JOHN
11. v 1-45
The Gospel passage is the story about Lazarus, and John’s gospel is the only
one which tells it. The story begins with a desperate plea for help from his
two sisters Martha and Mary to Jesus, with whom there was a close relationship.
These verses tell us Christians may become very ill as much as others for we
live in a world full of disease. When Lazarus became so ill, his sisters first
thought was to call on Jesus. When our loved ones become unwell we are
encouraged to seek medical help, but at the same time to call on the Lord to be
with us.
When Jesus heard their call He said this illness will not lead to death in the
sense that it did not lead ultimately to death, but it did lead through death
in order to being raised a few days later. This was so that God would show His
glory, by working through Jesus to bring back to life. This would prove to the
Jews that Jesus was the Son of God, and prepare for acceptance of our Lord’s
own resurrection which would take place later.
Jesus then waited two days to allow His friends to go through the sorrow of the
death, and to mourn because He loved them and wanted them to witness a
spectacular demonstration of His power over death, thus seeing His glory as
that of the only Son of God.
Jesus told His disciples that He was going to the family home in Bethany, a
village two miles from Jerusalem, and they were shocked and concerned for His
safety, for on a previous visit to the area where they lived, His life was
threatened. Jesus answered their concern by saying, ‘are there not twelve hours
in the day, anyone who walks in the day does not stumble because he sees the
light of this world.’
The Jewish day was divided into twelve hours, and the day ran according to the
sun, with the hours varying in length from 9minutes 48 seconds, to 14 minutes
and 12 seconds. Jesus was meaning, anyone who walks during the daylight won’t
stumble, and be able to do so before darkness comes. Therefore, Jesus being the
light of the world, anyone who walks in the light Jesus gives, walks in
fellowship with Him obeying, in contrast to anyone who does not follow Jesus.
Jesus told His disciples that Lazarus had fallen asleep, and that He would go
and awaken him. The death of true Christians is sleep, from which one day they
will be awakened, so when we lose someone dear, they will go to the grave just
as Jesus did, and one day also rise again.
Thomas was particularly fearful when Jesus said He was going back to Judea, and
anticipated they might all die. This shows all Christians are subject to doubt
at some time and view things differently, and we must recognise varying
characters as each serves the Lord. It has been said that anyone who has never
had doubts has never had any thoughts.
Jesus
made the journey of about 25 miles from wherever He was at that time, we are
not told where He was, and by this time Lazarus had been in the grave for four
days. Jewish belief was that though burial followed soon after death, the soul
hovered over the body for three days hoping to re-enter it, then gave up and
departed.
Funerals
at that time could be very expensive for there were spices to be purchased at
some expense, and the body clothed, which sometimes caused competition as to
which was most judged to be the grandest. Eventually a Rabbi named Gamaliel.
brought such practice to and end, and still today tribute is paid to his name
when wine is drunk for ending such extravagance.
The
funerals were mostly well attended with people processing from the home to the
grave. Women led the walk as a woman was first to sin and offend God. When the
body left the house. all the furniture was reversed and guests would sit on the
floor. A meal of hard boiled eggs and lentils would be prepared for the
mourners.
On arriving at their home, Martha and Mary were with friends who had come to
comfort them. It was common for Jews when friends and neighbours died to gather
at the home of the deceased to mourn and comfort the relatives.
Here
again we see different temperaments of believers, when Martha rushed out to
meet Jesus when she hears He has come, whilst Mary sat still; but the Church
must be ready to receive all, we need the Marthas and Marys, Peters and Johns.
Martha revealed her feelings of love and faith when she told Jesus she wished
He had been there sooner, for she was confident Jesus could have kept her
brother alive, but she still believed even then in the power of the Lord to do
something beyond what might be otherwise expected.
The first words of Jesus are the promise that Lazarus would come back to life.
Martha believed Lazarus will rise, but misunderstood the full meaning of Jesus’
promise, thinking He was merely speaking of the final resurrection, whilst
Jesus meant much more. Jesus was making the tremendous statement that He is the
resurrection, and all who believe in Him will not die for ever, but will be
raised to glory, their soul living on eternally. Belief in Him implies personal
trust in Christ; lives refers to those who have spiritual life now.
Martha
having confessed Jesus as the Christ the Son of God, went to tell Mary that
Jesus was calling her. The friends, who did not have faith, thought Mary was
going to the grave, but by following her were able to witness a great miracle.
Mary fell at Jesus feet and expressed the same feeling that Martha had used.
The reaction of Jesus when He saw Martha and Mary crying, depicts the true
human side of His nature. We are told Jesus was deeply moved, which means He
felt deeply and strongly, with profound sorrow at the death of His friend, and
at the grief that his other friends had suffered in addition, and also with a
deep sense of awe at the power of God, which was about to flow through Him to
triumph over death. The fact that Jesus wept, shows that deep feeling is
something of which we should not try to hide. If the Son of God could feel such
sorrow for His friends, we can turn to Him in our hour of need.
The final verses tell of one of Jesus’ great miracles and reveal His divinity.
When Jesus told them to take away the stone, He was both involving people, who
could then become witness to His greatness, and the same people would be able
to verify there was indeed a dead man there.
Martha protested when Jesus ordered the stone away, fearing the consequences of
a dead body being removed, so Jesus had to remind her that He had told her this
was for the glory and power of God to be revealed. Like Martha we can all lose
faith when placed under distress. When all is going well it is simple to be
strong, but our faith inevitably is tested when things are not going as we
hoped
Finally Jesus lifted His eyes to heaven and gave thanks and praise to His
Father publicly, so that those standing around would hear and know that Jesus
was sent by God. He then gave the command to Lazarus to come out, and he did so
and was seen bound with linen strips.
The wonder of this raising needs faith in Jesus in order to believe. The non-
believer cannot understand, and will not believe this story, because it is
supernatural and beyond the minds. Those who are true Christians. should have
no problem to believe that which has been revealed to us in this story.
There
are people who may read this story and not treat seriously. In fact, it does
not matter that much how little or how serious you accept. You may find
problems in believing events of so long ago. What does matter is that you
believe Jesus Christ died on a Cross, by that death can bring new life to those
whose lives are troubled. I imagine there will be many such cases at this
perilous time.
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