Yohanes 4:28

4:28 Then the woman left her water jar, went off into the town and said to the people, ¹ 

Yohanes 11:6

11:6 So when he heard that Lazarus ²  was sick, he remained in the place where he was for two more days.

Yohanes 11:17

Speaking with Martha and Mary

11:17 When ³  Jesus arrived, ⁴  he found that Lazarus ⁵  had been in the tomb four days already. ⁶ 

Yohanes 11:20-21

11:20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary was sitting in the house. ⁷  11:21 Martha ⁸  said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

[4:28]  ¹ tn The term ἄνθρωποι (anqrwpoi) used here can mean either “people” (when used generically) or “men” (though there is a more specific term in Greek for adult males, ανήρ [anhr]). Thus the woman could have been speaking either (1) to all the people or (2) to the male leaders of the city as their representatives. However, most recent English translations regard the former as more likely and render the word “people” here.

[11:6]  ² tn Grk “that he”; the referent (Lazarus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:17]  ³ tn Grk “Then when.”

[11:17]  ⁴ tn Grk “came.”

[11:17]  ⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Lazarus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:17]  ⁶ tn Grk “he had already had four days in the tomb” (an idiom).

[11:17]  sn There is no description of the journey itself. The author simply states that when Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been in the tomb four days already. He had died some time before this but probably not very long (cf. Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:6,10 who were buried immediately after they died, as was the common practice of the time). There is some later evidence (early 3rd century) of a rabbinic belief that the soul hovered near the body of the deceased for three days, hoping to be able to return to the body. But on the fourth day it saw the beginning of decomposition and finally departed (Leviticus Rabbah 18.1). If this belief is as old as the 1st century, it might suggest the significance of the four days: After this time, resurrection would be a first-order miracle, an unequivocal demonstration of the power of God. It is not certain if the tradition is this early, but it is suggestive. Certainly the author does not appear to attach any symbolic significance to the four days in the narrative.

[11:20]  ⁷ sn Notice the difference in the response of the two sisters: Martha went out to meet Jesus, while Mary remains sitting in the house. It is similar to the incident in Luke 10:38-42. Here again one finds Martha occupied with the responsibilities of hospitality; she is the one who greets Jesus.

[11:21]  ⁸ tn Grk “Then Martha.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.