John 11:44Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

O wondrous works! He who loosed the soul from the bonds of death, shattered the gates of Hades, and crushed the bronze gates and iron doors, had freed the soul from the bonds of death. Could He not also free the dead man from the burial bands? Of course He could. But He commands the Jews to untie the bands with which they had wrapped Lazarus at burial. Thus they would recognize those bands, and from what they themselves had done, be convinced that this was the very Lazarus whom they had prepared for burial. And they would know that here was Christ, come into the world by the good pleasure of the Father, having authority over life and death. To Him be glory and dominion, with His unoriginate Father and the all-holy and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Lazarus came out of the tomb. Though bound, he was already walking. He came out wrapped all around, yet his whole body was already moving. In every visible part, both hands and feet, he was wrapped in bands, according to the local custom of burial. Yet he was not yet wholly freed from death and the tomb. A new command of Jesus follows: “Loose him, and let him go.” Why did the burial clothes not fall away by themselves from one who had escaped the bonds of death? Why did they not fall from one whom the bars of the netherworld could not hold? You who bound him before, you yourselves must also free him, so that you may see once more the work of your own hands.

See verse 43.

Therefore, to the miracle of resurrection another miracle was added: that one completely bound could move.

The Lord commands that he be loosed, so that those who approached and touched him might see that it was the very same man.

“Let him go,” He says. This is because He does not love glory. He does not lead him out Himself, nor does He command him to walk with Him in order to be seen.

In the spiritual sense, although he was motionless and bound hand and foot, compressed by the bonds of his own sins, and seemed wholly inactive, yet he will hear.

Although his face was covered with a cloth, so that under the imposition of a fleshly covering he could see nothing divine, he will hear.

In short, he was in the worst condition both in activity, signified by hands and feet, and in contemplation, signified by the covered face.

Therefore, although he is in such a miserable state, he will hear: “Loose him, good Angels who serve salvation, or priests, and grant him forgiveness of sins.

Let him go, and let him proceed to the doing of good.”

Yet the use of a loud voice is very strange and unusual for Christ the Savior. Thus God the Father says of Him in one place, "He will not contend or cry out," and what follows (Mt 12:19 from Is 42:2). For the works of the true Godhead are quiet and without any tumult.

This was also true in Christ, since He is God from God by nature and in truth. What, then, shall we say when we see Him crying out loudly, contrary to His custom? Surely no one will reach such madness as to say that He departed from what was fitting, or sinned against duty.

How, then, should this be understood? This cry has a cause and a ground, which we think it necessary to state for the profit of the hearers. He makes the miracle over Lazarus a certain type of the universal resurrection of the dead. What He accomplished in one man He set forth as a beautiful image of what is universal and everywhere.

For we have believed that the Judge will come. We also think, according to the word of Paul, that there will be a voice through a trumpet (1 Cor 15:52), proclaiming resurrection to those lying in the earth. Clearly, the ineffable power of the Almighty will accomplish this deed.

For this reason the law of Moses, when depicting the feast of tabernacles, says, "Celebrate a memorial of trumpets" (Lev 23:24). Since human bodies will be restored again, and each soul will receive, as it were, its own tabernacle, a more masterly command will sound beforehand. The sign of resurrection, the trumpet of God, will resound in advance, as it is said (1 Thess 4:16).

Therefore, as an image of that trumpet, the Lord cried out loudly and publicly over Lazarus. He did not give special care to His usual manner, in order to show the image of what is awaited in the future.

So some, having utterly despaired of the power of the almighty Word of God, have the stench of deadness in the soul and dwell in the habitation of the dead. Yet they hear the voice of the Word who has come to them, and the power of Him who says, "Come out," reaches their souls. They come forth still bound with the coverings of burial cloths, for it is said that the dead man came forth bound.

This is a command befitting God and royal in authority. The Savior cries out contrary to His custom in order, through the type (τύπος) that occurred with Lazarus, to prefigure the universal resurrection and the circumstances in which it is to take place. Then the trumpet will proclaim something great (Mt 24:31), and the dead will awaken.

A similar passage says at length that the use of a loud voice is very strange and unusual for the Savior. It likewise notes that the Lord makes the miracle over Lazarus a type of the universal resurrection, and that the Savior's cry prefigures the trumpet voice at the dread judgment.

