John 11:38

Followeth, to ver. 43. the antecedents of the miracle, after Christ was come to the grave; which are, his rebuke of Martha’s unbelief which burst forth when he commanded to take away the stone upon the grave, ver. 39, 40. and his publike thanksgiving to the Father, after the stone was taken away, ver. 41, 42.

Unto these is premitted, in this verse, 1. A declaration of his exercise in coming to the grave; He again groaned in himselfe; Partly, out of indignation at their unbeleeving cavils, ver. 37. which he digested without answering. But chiefly, this flowed from his sympathy and affection, which still continues, and is renewed at the sight of the grave; And it seems also that his praying, of which he gives so comfortable an account, ver. 41. drave him to these groans. For his prayers were very ardent, and he had hard exercise in them, Heb. 5.7. that he might be a fellow-feeler with all who tread these steps. 2. There is premitted, a description of the grave, which seems to be marked, chiefly, as an introduction to the following command, to take away the stone. Doctrine, 1. Christ our Lord was very serious in the works of his calling, and could be very serious about them, even in the midst of outward distractions; for, in the midst of all this company, and while he is walking on in the way, he is exercised till he groan again. 2. Christs compassion and sympathy is not an evanishing passing thing, but will continue toward the needy, till they get their issue; for, he ceaseth not his groaning, but groaned again, in sympathy and prayer, till the work be done. 3. The unbelief of men, when Christ is about to do great things, is a grievous burden to him; for, this groaning again, relates also to their unbelief, who were to be witnesses of this miracle, as is before marked. See Mark. 6.5, 6. 4. Whatever be the desert of unbelief, yet Christ will not alwayes be hindred by it to do good to the needy; But he will bear it as a part of our misery, and yet go on to his work; for, he groaned in himselfe for it, and so cometh to the grave. 5. As decent and ordinary burial is in it selfe a mercy, and it is a judgement upon the wicked, to want it, Jer. 16.4. and 22.18, 19. So in the way of burial, there is no respect to be had to superstitious conceits, nor yet to pompe and vain glory, but only that the dead be removed out of the sight of the living, Gen. 23.4. and that their bodies be secured against external violence and injury, as being closed upon hope of a resurrection; Therefore, it is marked of Lazarus burial place, that it was only a cave, and a stone lay upon it, that his body might not be violate nor injured.