Spoken to:
After Lazarus's death, Jesus comes to the tomb.
KJV:
John 11:43 Lazarus, come forth.
NIV :
John 11:43 “Lazarus, come out!”
LISTENERS HEARD:
Lazarus, out here!
MY TAKE:
Jesus wants people to come out of the dark.
GREEK (Each Word Explained Bottom of Page):
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
The surprising thing is that there is no verb in this sentence, no word at all meaning "come" in the ordinary sense. The word translated as "come" is an adverb primarily meaning "here." It means "come" in the same way that in English we call someone say "here!" Or, in this case, "out here?"
# KJV TRANSLATION ISSUES:
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "wherefore" is not the common word usually translated as "wherefore."
# NIV TRANSLATION ISSUES:
CW - Confusing Word -- The "wherefore" is not the common word usually translated as "wherefore."
EACH WORD of KJV :
Lazarus, -- "Lazarus" is the is a Greek form of the Hebrew name Eleazar, which means "He who God helps."
come- (CW) "Come" is from an adverb that means "here" but can be used in an expression to mean "come on." This is not the word usually translated as "come."
forth. -- The word translated as "out" means "out of a place" and "outside."
EACH WORD of NIV :
Lazarus, -- "Lazarus" is the is a Greek form of the Hebrew name Eleazar, which means "He who God helps."
come- (CW) "Come" is from an adverb that means "here" but can be used in an expression to mean "come on." This is not the word usually translated as "come."
out. -- The word translated as "out" means "out of a place" and "outside."
COMPARISON: GREEK to KJV :
Λάζαρε [7 verses](Hebrew Name) "Lazarus" is from "Lazaros," which is a Greek form of the Hebrew name Eleazar, which means "He who God helps."
δεῦρο [4 verses](adv) "Come" is deuro, which is an adverb that means "hither," "hear," "until now," "hither to," and [with an imperative] "come on" and [later] "go away."
ἔξω [21 verses](adv) "Out" is exo, which means "out of a place," "outside," "external things," and "beyond a time."
Wordplay:
A double play on the place and time meanings of the two words.
Possible Symbolic Meaning:
There is also a secondary meaning for both these words in the Greek regarding time. The phrase could be translated as "Until now beyond time!" this is an interesting and perhaps enlightening statement regarding Christ's view of the sleep of death.