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 you that you have heard me.
All Commentaries on John 11:41 Go To John 11
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
Then they took away the stone. Which being taken away, the corpse of Lazarus, fetid and decaying, appeared; so that it was evident to all that he was really dead, and that Christ brought his very body, just as it was, before God by prayers, and presented it to be raised up.
And Jesus lifted up His eyes. To God the Father, that He might teach us to raise our eyes and still more hearts to God in heaven when we pray. S. John Damascene (in Canten) adds, that Christ looked up to heaven, as to His own land, to signify that He had come thence upon earth.
And said, Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me. Hence some think that Christ when He groaned in spirit (Ver33) besought the Father, mentally, to raise up Lazarus, and received an answer from Him that Lazarus was to be raised up by Him; and that therefore Christ says here, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me. This is probable.
But evidently it is as if He had said: I thank Thee, 0 Father, because Thou hast always and constantly hitherto heard Me when I prayed, and especially now, when, though silently and in the mind, I invoke and beseech Thee for the raising up of Lazarus; for Thou didst grant to Me, that soon I shall raise him up. Hence Christ teaches us how to pray, that in the beginning of prayer we should surely thank God for benefits received. This giving of thanks conciliates God"s favour to us, and inclines Him to bestow the new blessings which we beg for. For he who is grateful for the lesser gifts, merits to receive the greater. This is the faithful prayer of sons, whence Christ adds:
