The Death Of Lazarus
THE DEATH OF LAZARUS
JOHN 11:1-16
When Jesus doesn’t do what we ask immediately, can we still believe he loves us?
The stage is now set for the greatest of all Jesus’ signs other than the resurrection itself. He has shown mastery over the natural order and over disease. If death had previously had a potential victim snatched from its jaws (4:46-54), now it must yield up a man who has been in its domain for four days. Here is the Prince of life in action as he goes to his death.
The last sign, like the first, takes place within a family circle and is specifically said to show the glory of God and of Christ (2:11; 11:4,40). Despite the urgent call of Mary and Martha and his special affection for the family, Jesus delayed visiting the sick Lazarus, for he saw the divine purpose in the whole incident. Eventually he told his disciples that he was going to Judea again. Despite the protests of the disciples about the dangers facing them in Judea, he insists that his work must be done at the right time. As they misunderstand his allusions he has to tell them outright that Lazarus has died and that the purpose of their visit was to raise him. Thomas sees only death ahead and urges his fellow-disciples to come and face it with Jesus.
Notes The historical character of this story has been more questioned than that of any other in the Gospel. The real problem is not whether Jesus could raise the dead (that was part of the Messianic claim—Luke 7:11-17,22) but why such a vivid demonstration of this power, which had such important consequences, was not recorded in the other Gospels. It must be said that the vivid detail speaks strongly for the story’s being factual. The simplest possible reason for its not being mentioned in Mark is that Peter was not present, but that is merely speculation. 11:1: Lazarus and his sisters are the only persons named in a miracle story in the Gospel apart from members of the Twelve. Lazarus means “God helps.” Mary and Martha are mentioned in Luke 10:38-42, and the name Lazarus is used in a parable in Luke 16:19-31. 11:4: “not unto death”—death would not be the end of it. As an opportunity of glorifying God, cf. 9:3. Every affliction is an opportunity. 11:5f.: the reason for his delay is surprisingly his love for the family. His absence will be the means of their faith (11:15). 11:16: Thomas is quite prominent in the latter chapters of the Gospel as a man of action slightly bewildered by the events around him (14:5; 20:24,26,29; 21:2).