Jesus Raises Lazarus From The Dead
JESUS RAISES LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD
JOHN 11:38-44
The raising of a man from the dead gives faith and hope to those who believe in Jesus.
Jesus is inwardly stirred again as he prepares to wrestle with sin and death. He gives the simple order that the stone should be removed: Martha keeps her feet firmly on the ground. This is an impossible command. A putrefying body will give off an appalling stench after four days in a warm climate. Only the firm assurance of Jesus that faith is necessary and the glory of God is the object, causes them to obey.
Jesus then addresses a prayer to his Father, acknowledging his dependence in this particular action and thanking him that he has already heard. He adds words which emphasize his confidence that his Father always hears his prayers. He has said what he has in order that the crowd should see this, not as a display of wonder-working, but as the most impressive of his signs to show that he was sent by God to do God’s work.
Action has been taken, prayer has been offered, now comes the word of life. There is no mystical formula but a straightforward command (cf. 5:8; Mark 5:41). So the dead hears the voice of the Son of God and hearing lives and comes forth from his tomb (5:25-29). The trappings of death are still all over him. Jesus tells them to untie them and release him. The liberation he brings is meant to be complete.
Notes 11:39: “Take away the stone”—this and the unwinding of the graveclothes needed human co-operation. In his own resurrection no human agency was involved (20:1-10). Further than that, of course, Lazarus had his natural body restored to him and, though we hear no more of him, after 12:10, in due course died again; Jesus was raised in his spiritual body, the mortal put on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:54). 11:41f.: apart from the long prayer of chapter 17, there is only one other occasion in the Gospel when Jesus is clearly recorded as addressing his Father (12:27f.). However, it is quite probable that his words from the cross (19:28-30) were spoken primarily to his Father and not to men.