existing narratives in order to construct Lazarus, Mary and Martha of Bethany as a prototypical Christian family, whose example is to be followed by Christians. Verse 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." The sisters send messengers to Jesus, so his location cannot have been entirely secret, "firmly expect[ing] that he, who had cured so many strangers, would willingly come and give health to one whom he so tenderly loved". The words of their message made reference only to Lazarus' sickness, leaving unexpressed, but "to be inferred, the consequent, therefore come to our help". Johann Bengel notes that John often expects the reader to make such inferences, such as in : "When they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto Him, 'They have no wine' [leaving the consequent unexpressed, but implied, Do Thou relieve them]". Commentators generally understand that the sisters expected Jesus would come to Bethany despite the personal danger to Himself, with which His disciples were more concerned (), although Exclusive Brethren theologian John Nelson Darby notes that "He might have said the word, as in the case of the centurion, and of the sick child at the beginning of this Gospel ()". Jesus' love for Lazarus is noticed by the Jews in verse 36. Twelve hours in the day (verses 8–10) In reply to the disciples' concerns about Jesus returning to Judea, where very recently (, nun), 'just now' (English Standard Version) or 'lately' (New King James Version) the Jews had wanted to stone Him, He answered: "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." (11:9–10) The νῦν shows that they had not been long in Perea, on the east of the Jordan. "The Jews divided the day from sunrise to sunset into twelve equal parts". Heinrich Meyer suggests that "the sense of the allegorical answer is this: 'The time appointed to me by God for working is not yet elapsed; as long as it lasts, no one can do anything to me; but when it shall have come to an end, I shall fall into the hands of my enemies, like him who walketh in the night, and who stumbleth, because he