John 11 5

John 11:5 kjv

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

John 11:5 nkjv

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

John 11:5 niv

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

John 11:5 esv

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

John 11:5 nlt

So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus,

John 11 verses

John 11 5 Meaning

This verse succinctly states that Jesus possessed a profound, enduring love for the family in Bethany: Martha, her sister Mary, and their brother Lazarus. This declaration serves as a crucial foundational statement for understanding the extraordinary events that follow, specifically Lazarus's illness, death, and resurrection. It underscores that Jesus's subsequent actions, including His apparent delay, are not due to a lack of affection but operate within the context of His divine and purposeful love.

John 11 5 Context

John 11:5 introduces the family of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, setting the stage for one of Jesus's most pivotal and climactic signs: the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Prior to this verse, John 11:1-3 establishes that Lazarus is gravely ill, and his sisters have sent an urgent message to Jesus, emphasizing, "Lord, he whom you love is sick." Jesus's immediate response (John 11:4) is not one of panic but of purposeful clarity: "This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it."

This verse (11:5) then serves as an explicit divine commentary by the narrator, immediately preceding Jesus's counterintuitive delay in arriving in Bethany (John 11:6). In the eyes of His disciples and the Jewish cultural context, a demonstration of love and concern would naturally involve immediate action to heal a loved one. The author, John, therefore intentionally asserts Jesus's profound love before He waits for two more days, to preempt any misinterpretation of His subsequent delay as indifference. This highlights that Jesus's love is not sentimental or reactive, but rather possesses a deeper, purposeful, and sometimes challenging dimension that works towards God's greater glory. This final and greatest sign of raising Lazarus leads directly to the Sanhedrin's plot to kill Jesus, framing the subsequent passion narrative.

John 11 5 Word analysis

• Now (Δὲ - De): A transitional or connective particle, typically translated as "and" or "but." Here, it connects the previous statement about Jesus knowing of Lazarus's illness with the present affirmation of His love for the family, emphasizing continuity. It smoothly progresses the narrative.
• Jesus (Ἰησοῦς - Iesous): The central figure. This is His personal name, affirming His direct and personal involvement with this family. His very identity as "Yahweh saves" underpins the coming miracle.
• loved (ἠγάπα - ēgapā): This is the imperfect tense of the Greek verb agapao (ἀγαπάω), signifying an ongoing, continuous state of love, or love extending into the past.
  • Agapao: This specific Greek word denotes a divine, unconditional, self-giving, and purposeful love. It's distinct from phileo (φιλέω), which indicates affection or brotherly love. The use of agapao highlights the quality and depth of Jesus's affection—it's not mere fondness but a profound, committed care, characteristic of God's own love.
  • Imperfect Tense: Crucially, this tense indicates that Jesus's love for them was not a momentary feeling but an enduring reality that persisted during and through the events of Lazarus's sickness and death, directly addressing why Jesus delays and ensuring readers understand it is not due to a lack of affection.
• Martha (Μάρθαν - Marthan): The eldest sister and practical host, consistently depicted in the Gospels as concerned with duties and details. She is listed first, possibly indicating her status as head of the household, or her being the primary correspondent in sending word to Jesus.
• and (καὶ - kai): A simple conjunctive particle, linking the individuals.
• her sister (τὴν ἀδελφὴν αὐτῆς - tēn adelphēn autēs): Referring to Mary, confirmed by John 11:1-2. Mary is often portrayed as contemplative, prioritizing listening to Jesus's words.
• and (καὶ - kai): Another conjunctive particle.
• Lazarus (Λάζαρον - Lazaros): The brother whose illness prompts the narrative. His name, a Greek form of Eleazar, means "God is my help." He is the one directly afflicted and the subject of the greatest sign.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• Now Jesus loved: This phrase establishes the central character, Jesus, and His foundational disposition—His continuous, divine love. This immediate declaration preempts any potential human judgment that Jesus might not care about the impending death, setting a theological lens for the entire chapter. It directs the reader to look for a purpose behind His actions, not a deficiency of love.
• Martha and her sister and Lazarus: The naming of all three siblings emphasizes the familial unit and that Jesus's agape love embraced each one of them individually, creating a close and unique bond with this entire household. This detailed naming conveys a personal intimacy and investment.

John 11 5 Bonus section

• The fact that Jesus loved all three siblings individually highlights the relational aspect of His ministry. He formed deep, personal bonds beyond His inner circle of disciples, demonstrating His capacity for genuine human connection alongside His divine nature.
• The placement of this verse is critical; it is a narrative intervention by the evangelist, telling the reader how to understand the upcoming narrative. Without this verse, Jesus's delay might be seen as coldness or a lack of power.
• In ancient Jewish thought, immediate intervention was often expected from one with divine favor. Jesus’s delay here challenges the common assumption that divine love always equates to immediate relief from suffering. Instead, it subtly points towards a love that is transformative and often operates on a different timetable.
• This statement about Jesus's love creates a tension that is resolved through the climactic resurrection of Lazarus, which unequivocally reveals Jesus's identity as "the Resurrection and the Life." The demonstration of such power is the ultimate expression of the agape declared in this verse.

John 11 5 Commentary

John 11:5 serves as a profound interpretive key for the entire narrative of Lazarus's resurrection. By declaring Jesus's steadfast love (agape) for Martha, Mary, and Lazarus before His subsequent delay, the evangelist pre-empts any misinterpretation of Jesus's seemingly contradictory action. It immediately establishes that His actions are rooted in a deep, purposeful, divine love, not indifference or inability. This unconditional love dictates that even difficult circumstances, such as illness and death, can be integrated into God's larger plan to manifest His glory and for the Son of God to be glorified. It reassures the reader that divine love, though it may not always manifest in immediate relief according to human expectations, is always at work for a higher, redemptive purpose. It teaches us that God's delays are not denials of love but opportunities for a greater display of His power and glory. For example, similar to a parent who delays an immediate reward for a child to teach a deeper lesson or grant a greater blessing later, Jesus’s love here functions within a divine pedagogy.