The resurrection of Lazarus is both a preview of Jesus’ coming and monumental evidence of His deity. It also pressed the Jewish leaders to kill Jesus, because He was having way too much influence. Verses 25+26 are the high point and essence. The statement that “I am the resurrection and the life” is aided by this immense miracle and demonstrates that He is the Son of God and that whoever believes in His name has eternal life.
What did the terrible event of 9/11 mean, especially for Americans? You are going to die, and you are not in charge of when where, or how. Even in sluiced you are not in charge of the circumstances leading up to it., so YOU BETTER BE READY FOR IT! 1 Timothy 6 says that we bring nothing into the world and can bring nothing out of it. The world says you are only made of cells that will turn to dust, but God says that you will live eternally. The choice is up to you whether you live in bliss and paradise, or in agony in hell. Death is not the end of anyone, after physical death, you will either face the horrors of punishment or heaven.
Jesus IS the resurrection and the life; it’s not only about what he does. He is the source of everything that lives. He is life eternal. He gave life to everything that lives and therefore will raise us to eternity: ”In Him was Life.” He has the power to raise the dead, and has and will continue to raise those who believe in Him from the dead! Death for the believer is just a split-second transition.
Doubters of Christ point to other miracles attributed to Jesus where the person raised had only been near death or died very recently, such as Dorcas or the Centurion’s servant, supposing they afflicted had only “swooned”, or fainted, attempting to invalidate them as miracles. but Lazarus had been dead four days. The Jews did not embalm their dead bodies, and that Lazarus was indeed dead is beyond dispute.
Medical research describes the process of death that occurs in the first several days: 1. Cells die and bacteria fill the body, wish bold pooling in the low areas. 2. The body becomes rigid after the blood drains, and after about 2 days gets soft again. 3. Tissues release hydrogen sulfide, methane, and other gases, along with a green liquid, generating a horrible smell that attracts insects and animals. Martha says in v 38: “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for He has been dead four days.” And verse 17, “Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.”
Jesus came to console Lazarus’ family, who he loved. He had left Jerico and went to Bethany, which means “House of the poor” in order to protect Himself from dying until the appointed time. They had success and many believed, but now was the end of Jesus’ public ministry. Raising Lazarus would lead to His death. This is why Thomas, knowing the risk of being killed in verse 16 said “Let us go to see Lazarus, that we may die with Him.”
The disciples followed Jesus as he went into Judea, from a thriving and expanding ministry in Bethany, saying “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, ad are you going there again?” But all of this was to show the whole world who He was, the Christ, our Savior. The funeral attracted many eyewitnesses to the miracle, forcing the Jews to kill Jesus because He was having way too much influence over too many people.
Bethany is located 2 miles East of Jerusalem, near the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane. Here is how Jewish funerals went: After death, the bodies were buried immediately, in the ground or in caves, and everyone was notified. No one ate until the body was buried. Then a procession would take place from the home to the burial place, and then back to the home to wait in mourning for 7 days. Bread, eggs, and other common food was brought in. Professional mourners led the people in waiting and loud crying. Then there were 30 more days of mourning, continually. So Jesus comes to a scene of death, announces that He is life, and gives life.
Jesus in Luke 10 has been welcomed into Martha’s home, and He had taught and shared many times with her family, sharing divine truth, yet her faith fell short of believing that Jesus could raise Lazarus. She doubted Jesus’ power and wisdom. Although she said “ Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who came from heaven into the world.” (verse 27), she stated that if Jesus had been there earlier, “my brother would not have died.” But Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life.” He did not say, “I can raise the dead.”, but rather, “I AM the resurrection”, “ and “I can pray to the Father to give life.” “He who believes in me will never die.” In John 14:6 He says, I am the Way the Truth and the life.” In John 11:26, He asks Martha, “Do you believe this?” This is a crucial question for all the world, and especially for you.
MASSIVE evidence that Jesus raised dead bodies to life. Do you believe He is Lord? All the Old Testament prophets believed, and after Jesus died, Jesus appeared alive to the apostles, as well as 500 people in one place. Eternal life is for anyone who believes in Jesus, but if you Don’t believe, it is not because of lack of evidence, but rather you are like the Jewish leaders who did not believe because you love sin and hate righteousness. You love your evil deeds.
Martha believed and called her sister Mary, who mourners thought was so inconsolable that she went back to Lazarus’ tomb to mourn, so they all followed her there. There were obviously many mourners because verse 19 said “many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them”. They were a well-known family. Mary IS inconsolable, and repeats, like a parrot what Martha said: “If you had been here, my brother would not have died.”, meaning this didn’t need to happen. It was unnecessary. But it was necessary to fulfill the scripture that Jesus purposely waited until Lazarus died so that a huge assembled audience could witness one of the greatest miracles in history, proving in a dramatic way too many that Jesus is God.
It is also important to know of Jesus’ grief in verse 35, the shortest verse in the bible: “Jesus wept.” The Greek Kleio means not a long, enduring weeping of tears, but an outburst of tears that can’t be held back. Of course, Jesus’ mourning was more outstanding than anyone else’s, and he was “deeply moved”, sobbing (“Plinio” in ancient Greek). He was filled with sadness and grief, indignation, anger, and suffering – and He allowed Himself to feel the suffering we feel.
This is again an example of how Jesus, touched by our affliction and infirmities, feels everything we do, proving He is OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST. Jesus was not only grieving for the loss of his close friend Lazarus but also the grief of Mary and Martha, whom He also loved dearly. Even more, He felt the overwhelming realization that He was surrounded by unbelievers in a nation of unbelievers, who were all DOOMED to destruction in hell because they rejected Jesus. Jesus understood the pain and suffering of all humanity that faces the same inevitable hour of human loss, and how severe this loss is when you know you are losing one to hell forever.
This is a massive moment of agony, similar to the agony He faced in Gethsemane sweating great drops of blood while pleading for another way to redeem the world besides dying on a cross. There was no other way. It was all way more than His own death He grieved for, but rather the grief of what sin has done to the world. And what unbelief has done for the people around Him. The Greek word for their gods was “apathaya” from which we got the English pathos, which means one has no ability to feel pain, emotion, or care.
This shows not our God but Satan’s gods. Jesus’ shocking outburst of tears was obvious to all: “See how He loved him.”, they said. But Jesus’ tears stood out from everyone else’s because of the sin and judgment and hell that was behind it all. We should thank God for His huge, incalculable gift of the word of God, which shows that Jesus is God. Jesus’ question to Martha is His question to you now: “Do you believe?” Do you believe that not only did he raise Lazarus from the dead, but He Himself was resurrected and offers you eternal life?
DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?