Here He neither prays nor says, "Thus says the Lord," lest He be seen among the ministers. Rather, with authority as God, He calls the dead man from the tomb. And he immediately came forth, because nothing resists God when He commands.

This was to show that the resurrection of all must occur suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye (1 Cor 15:52; cf. Rom 5:21), as it also occurred with Lazarus. He comes forth wrapped, preserving completely the appearance of a dead man for the assurance of those who saw, so that no one might say that Lazarus had not really died.

Then our Lord, so that his sins may be forgiven, says to His ministers: “Loose him, and let him go.” For “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19).

Do you not wonder how he came out bound about the feet? And do you not wonder that one who had been dead four days rose? In both the power of God was present, not the strength of the dead man. He came out and was still wrapped in bands. He was still bound, and nevertheless he came forth. What does this indicate? When you disdain to acknowledge your sin, you lie dead. And if you disdain it as much as I have said, you lie buried. But when you confess your sins, you come out. For what is it to come out, if not to reveal yourself, as though emerging from darkness? But in order that you may confess, God cries with a loud voice, that is, He calls by great grace. Therefore, when the dead man came out, still wrapped in bands, confessing and still remaining guilty, the Lord said this to His attendants so that his sins might be forgiven: “Loose him, and let him go.” What does “Loose him, and let him go” mean? What is loosed on earth will also be loosed in heaven (cf. Mt 18:18).

Look, someone will say: “What use is the Church, if one can confess and immediately come out, returning to life by the voice of the Lord?” What use is the Church to you, if you confess? It is the Church to which the Lord says, “Whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:19). Look at Lazarus. He came out bound hand and foot. He was already alive through confession, but he could not walk freely, being bound with bands. What, then, does the Church do when it is said, “What you loose shall be loosed”? The Church does the same thing that the Lord at once commanded His disciples: “Loose him, and let him go.”

Seeing its kingdom destroyed and unable to prevent it, death wept and cried out: “What overturning of my affairs is this? What wondrous union of nature is this? The dead return to life, and tombs are like the wombs of living mothers. Woe is me for my failures! Even the tombs have proved unfaithful to me with regard to the dead, and the dead, already decaying, leap out of them. They all dance in the bands with which they were wrapped, and they mock me. Those who were just now being mourned walk with those who mourned them. By showing themselves, they cancel the tragedy and leave grief to me as an inheritance. Who is this who teaches the dead to contend with death? Who recruits corpses for war against death? Who is He whose voice the prisons of the netherworld cannot endure? He merely spoke, and I cannot hold those under my power. O, in vain was the kingdom entrusted to me! O, in vain was I self-assured against the angered God!”

For the mouth of Him who by His voice called a four-day-dead man from the tomb will remain faithful to His promises. On the third day He will live again and rise. Greed also was put to shame, that greed which laid snares in the heart of Judas and sold Him for thirty pieces of silver. Judas was exposed, for he sought to sell Him neither because the Lord had made Himself God, nor because care for the poor moved him to wish the ointment sold.

So the Lord came to Bethany and raised His friend, while He gave Himself over to burial under the figure of anointing. He brought joy to Mary and Martha, and reproach to Hades and greed. To Hades, because it did not prevail over Him forever. To greed, because it did not sell Him forever. He said, “After three days I will rise” (Mt 27:63). If anyone thinks this a difficult thing, let him look at that man of four days who rose. He said something more difficult than this, so that through what He did in Lazarus, they might believe what He said about Himself.

See also the commentary on Jn 11:39.

Another, who was pleasing to Him. At His voice the dead man arose, and the bonds of Sheol did not hold him. The breath of life blew, and the corpse was raised. It was said, “Lazarus, come forth,” and he comes out. The deed followed the word. At the voice, resurrection stood forth, and the rising of the dead man did not delay. The breath of resurrection drew him out from among all the dead. As soon as the breath of command blew upon him, he rose from the tomb, even while bound. His feet were bound, yet he walked with straight and swift steps before his feet were freed from their wrappings. “Loose him, and let him go.” You see that he came out of the tomb before he was loosed. Bound, wrapped, and with his face covered, he walked without wavering. The Giver of life loosed him from death, but not from the cloths that bound him. Thus the same hands that wrapped the dead man at burial might loose him and not mock. Most wondrous are the works of our Savior, beloved! For our salvation He did all things, and He wrought according to the will of Him who rules in heaven and on earth. Praise be to Him and to Him who sent Him. To the Holy Spirit also be praise, worship, and glorification. May His mercies abide upon us, poor sinners, unto all ages!

