Commentaries:
Robertson's Word Pictures (NT)
Again groaning in himself (palin embrimwmenov en eautw). Direct reference to the use of this same word (present middle participle here) in verse John 11:33, only with en eautw (in himself) rather than tw pneumati (in his spirit), practically the same idea. The speculation concerning his power stirred the depths of his nature again.
Cometh to the tomb (erxetai eiv to mnhmeion). Vivid historical present.
A cave (sphlaion). Old word (from speov, cavern). Cf. Matthew 21:13.
Lay against it (epekeito ep autw). Imperfect middle of epikeimai, old verb to lie upon as in John 21:9 and figuratively (I Corinthians 9:16). Note repetition of epi with locative case. The use of a cave for burial was common (Genesis 23:19). Either the body was let down through a horizontal opening (hardly so here) or put in a tomb cut in the face of the rock (if so, epi can mean "against"). The stones were used to keep away wild animals from the bodies.
Other Robertson's Word Pictures (NT) entries containing John 11:38:
Mark 1:43
Luke 5:1
John 4:6
John 11:33
John 11:35
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