Note 12 at Joh 11:17: Many sources report that it was a commonly held belief among the Jews of Jesus' day that the spirit of a dead person stayed around the body for up to three days seeking opportunity to reenter. If this was so, then the Jews had no explanation for Lazarus being raised up. Also, after four days, a dead body has already begun decomposing. Lazarus had been dead for four days, so this had to be a miracle of the greatest magnitude.