Bible Reading
The Death of Lazarus
11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” 8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” 11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” 28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
The Plot to Kill Jesus
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” 49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. 55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.
11 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” 4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.” 8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?” 9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.” 11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.” 12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. 14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Jesus Comforts the Sisters of Lazarus
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” 28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there. 32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus Raises Lazarus From the Dead
38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
The Plot to Kill Jesus
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.” 49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! 50 You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” 51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, 52 and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. 53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. 55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. 56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” 57 But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.
Devotional
Chapter 11 centers on one of thee most powerful and famous stories in all of the bible. It’s interesting to point out that the other three gospels do not even mention this amazing miracle. This is most likely due to the fact that the other three gospels were written while Lazarus was still alive, (after his resurrection) and the disciples didn’t want to continue to stir up the hatred of the Jews towards Lazarus as a living and walking testimony of the power of the Christ. Later in John, we will see that Lazarus was also a target of their vitriol, so the three early gospels may have been trying to protect him.
It is obvious in the context of the story that Jesus loved Mary and Martha and cared for that family. What is not so obvious at first read is why Jesus would delay and stay two more days where He was before traveling to Bethany. Jesus foresaw that this coming miracle would set in motion a greater urgency for the Pharisees to arrest and kill Him, which is why Jesus claimed this sickness would ultimately be for the glory of God. He delayed because He knew Lazarus was already dead and to hurry would indicate Jesus was reacting from a fearful and worried position, something not in the nature of Jesus to do. One can only imagine the panicked urging of the disciples, hoping Jesus would hurry back to Bethany. It seems He was also teaching them a lesson in patience, trust and living by God’s timing instead of Man’s.
Jesus returning to resurrect Lazarus on the fourth day was significant. It was a common Jewish belief that grief reaches it’s height on the third day and for three days the spirit of a deceased person hovers about the tomb, if for some reason it may return to the lifeless body. But on the fourth day when the spirit sees it’s former body in decay and countenance changed, it retires and abandons the body. The fourth day represented to the Jewish people in mourning that any hope of resuscitation was abandoned. Regardless of if this belief is true or simply superstition, Jesus was aware of it and He would demonstrate not only His power over life, death and the physical body, but also over the spirit of a human as well.
When Jesus returned to Judea (specifically Bethany). He was putting Himself and His disciples in great danger because Bethany was very near to Jerusalem and well within the epicenter of the growing plot to have Jesus searched out, arrested and killed. Jesus reminded His followers that there were still twelve hours in a day, a reference to the period of time in which He had work to do before time would come for His arrest. What Jesus was inferring with this statement was to not worry because there was nothing that could be done to them while they worked within God’s timing.
When Jesus came to the home of Mary and Martha, Martha came to Jesus and honestly stated her disappointment in Jesus’ late arrival. She believed Jesus was able to heal her brother while he was sick yet still alive, but it’s possible she didn’t even consider Jesus was still able to raise Lazarus from the dead after so much time had passed. Martha’s misunderstanding of what Jesus said next led to a great revelation about Jesus. When Jesus stated that Lazarus would indeed rise again, Martha thought it was a general platitude akin to our modern sentiment of, “One day we will see them again in heaven.” But Jesus declares that He is the resurrection and the life. The power to raise the dead at the end of the age is the same power that could raise the dead today. If Jesus is the resurrection and the life, then that also means apart from Him there will be neither resurrection or life. Jesus boldly challenged Martha as He does with each of us today to trust that He was the source of eternal life. Jesus presented Himself as the champion over death.
While secular humanity in general fears death, the Christian can only fear dying. The believer will never die, but simply make an instant transition from an old life to a new life. I love this quote from Charles Spurgeon on the subject. “Death comes to the ungodly man as a penal infliction, but to the righteous as a summons to his Father’s palace: to the sinner it is an execution, to the saint an undressing. Death to the wicked is the King of terrors: death to the saint is the end of terrors, the commencement of glory.”
When Jesus continues on and speaks with Mary, she says something very similar to what Martha had first said to Jesus. It was likely that they had spoken this sentiment to each other several times since Lazarus died….If only Jesus had come earlier, my brother would not have died. This phrase is mirrored often in our lives today; “If only God had answered this prayer,” “If only God…”
It’s interesting to note at this point in the story that as Jesus approaches the tomb, knowing what He will do next, first He weeps and then scripture says Jesus is also troubled and groans in His spirit. There is an important contrast between the tears of Mary and the tears of Jesus. Weeping (the word used for Mary in John 11:33) is a word that describes loud wailing. Wept (the word to describe Jesus’ expression of grief in John 11:35) is another word that indicates a quiet weeping. Jesus was greatly moved in His emotions, but not out of control. Coming to the scene of Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus intensely groaned in the spirit. In the ancient Greek, this phrase literally means, to snort like a horse – implying anger and indignation. It means that Jesus wasn’t so much sad at the scene surrounding the tomb of Lazarus, but it’s more accurate to say that Jesus was angry. Jesus was angry and troubled at the destruction and power of the great enemy of humanity: death. Jesus would soon break the dominating power of death.
