death in light of eternity |
| John 20:30-31 | "Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." | The purpose of Jesus' signs, including resurrection |
John 11 verses
John 11 37 Meaning
The verse records a rhetorical question posed by some of the onlookers at the tomb of Lazarus, expressing their amazement at Jesus' ability to keep Lazarus alive for a significant period, questioning why he didn't prevent his death altogether. It highlights their focus on the immediate past and their disbelief or wonder at Jesus' power extending to resurrection.
John 11 37 Context
This verse occurs in John chapter 11, a pivotal chapter detailing the resurrection of Lazarus. Jesus had intentionally delayed his journey to Bethany, knowing Lazarus was ill. Upon arrival, Lazarus had been dead and buried for four days. Mary and Martha, grieving their brother's death, meet Jesus, expressing their sorrow and their belief that if Jesus had been present, Lazarus would not have died. Jesus then proceeds to the tomb and, with a loud voice, calls Lazarus out. This verse captures the reaction of some of the Jewish crowd gathered, who marvel at Jesus' power to bring Lazarus back to life, posing this question to Jesus himself, referencing his well-known miracle of healing a man born blind (John 9). The broader context includes the escalating tension between Jesus and the religious authorities, and this miraculous event significantly bolsters the faith of Jesus' followers while intensifying the opposition from his enemies.
John 11 37 Word Analysis
- "Ought" (Gk. ēdynato): A form of the verb dynamai, meaning "to be able," "to have power," or "to be capable." It is often used to express ability, power, or potential. Here, it conveys the idea of capability or power.
- "not" (Gk. mē): A negative particle used to express a prohibition or a negative possibility.
- "this man" (Gk. houtos): A demonstrative pronoun pointing to Jesus.
- "which" (Gk. hos): A relative pronoun referring back to "this man" (Jesus).
- "opened" (Gk. ēnoixen): The aorist active indicative form of anoigō, meaning "to open," "to unclose," "to reveal." It directly references the healing of the man born blind in John chapter 9.
- "the eyes" (Gk. ophthalmous): Refers to the organs of sight.
- "of the blind" (Gk. tou typhlou): Refers to the man who was congenitally blind.
- "could not" (Gk. ouk ēdynato): A double negative, reiterating the impossibility or inability from the perspective of the questioners, contradicting the reality of Jesus' power.
- "this man" (Gk. houtos): Again pointing to Jesus.
- "also" (Gk. kai): A conjunction meaning "and" or "also."
- "have kept" (Gk. sesōkenai): The perfect active infinitive of sōzō, which means "to save," "to rescue," "to keep safe." It signifies a state of being preserved or kept alive.
- "this man" (Gk. tonouton): Referring to Lazarus.
- "from death" (Gk. apo thanatou): "From death," indicating the cessation of life.
Word Group Analysis:
- "Ought not this man... also have kept this man from death?": This entire phrase functions as a rhetorical question. The interrogative particle mē combined with ēdynato (could) and ouk ēdynato (could not) creates a rhetorical force, implying a contrast between Jesus' known ability to heal and his perceived failure to prevent Lazarus' death. The repeated use of "this man" emphasizes Jesus as the subject of their observation and their dilemma. The parallelism with the opening of the eyes of the blind underscores their familiarity with Jesus' power, making their current question a demonstration of their astonishment and perhaps subtle accusation.
John 11 37 Bonus Section
The rhetorical question, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, also have kept this man from dying?" highlights a common human tendency to evaluate spiritual leaders and divine intervention based on immediate, visible results and personal experience, rather than on God's broader, often mysterious, purposes. It demonstrates how easy it is to acknowledge power in one instance, yet doubt or question it in another when it doesn't conform to our expectations or desires. This scenario foreshadows how Jesus himself would later be perceived at the cross – if he is the Son of God, why doesn't he save himself (Matthew 27:40, 42)? The miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection was orchestrated not only to demonstrate Jesus’ power over death but also to prepare the way for His own resurrection and to expose the blindness of those who refused to see His glory. The gathering of "many of the Jews" at Bethany, witnessing this event and subsequently believing, further emphasizes its significance in the unfolding narrative of salvation history (John 11:45).
John 11 37 Commentary
This question reveals a partial understanding of Jesus' identity and mission. The questioners acknowledge his miraculous powers, specifically recalling his healing of the blind man. However, they fail to grasp the deeper theological purposes behind events, including the timing of death and resurrection. Jesus' deliberate delay and the raising of Lazarus were not simply to prevent death but to manifest God's glory and the authority of the Son over death itself (John 11:4, 40). This verse highlights the contrast between human logic and divine purpose. Jesus came not to prevent all suffering or death in this life for everyone, but to conquer death through his own sacrificial death and resurrection, offering eternal life to believers. The focus should not be on why death wasn't prevented for an individual, but on how Jesus ultimately overcomes death for all who believe in him.