“Jesus said to them: Loose him, and let him go.” You loose him, so that touch also may bear witness that this is not an apparition, but truly the dead man himself. “And let him go,” so that by walking with Jesus Christ the risen man would not draw gratitude and praise to Him. It was also so that those who knew him might examine him more freely. O that my mind too, buried in the tomb of the passions, wrapped in their bands, covered by the stone of insensibility, and giving off the stench of sins, might be raised by the word of the Word of God!

As it is written: “Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in Him.” See, the disciples loose one already alive, whom the Teacher raised from the dead. For if the disciples had loosed Lazarus while dead, they would have disclosed stench rather than power. From this reflection we must see that by pastoral authority we should loose those whom we know our Author gives life by raising grace. This enlivening, before the act of justification, is already known in the very confession of sin. Therefore even to this dead Lazarus it is not said, “Live,” but “Come forth.” For every sinner, when he hides his guilt within his conscience, is then hidden inwardly and concealed in his secret places. But the dead man comes forth when the sinner freely confesses his sins. Therefore it is said to Lazarus, “Come forth.” It is clearly as though this were said to everyone dead in sin: “Why do you hide your guilt in your conscience? Come forth now through confession, you who by denial hide within yourself.” Therefore, “Come forth,” dead man. That is, sinner, confess your guilt. But the disciples loose the one who comes forth, so that the pastors of the Church may turn aside deserved punishment from him who was not ashamed to confess what he had done.

"They are practicing how to be joined together, crawling like ants, because the worms have departed and the stench has left them. Alas, Jesus has truly come. Sending the stench toward us, He has made the stinking one fragrant. Henceforth the one who was rotten and ashen will arise. He will rise, saying, 'You are life and resurrection.'"

When Death heard these things, he cried out and ran. Taking Hades by the hand, they gazed together at monstrous and fearful things. The fragrance of the Son of God passes through his friend, making his body ready for the summons of the Giver of life.

He arranges his hair, weaves his membranes, joins together his inward parts, stretches out all his veins, sends blood into them again, and mends his arteries. Thus Lazarus, ready when he is called, will arise. He will rise, saying, "You are life and resurrection."

As soon as Hades and Death see all these things happening, they say to one another in suffering: "Our affairs will no longer be manifest or prevail. The tomb has become like a dye, changing decay into life.

"The tomb is reckoned as a thread, and whoever wishes cuts it without weariness and takes away whomever he wishes: brother, son, or daughter. The earthborn laugh at us. Slave together with free man, if someone wishes, he plunders us.

"Whether from heaven or from earth, he will speak one word, and at once the decayed one will arise. He will arise, saying, 'You are life and resurrection.'

"Once Elijah came from the earth, a man (3 Kgs 17). When he wished to raise the widow's son, he offered us payment for what he had eaten. He consumed the poor woman's sustenance, but we paid the price.

"The prophet was fed, but Death was twisted together with Hades when he was asked to return the little child. The tears and prayers of the hungry had sent him to death. For all the land had been destroyed by hunger and thirst, since there was no rain.

"The unmarried man brought joy to the widow, saying, 'Do you seek your son? He will arise. He will rise, saying, "You are life and resurrection."'

"The new defeat made us forget our ancient calamity. From now on Elijah, together with Elisha, has gone from us as nothing. The scars of the wounds they inflicted are found upon our skin, especially those of Elisha, who accomplished great works.

"When alive, he raised a dead man. After he had died, he snatched from death the corpse thrown upon him (4 Kgs 4; 4 Kgs 13:21). This confirmed for all that not one of the faithful dies, but he shall live.

"This is especially so when he is joined to the bodies of the holy. He will arise. He will rise, saying, 'You are life and resurrection.'"

Thus they spoke all these things, sighing and in distress over the raising of the dead man, lamenting over one another and all their possessions.

Lord on high, compassionate Father of the humble, You once raised Lazarus from the tomb as from a seat, giving life by Your voice. Grant those who were before us to see Your joyful face. Grant also to us to live the present time in peace, and to have an end pleasing to You.

