John 11:41-42
So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus’s act of lifting His eyes isn’t just a dramatic pose; it’s a profound, public declaration that His immense power to raise Lazarus isn't His own, but comes directly from the Father who always hears Him. This thanksgiving, spoken aloud before the crowd, serves as a crucial witness to His divine commission.
Jesus has just instructed them to remove the stone from Lazarus' tomb, despite Martha's protest that he would already be decaying after four days. With the stone now removed, Jesus prepares to perform the greatest miracle yet—raising his friend from the dead. He looks up towards heaven, not in doubt, but to publicly acknowledge that the power to perform this act comes directly from his Father, whom he thanks for hearing his prayer.
Before Jesus performs the most astounding miracle in His earthly ministry, He doesn't just jump in. He makes a public statement that reveals the source of His power.
In John 11:41, Jesus lifts His eyes and thanks the Father. This isn't just a polite formality; it's a profound declaration. The commentators highlight that Jesus, even as the Son of God, publicly acknowledges His dependence on the Father. He's demonstrating that His power isn't inherent in His human nature, but flows directly from His intimate relationship with God. This public prayer serves as a testimony to those present, assuring them that the miracle to come is a divine act, not a display of personal might.
Jesus thanks God for hearing Him. But what does this reveal about His relationship with the Father, especially in the face of death?
The phrase 'you have heard me' and Jesus's further explanation, 'I knew that you always hear me,' reveal an unbroken communion and perfect understanding between the Father and the Son. Even before Lazarus is raised, Jesus expresses gratitude, not in doubt or hope, but in certainty. This isn't a plea for permission; it's a confident acknowledgment that His will is perfectly aligned with the Father's. The commentators emphasize that Jesus's prayer was not for His own benefit or to overcome doubt, but to make the divine power evident to the onlookers.
Understand the original words
Patēr · Greek Noun
The title Jesus uses for God, emphasizing the intimate, familial relationship he has with the Father as the unique Son, and inviting believers into a relationship of trust and dependence.
eucharisteō · Greek Verb
The act of recognizing, acknowledging, and verbalizing gratitude for God's goodness and sovereign actions; it is a core posture of the believer's response to God's faithfulness.
pisteuō · Greek Verb
The fundamental response of a person to the revelation of God in Christ; it involves trust, reliance, and commitment of one's whole self to Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God.
apostellō · Greek Verb
In the context of the New Testament, this signifies one sent by God with divine authority and a specific mission, culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
This event is deeply personal yet publicly witnessed. Jesus' prayer of thanksgiving before raising Lazarus highlights His constant connection to the Father and His desire for the crowd to believe in His divine mission.
c. AD 30
Jesus begins public ministry
Jesus begins His public ministry, teaching, healing, and gathering disciples. His fame spreads throughout Judea.
c. AD 30-33
Ministry in Judea and Galilee
Jesus' ministry increasingly draws the attention and opposition of religious leaders. He performs numerous miracles, including exorcisms and healings.
c. AD 33— this verse
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead
Jesus arrives in Bethany and raises Lazarus, who had been dead for four days. This event profoundly impacts witnesses and further inflames opposition.
c. AD 33
Pharisees plot Jesus' death
Following the resurrection of Lazarus, the chief priests and Pharisees convene and decide that Jesus must be put to death to prevent further upheaval.
This passage directly echoes Jesus' words here, emphasizing that the Father performs the works through Him and that His power is derived from the Father, not His own.
Luke 11:2This shows Jesus teaching His disciples to pray, framing prayer as a direct communion with 'Father,' highlighting the intimate relationship Jesus shares and models.
John 12:27-28Here, Jesus expresses His anguish and prays, 'Father, glorify your name,' demonstrating a pattern of addressing the Father directly in times of profound action and seeking divine glory.
1 Corinthians 15:45This passage speaks of Jesus as the 'last Adam' who became a 'life-giving spirit,' conceptually linking His power over death in raising Lazarus to His ultimate role in bringing life through His resurrection.
vincentJohn 11:41: "Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me."
From the place where the dead was laidOmit.
bensonJohn 11:41: "Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me."
John 11:41-43 . Then they took away the stone — As Jesus had directed; from the place where the dead was laid — From the mouth of the tomb. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, &c. — To show them who stood by, and viewed him as a mere man, from whence he derived his power; and that he did not do his miracles by any ability in his mere…
Jesus’s act of lifting His eyes isn’t just a dramatic pose; it’s a profound, public declaration that His immense power to raise Lazarus isn't His own, but comes directly from the Father who always hears Him. This thanksgiving, spoken aloud before the crowd, serves as a crucial witness to His divine commission.
Jesus has just instructed them to remove the stone from Lazarus' tomb, despite Martha's protest that he would already be decaying after four days. With the stone now removed, Jesus prepares to perform the greatest miracle yet—raising his friend from the dead. He looks up towards heaven, not in doubt, but to publicly acknowledge that the power to perform this act comes directly from his Father, whom he thanks for hearing his prayer.
Jesus has just instructed them to remove the stone from Lazarus' tomb, despite Martha's protest that he would already be decaying after four days. With the stone now removed, Jesus prepares to perform the greatest miracle yet—raising his friend from the dead. He looks up towards heaven, not in doubt, but to publicly acknowledge that the power to perform this act comes directly from his Father, whom he thanks for hearing his prayer.
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c. AD 33
Jesus enters Jerusalem for Passover
Jesus makes His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, followed by His arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection during the Passover festival.
"So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent…" — Jesus’s act of lifting His eyes isn’t just a dramatic pose; it’s a profound, public declaration that His immense power to raise Lazarus isn't His own, but comes directly from the Father who always he…
