When Lazarus Awoke
Robert Diffin
Based on the Gospel of John and other scriptures concerning the events leading up to the crucifiction, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Now Jesus, upon returning to Bethany, was met by Martha who was mourning her brother, Lazarus, and was upset that Jesus could not be there when Lazarus was dying.
John 11:23
Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
John 11:24
Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
John 11:25
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
John 11:26
And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
John 11:27
She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
In fact, the Gospel of John tells us that Jesus did not reach Bethany before Martha came out to where He was. This was, obviously, for two reasons. First, Martha wanted Him to know how upset she was that He was not there when Lazarus died. It is clear from scripture that Martha loved her brother and that she loved the Lord. She knew that Lazarus would still be alive if Jesus had been there. She must have been quite vocal about this and it is recorded in scripture that she said:
John 11
21 Martha therefore said unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 And even now I know that, whatsoever thou shalt ask of God, God will give thee.
She said: "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." This is not an implication of neglect but rather a statement of faith. Martha states here that she knew Lazarus would still be alive if Jesus, her Lord, had been there. She goes on to say that whatsoever the Lord would ask of God, God would give it to Him. This she believed. She was sure in her heart that Lazarus could still be raised from the dead. It is important to realize Martha’s conviction here because it is Martha’s faith that is acted upon.
When Jesus tells her that Lazarus will rise again; she states the obvious. Isn’t that what we do when we are presented with a statement or condition that has physical as well as spiritual consequences or possible reactions. She simply says:
John 11
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
But Jesus wasn’t referring to the resurrection at the last day. He was talking about now. He used those same words He gave to Moses to tell Pharoah: "I am..." He said: "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Now let me just say that Jesus hadn’t returned to Bethany without a purpose. He was there because Satan had taken His friend through death and put others of His friends in mourning. Jesus was there because He was determined that Lazarus was going to live. There was no question about that. Jesus had already decided what was going to happen. There was nothing that was going to change what was about to happen. It might as well be carved in stone.
He didn’t say: "Well I thought I’d go up to the grave and see if by chance perhaps Lazarus could be raised from the dead, God willing."
He said: "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
He was saying here that Lazarus might be dead now but he was going to live! It’s just that simple. Where in any scripture does the Lord ever say: "I think I’ll try this" or "perhaps thus-and-so may happen" He said He had spoken it and He would perform it. So when He says He is going to do something; whether a miracle or what it may be, we should take Him at His word.
Now Martha knew this. You see, Jesus had been all over the country performing miracles. He healed the sick, made the lame walk, made the blind to see and yes; raised the dead. So why should Martha doubt that Lazarus was going to live again. If she didn’t believe Jesus could raise Lazarus from the dead; why walk all the way from Bethany to meet Him. It just dosn’t make any sense.
Mary had been so filled with grief that she couldn’t think of leaving the house yet when she heard that her Lord was near; she too went out to join Him. Evidently the thought of Jesus being near filled them both with such hope that they nearly forgot about mourning and just were filled with such expectation that the thought of Lazarus being dead kind of took a back seat.
They had to know that something was going to happen. Jesus didn’t go anywhere without something happening. No one ever stirred up so much joy and controversy because of an evangelistic ministry ever before. The bible says Jesus was known throughout the country for the healing ministry he took to everyone that would believe and needed a touch from God. It just was not possible for Him to come to town and nothing happen. The thought is just ridiculous.
In fact there is nothing in the text to suggest that anyone doubted that Jesus should be there or that He was somehow opening a grave without a valid reason. If there was any doubt that He could raise the dead; it isn’t written in the text. You see, Martha had gone and brought Mary back with her and with them came several of the Jews. They were all expecting Jesus to do something. They may not have known what but they knew something big was about to happen. If that weren’t the case. They wouldn’t have bothered to seek Him out.
When you think about it; there was no reason to think all those people were expecting anything less than a miracle. For at least the past three years, Jesus had conducted a ministry replete with miracles and he was famous all over Judea. To expect anything less than a miracle would have been ridiculous, unthinkable.
So it was before a crowd of onlookers that Jesus commanded Lazarus to come forth from his tomb and revealed the resurrection of the dead to many who believed and received the fulfillment of a great miracle in their lives which is unparalleled by anything in our daily experience. For most, it was unrivalled by anything else in their lives.
Now do you think it is co-incidence that the expectation of a miracle should be accompanied by the revelation of just such a miracle? Or do you think that there were many there who were doubtful and only came because they "knew" it wouldn’t happen? No, those who live in doubt don’t sojourn much distance seeking after miracles. That wasn’t the case then and it is still true today. Those who say that spiritual things have no meaning or that God is superfluous to their lives or that He dosn’t exist haven’t a clue how to find God because they haven’t a clue what they are looking for.
Given the revelation of Lazarus’ awakening; how do we reconcile the presence of non-believers in such a time and given such an incredible array of wondrous works and blessings. It is like a poor man standing in a room where money is being thrown everywhere at his feet without him seeing it; without him being blessed by it. Could he possibly have been expecting it or any relief for his condition for that matter. Had he been looking for it he could not have missed such a blessing.
Still there are people who complain that they just don’t get it. That there is nothing in any of this for them. Where is the excitement? "We want to see something interesting and exciting" they say. "Where is the controversy?" "You need to liven it up a bit. Do something besides opening and closing your hymnal. This is boring to us!"
I wonder what God they think they are talking about. Is it some quiet Jesus who walked from town to town where nothing ever happened and no one ever disagreed with any thing He said. And He never said anything particularly relevant to the place and time they lived in. Please! If only they had been there. The movies you have seen and the bible stories you have heard can’t possibly do it justice. Why, just the questions Jesus must have answered in one afternoon would have set most of our minds reeling with the power and wisdom He expressed in the answers. Just the power of His voice must have been enough to drive away all the boredom and make you forget what it was you were asking for in the first place. That same voice that calmed the storm and the sea had no hint of boredom in it. It must have had every indication of the power that lay behind it.
John 11
1 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 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.
7 Then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."
8 "But Rabbi," they said, "a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?"
9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? A man who walks by day will not stumble, for he sees by this world’s light.
10 It is when he walks by night that he stumbles, for he has 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 (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
18 Bethany was less than two miles [1] 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. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;
26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
27 "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, [2] the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
28 And 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?"
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 believed, you would 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."
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith 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 miraculous 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 place [3] 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 Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, 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 area they asked one another, "What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the Feast at all?"
57 But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.
[18] Greek fifteen stadia (about 3 kilometers)
[27] Or Messiah
[48] Or temple