Thus, whether living or dying, may we be guided by Your will. Nod, command, Lord, speak, and be willing to save us. For You will not destroy the one who loves You. Rather, You rule him while he lives and summon him when he is dead. He will arise. He will rise, saying, "You are life and resurrection."

His friend came up out of the tomb with the linen wrappings, his eyes and hands bound together. They release him who had been fettered in their hearts by envy, slander, and ears stopped like asps.

They were preparing their hands for a most unjust slaughter, that they might pour forth the innocent and righteous blood of Him who raised corpses and stopped the tears of Mary and Martha.

Incline Your ear, O God of all, and hear us as we beseech You. Snatch us away from the bonds of death. For our enemies, visible and invisible, forever surround us. They threaten to put us to death and take away our faith in the future.

Rise up, and let them all perish quickly. Let them learn that You are our God and that You pity us, as You pitied the tears of Mary and Martha.

“Jesus said to them: Loose him, and let him go.” So that the treacherous Jews could say nothing, He compels them themselves to untie Lazarus. It is as though He were saying: Untie him with your own hands, and be witnesses of the miracle. “Loose him, and let him go.” For the coming forth of one who was bound is no less wondrous a deed than the resurrection. He did this so that no one might take what was happening for an apparition. “Loose him,” so that by sight and touch you may be assured that this is he himself. “And let him go.” Let us see, He says, whether death can act against its own will. “Let him go.” For one who has only now received life needs no guide. He who recently lay in corruption can walk by himself. “Loose him, and let him go.” Let this be an image of the general resurrection, when corruption shall pass into incorruption, and all shall rise from the dust of the earth.

Only the Evangelist John recounts the raising of Lazarus. Nothing is said of it in the Gospels of the first three Evangelists. Why? Many interpreters of the Gospel have labored over this question, yet they have not given an answer that raises no objections.

It seems to us that the most satisfactory answer is supplied by the concluding words of John's Gospel: "Jesus also did many other things. If they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written" (Jn 21:25).

The Evangelist John, as is known, supplemented the Gospels of the first three Evangelists. Yet, by his own admission, even he did not describe everything that Jesus did. Therefore his Gospel too contains only brief accounts of the chief events in the life of Jesus Christ.

None of the four Evangelists intended to describe the whole life of Jesus in detail. Each wrote his Gospel for a particular circle of readers, so that they might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Jn 20:31). To attain this goal, it was enough to tell the readers of only certain miracles.

For this reason the first two Evangelists speak only of Jesus raising the daughter of Jairus. The third Evangelist supplements their accounts with the story of the raising of the son of the widow of Nain. The fourth also recounts the raising of Lazarus.

Therefore we must acknowledge that the Evangelists Matthew and Mark are silent about the raising of Lazarus for the same reason that they say nothing about the raising of the son of the widow of Nain. They considered one raising, that of Jairus's dead daughter, entirely sufficient to convince their readers that Jesus is truly the Christ, the Son of God.

They say nothing about the raising of other dead persons either, though such raisings undoubtedly occurred. Proof of this is found in the Savior's own words, cited by the Evangelists Matthew (Mt 11:5) and Luke (Lk 7:22).

When John's disciples came to Jesus and asked Him, "Are You He who is to come, or shall we look for another?" Jesus performed many miracles before them and said. "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them."

One cannot admit the supposition that Jesus commanded John's disciples to tell their teacher not only what they had seen with their own eyes and heard with their own ears, but also what they might have heard from others.

Undoubtedly, John's disciples were commanded to tell their teacher only what they themselves had witnessed as eyewitnesses. Therefore Jesus' words, "the dead are raised," prove that in the presence of John's disciples one or several dead persons were raised.

The Evangelists did not consider it necessary to speak about their raising because they had already told of Jesus' authority to raise even the dead. They considered this entirely sufficient for those for whom they wrote their Gospels, so that they might believe in Him.

“Loose him”: amazement and terror must have seized all who stood there at the sight of this miracle. But the Lord, wholly calm, as though nothing extraordinary had happened, reminds them that the risen man must be freed from the burial bands, since otherwise it is hard for him to walk. “Do you see how far He is from vainglory? He does not lead him away, nor command him to walk with Him, lest He appear vainglorious to anyone. So modest was He” (Chrysostom; cf. Theophylact).