The record in John 10:40 informed us that Jesus went to the east side of the river Jordan during the winter between 27/28 A.D. Here in chapter 11, John the writer of this book provides the following details of some events taking place on the west side of the river Jordan.
John 11:1 and 2:
11:1But there was someone being weak, Lazarus from Bethany, out-from the village of Mary and Martha her sister; .2and Mary was the (woman) having anointed the Lord with ointment and having wiped his feet with her hairs, whose brother Lazarus was weak.
During that past time, historically, there was someone being weak (without/lacking strength, infirm, feeble), and his name was Lazarus from Bethany, the village (the hamlet in the open countryside without walls) from which Mary and her sister Martha also originated, which was on the west side of the river Jordan close to Jerusalem on the east side of the Mount of Olives.
John the writer also explains to the readers of this writing that this Mary was the woman who anointed the Lord Jesus Christ with ointment (she smeared him with perfumed, sweet smelling balsam made from the sap of trees) and who wiped it off from his feet with the hairs of her head, whose brother Lazarus was weak.
In verse 2 the verb translated "anoint" means: to smear or spread oil or ointment upon someone. This verb is not the same as the word used regarding to anoint someone or something officially with oil being dedicated to God and which is also the root word for “Christ.”
The record about Mary anointing Jesus with ointment and wiping his feet is provided in John chapter 12 because it takes place after the events recorded here in chapter 11.
Verses 3-7:
.3Therefore the sisters apostled towards him saying, "Lord, look!, whom you love is weak." .4But having heard Jesus said, "This weakness is not towards death but in order that the son of God may be glorified by means of it on behalf of the glory of God." .5But Jesus loved1 Martha and her sister and Lazarus, .6therefore as he heard that he is weak then indeed he remained in which place he was two days, .7next after this he says to the learning-disciples, "Let us lead into Judea again."
Following-on logically from verses 1 and 2 above, the sisters apostled (they sent someone else forth/away on a specific mission or assignment) towards Jesus saying...
However, after Jesus heard the message, he said...
Jesus' response above indicates that he received information via his holy spirit from God his Father about this specific situation. This weakness was the action or agency by way of which the initiated progress would pass-through in order to reach its accomplishment of Jesus the son of God receiving glory on behalf of God. It was interposed between the start and the result of the son of God being glorified in the interests of God's glory ultimately. As we read on in this chapter we will see how Jesus brought this result to pass.
During that past time Jesus was continuing to love1 Martha and her sister and Lazarus (loving them with Godly-love, manifesting God's kind of love according to His will - this is not the same kind of love that is used in verse 3 above). Therefore as Jesus heard that Lazarus is weakening, at that time indeed he remained (emphatically he stayed) in the location where he used-to-be on the east side of the river Jordan for another 2 days.
Next after this (secondly, next sequentially, after that, following the end of those 48 hours) he says to the learning-disciples (students, the people who are learning from him regarding God and the things of God and who are interested in learning more)...
Jesus received more information via his holy spirit from God his Father regarding this situation - now is the time to go to Lazarus.
In verse 5 above, the verb "to love1" comes from the Greek word agape which is God’s kind of love. To love with His love means to love the same way as God loves, to manifest God's love towards another, whether it is towards God Himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, yourself, your neighbor, or towards anyone else. Before the day of Pentecost (which is recorded in Acts 2:1-4), God told His people how to Godly-love in His revealed spoken and/or written words (and at times certain individuals among His people received holy spirit from God temporarily whereby they received information from Him regarding how to love in different specific situations). It is the carrying out of God's commandments, His Word, which is the correct usage or way to manifest God's kind of love according to His will. It is not the same as the brotherly or friendly kind of love, nor is it the same as the emotional/feelings/sexual kind of love.
[Reference: John 1:34 and 49, 5:25, 9:3-5; Revelation 2:18. Also refer to the article Adam and Eve regarding death as it relates to mankind.]
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