SEV Biblia, Chapter 11:19
y muchos de los judíos habían venido a Marta y a María, a consolarlas de su hermano.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - John 11:19
Verse 19. Many of the Jews came] Bethany being so nigh to Jerusalem, many of the relatives and friends of the family came, according to the Jewish custom, to mourn with the afflicted sisters. Mourning, among the Jews, lasted about thirty days: the three first days were termed days of weeping: then followed seven of lamentation. During the three days, the mourner did no servile work; and, if any one saluted him, he did not return the salutation. During the seven days, he did no servile work, except in private-lay with his bed on the floor-did not put on his sandals-did not wash nor anoint himself-had his head covered-and neither read in the law, the Mishnah, nor the Talmud. All the thirty days he continued unshaven, wore no white or new clothes, and did not sew up the rents which he had made in his garments. See Lightfoot, and see on ver. 31.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 19. And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary , etc.] Or to those that were about Martha and Mary; in order to have access to them, they came to them, and to the rest of the family; though the phrase may design them only, as the Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions read: these Jews, as appears from the context, ( John 11:18,45,46), came from Jerusalem, and might be some of the principal inhabitants; and it may be concluded, that these persons, Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, were people of note and figure; and indeed all the accounts of them here, and elsewhere, show the same; (see Luke 10:38 John 12:1-3). The end of their coming to them was to comfort them concerning their brother ; by reason of his death, as was usual with the Jews to do, after the dead was buried; for they did not allow of it before: hence that saying of R. Simeon ben Eleazar, do not comfort him (thy friend) in the time his dead lies before him. The first office of this kind was done when they returned from the grave; for it is said f491 , when they return from the grave they make rows round about the mourner, wmjnl , to comfort him, and they make him to sit, and they stand, and there never were less than ten in a row.
It was an ancient custom for the mourners to stand in their place in a row, and all the people passed by, and every man as he came to the mourner comforted him, and passed on f492 . But besides these consolations, there were others administered at their own houses, which were usually done the first week, for it is said f493 , the mourner the first week does not go out of the door of his house; the second he goes out, but does not sit, or continue in his place; the third he continues in his place, but does not speak; the fourth, lo, he is as every other man. R. Judah says, there is no need to say, the first week he does not go out of the door of his house, for behold, all come to his house, wmjnl , to comfort him.
And is was on the third day more particularly on which these consolatory visits were paid f494 : on the first day he (the mourner) did not wear his phylacteries; on the second, he put them on; on the third day, others come to comfort him.
This rule the Jews here seem to have observed, since Lazarus had been dead four days; and they were come from Jerusalem hither to comfort his sisters on account of his death. The whole of this ceremony is thus related by Maimonides f495 , how do they comfort mourners? after they have buried the dead, the mourners gather together, and stand on the side of the grave; and all that accompany the dead stand round about them, one row within another: and there is no row less than ten; and the mourners are not of the number; the mourners stand on the left hand of the comforters; and all the comforters go to the mourners, one by one, and say to them, ymh m wmjwnt , may ye be comforted from heaven: after that the mourner goes to his house, and every day of the seven days of mourning, men come to comfort him; whether new faces come, or do not, the mourner sits down at the head, (or in the chief place,) and no comforters may sit but upon the floor, as it is said, ( Job 2:13), and they sat with him on the ground: nor may they say any thing until the mourner has opened his mouth first, as it is said, ( Job 2:13), and none spake a word unto him: and it is written afterwards, ( Job 3:1), so opened Job his mouth, etc. and Eliphaz answered, ( Job 4:1), and when he nods with his head, the comforters may not sit with him any longer, that they may not trouble him more than is necessary. If a man dies, and there are no mourners to be comforted, ten worthy men go and sit in his place all the seven days of mourning; and the rest of the people gather to them; and if there are not ten fixed every day, ten of the rest of the people gather together, and sit in his place: for this business of comforting mourners was reckoned an act of great piety and mercy f496 ; and these Jews here might come, not so much out of respect to the dead, or to his sisters, as because it was thought to be a meritorious act.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 17-32 - Here was a house where the fear of God was, and on which his blessin rested; yet it was made a house of mourning. Grace will keep sorro from the heart, but not from the house. When God, by his grace an providence, is coming towards us in ways of mercy and comfort, we should, like Martha, go forth by faith, hope, and prayer, to meet him When Martha went to meet Jesus, Mary sat still in the house; thi temper formerly had been an advantage to her, when it put her a Christ's feet to hear his word; but in the day of affliction, the sam temper disposed her to melancholy. It is our wisdom to watch agains the temptations, and to make use of the advantages of our natura tempers. When we know not what in particular to ask or expect, let u refer ourselves to God; let him do as seemeth him good. To enlarg Martha's expectations, our Lord declared himself to be the Resurrectio and the Life. In every sense he is the Resurrection; the source, the substance, the first-fruits, the cause of it. The redeemed soul live after death in happiness; and after the resurrection, both body an soul are kept from all evil for ever. When we have read or heard the word of Christ, about the great things of the other world, we shoul put it to ourselves, Do we believe this truth? The crosses and comfort of this present time would not make such a deep impression upon us a they do, if we believed the things of eternity as we ought. When Chris our Master comes, he calls for us. He comes in his word and ordinances and calls us to them, calls us by them, calls us to himself. Those who in a day of peace, set themselves at Christ's feet to be taught by him may with comfort, in a day of trouble, cast themselves at his feet, to find favour with him.
Greek Textus Receptus
και 2532 CONJ πολλοι 4183 A-NPM εκ 1537 PREP των 3588 T-GPM ιουδαιων 2453 A-GPM εληλυθεισαν 2064 5715 V-LAI-3P προς 4314 PREP τας 3588 T-APF περι 4012 PREP μαρθαν 3136 N-ASF και 2532 CONJ μαριαν 3137 N-ASF ινα 2443 CONJ παραμυθησωνται 3888 5667 V-ADS-3P αυτας 846 P-APF περι 4012 PREP του 3588 T-GSM αδελφου 80 N-GSM αυτων 846 P-GPF
Vincent's NT Word Studies
19. Many of the Jews came. Rev., rightly, had come. The tense is the pluperfect. Lazarus' friendship with Jesus had not caused him to be regarded as an apostate, at whose burial every indignity would have been shown. People were even to array themselves in white, festive garments in demonstration of joy. Here, on the contrary, every token of sympathy and respect seems to have been shown.To Martha and Mary (prov tav peri Marqan kai Marian).
Literally, to those about Martha and Mary; a Greek idiom for Martha and Mary and their companions, or attendants. Compare oiJ peri Paulon, Paul and his companions (Acts xiii. 13). Somewhat analogous is our familiar idiom when we speak of going to visit a household: I am going to Smith's or Brown's, by which we include the head of the household with its members. Westcott and Hort and Tregelles, however, read prov thn Marqan k. M., to Martha and Mary. So also the Revisers' text.
