Gospel of St. John
The Raising of Lazarus – 11:1-10
In the preceding chapters, we heard of the increasing enmity of Christ’s enemies. On three occasions, the Jewish leadership attempted to kill him. At this point, Jesus and his disciples are staying away from Jerusalem and keeping a low profile. In this chapter, we will see a deliberate high profile miracle in the very shadow of Jerusalem.
“Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” Although many men avoided Jesus, Martha and Mary accepted him into their home. Remember how different Martha and Mary were. Mary quietly received the teaching of Jesus while Martha was busy serving him. The word they sent Jesus did not ask for anything specific. They just let Jesus know and let him decide how to handle things. Jesus responded to the news by stating that Lazarus’ sickness would not result in death but that God would be glorified by this situation. Then he stayed away from Bethany for two more days.
“Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again. His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him” When he told the disciples they would all go into Judea, they were concerned and reminded him of the Jews previous attempts to stone him. Jesus refers to the twelve hours of the day to point out that things happen when they are supposed to happen. We cannot shorten the number of hours in the day and the Jews will not rush the time of His crucifixion. His reference to walking in the light of day refers to walking in the will of God. No one who walks in the light of God will stumble.
The Raising of Lazarus – 11:11-27
We again have some misunderstanding on the part of the disciples concerning death. One can die physically (sometimes called sleeping in Holy Scripture) and still be resurrected. But if one dies spiritually, it is permanent, because recovery can only occur through the spirit which is dead.
“Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. Then saith Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow-disciples, Let us also go that we may die with him. Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.” No second message had been received from Bethany and yet Jesus knew Lazarus was dead. A careful reading of the Gospels shows that no one ever died in the presence of Jesus. Even the two thieves on the crosses did not die until Jesus was physically dead. It is becoming obvious that Jesus wanted to allow Lazarus to die physically so the miracle of restoring him would better glorify God. Doubting Thomas showed the mind set of the disciples when he said, “Let’s go and die with him.”
“Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: And many of the Jews, came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.” Bethany is less than two miles from Jerusalem. Many of the Jews from Jerusalem came to comfort Martha and Mary about the death of their brother. When Martha learned that Jesus was on the way, she ran out to meet him while Mary stayed in the house with the Jews comforting her.
“Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” Martha was not criticizing Jesus, but she did acknowledge that Lazarus would not have died in Jesus’ presence. She knew that Lazarus would rise again at the last day but was not expecting Jesus to raise him from the sleep of physical death. Nonetheless, Martha did live and believe in Christ.
The Raising of Lazarus – 11:28-44
Then Martha went home and brought her sister to Jesus who had not yet come into town. The Jews who were comforting Mary followed her thinking she was going to weep at the grave.
“Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept.” Mary, like Martha acknowledged that Lazarus would not have died if Jesus had been present. Jesus was moved by the weeping of Mary and the Jews. Imagine the person who was capable of handling absolutely everything, weeping and being troubled at the misery of the crowd. His human nature required that he be as moved as anyone else even though his divine nature would ask God to remedy the situation.
“Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.” The Jews noticed that Jesus wept over Lazarus. Even they asked why he did not come sooner so he could have kept him from dying.
“Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifteth up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him and let him go.” Martha was always the practical one and pointed out that rolling away the stone would release a stench as Lazarus had been dead four days. Jesus acknowledged that God always heard him but said it aloud to convince the crowd that God sent him. Lazarus came forth in response to Jesus’ command. He remained bound with graveclothes and had a napkin about his face.
The Fearful Sanhedrin – 11:45-57
“Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? For this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.” Many of the Jews believed on Christ but some were anxious to report Jesus’ latest miracle to the Pharisees. The
Pharisees called a council with the Sadducees to determine how to deal with this challenge to their control. If he was really the Messiah and caused an uprising, the Romans would take away their privileges.
“And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.” Caiaphas pointed out the political reality of their situation. They recognized that if Jesus continued, all men (not just Jews) would believe on him. Politically, it is expedient for them to have one man die than to risk losing their temple and privileges. It is ironic to note that they lost them anyway when the Temple was destroyed by the Romans just a few years later.
“Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with this disciples. And the Jews’ Passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast? Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man know where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.” At this point, Jesus again returned to the countryside to avoid an early confrontation with the Jewish leadership. It is interesting to note that killing Jesus was the only subject on which the chief priests (Sadducees) and Pharisees could agree. They recognized that Jesus had never missed an obligatory feast and the Passover was nigh at hand. They hoped to find him at the Feast. The Jewish leadership openly sought Jesus and commanded the general population to help find him.