After the stone is rolled away, Jesus prays, most likely in the draft of a stench coming from the tomb. Jesus cried with a loud voice and told Lazarus to come forth. Even the dead obey Jesus. It’s a good thing Jesus called Lazarus by namer or else many tombs would have been emptied. Lazarus came forth, shuffling from His grave. Jesus did not miraculously remove the grave-clothes from Lazarus, but He asked attendants to do so. Jesus did what only God could do, and then He looked for Man’s cooperation for the completion of Lazarus’ deliverance. He allows servants to take part in His supernatural workings even today…if you’re willing.
It is obvious in the context of the story that Jesus loved Mary and Martha and cared for that family. What is not so obvious at first read is why Jesus would delay and stay two more days where He was before traveling to Bethany. Jesus foresaw that this coming miracle would set in motion a greater urgency for the Pharisees to arrest and kill Him, which is why Jesus claimed this sickness would ultimately be for the glory of God. He delayed because He knew Lazarus was already dead and to hurry would indicate Jesus was reacting from a fearful and worried position, something not in the nature of Jesus to do. One can only imagine the panicked urging of the disciples, hoping Jesus would hurry back to Bethany. It seems He was also teaching them a lesson in patience, trust and living by God’s timing instead of Man’s.
Jesus returning to resurrect Lazarus on the fourth day was significant. It was a common Jewish belief that grief reaches it’s height on the third day and for three days the spirit of a deceased person hovers about the tomb, if for some reason it may return to the lifeless body. But on the fourth day when the spirit sees it’s former body in decay and countenance changed, it retires and abandons the body. The fourth day represented to the Jewish people in mourning that any hope of resuscitation was abandoned. Regardless of if this belief is true or simply superstition, Jesus was aware of it and He would demonstrate not only His power over life, death and the physical body, but also over the spirit of a human as well.
When Jesus returned to Judea (specifically Bethany). He was putting Himself and His disciples in great danger because Bethany was very near to Jerusalem and well within the epicenter of the growing plot to have Jesus searched out, arrested and killed. Jesus reminded His followers that there were still twelve hours in a day, a reference to the period of time in which He had work to do before time would come for His arrest. What Jesus was inferring with this statement was to not worry because there was nothing that could be done to them while they worked within God’s timing.
When Jesus came to the home of Mary and Martha, Martha came to Jesus and honestly stated her disappointment in Jesus’ late arrival. She believed Jesus was able to heal her brother while he was sick yet still alive, but it’s possible she didn’t even consider Jesus was still able to raise Lazarus from the dead after so much time had passed. Martha’s misunderstanding of what Jesus said next led to a great revelation about Jesus. When Jesus stated that Lazarus would indeed rise again, Martha thought it was a general platitude akin to our modern sentiment of, “One day we will see them again in heaven.” But Jesus declares that He is the resurrection and the life. The power to raise the dead at the end of the age is the same power that could raise the dead today. If Jesus is the resurrection and the life, then that also means apart from Him there will be neither resurrection or life. Jesus boldly challenged Martha as He does with each of us today to trust that He was the source of eternal life. Jesus presented Himself as the champion over death.
While secular humanity in general fears death, the Christian can only fear dying. The believer will never die, but simply make an instant transition from an old life to a new life. I love this quote from Charles Spurgeon on the subject. “Death comes to the ungodly man as a penal infliction, but to the righteous as a summons to his Father’s palace: to the sinner it is an execution, to the saint an undressing. Death to the wicked is the King of terrors: death to the saint is the end of terrors, the commencement of glory.”
When Jesus continues on and speaks with Mary, she says something very similar to what Martha had first said to Jesus. It was likely that they had spoken this sentiment to each other several times since Lazarus died….If only Jesus had come earlier, my brother would not have died. This phrase is mirrored often in our lives today; “If only God had answered this prayer,” “If only God…”
It’s interesting to note at this point in the story that as Jesus approaches the tomb, knowing what He will do next, first He weeps and then scripture says Jesus is also troubled and groans in His spirit. There is an important contrast between the tears of Mary and the tears of Jesus. Weeping (the word used for Mary in John 11:33) is a word that describes loud wailing. Wept (the word to describe Jesus’ expression of grief in John 11:35) is another word that indicates a quiet weeping. Jesus was greatly moved in His emotions, but not out of control. Coming to the scene of Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus intensely groaned in the spirit. In the ancient Greek, this phrase literally means, to snort like a horse – implying anger and indignation. It means that Jesus wasn’t so much sad at the scene surrounding the tomb of Lazarus, but it’s more accurate to say that Jesus was angry. Jesus was angry and troubled at the destruction and power of the great enemy of humanity: death. Jesus would soon break the dominating power of death.
After the stone is rolled away, Jesus prays, most likely in the draft of a stench coming from the tomb. Jesus cried with a loud voice and told Lazarus to come forth. Even the dead obey Jesus. It’s a good thing Jesus called Lazarus by namer or else many tombs would have been emptied. Lazarus came forth, shuffling from His grave. Jesus did not miraculously remove the grave-clothes from Lazarus, but He asked attendants to do so. Jesus did what only God could do, and then He looked for Man’s cooperation for the completion of Lazarus’ deliverance. He allows servants to take part in His supernatural workings even today…if you’re willing.