John - Chapter 11

THE GREATEST SIGN – THE RAISING OF LAZARUS

JOHN 11

(1-45)

The central design of John's gospel is to present Jesus Christ  as the Eternal Word that has come to reside in the likeness of man, in flesh, with the glory of the Lord shown to us in the appearance of man. Here we are given His divine nature within a form that those there at His time could see, touch, hear, and know.

In chapter 11 we will see His mighty power alongside His blessed tenderness. We see not only His absolute authority but His dependence upon the Father while in human form. We see one of the Trinity come from heaven to earth entering into the everyday nature of man, except without sin. The chapter which reveals His mightiest power also reveals the principles by which He lived which were submission, dependence, and obedience. While we see His voice calling the dead to life we also hear that in His compassion He groans and weeps.

To now, we have seen the increasing ill will and hatred of Jesus by the leaders of the Jews. We have also seen that no power of darkness, no effort by Satan or his demons could hasten the appointed hour chosen by God for His death.

While each of us knows the story of the raising of Lazarus well, we might gain some understanding by looking at a few items within the story that may not have been included when we heard the story in childhood.

The end of the public ministry of Jesus was coming soon and He was still afflicted with the hatred of the Sanhedrin. These leaders were perfect examples of the words of Paul to the Ephesians. They were dead in their trespasses and sins. The Eternal Word had come into their lives and they had only responded with rejection. After six signs that could only be seen as God's labor, the Lord reserved a greater sign to fully reveal His power and glory.

Mary and Martha and their brother, Lazarus, were close to the Lord. Lazarus was ill and his sisters sent for Jesus to come. We are told that this man was one that Jesus loved. Jesus tells that this sickness is not unto death and He chooses not to go immediately, staying two more days where He was and then deciding to go. His apostles quickly warn Him that the Jews wanted to stone Him and Jesus gives a puzzling reply concerning 12 hours of daylight and then comes the night.

With Bethany, the home of Mary & Martha, only two miles from Jerusalem, Jesus knew that His travels and work there would quickly be known at the temple. While the reply of Jesus seemed puzzling, we should think carefully that Jesus already knew what His remedy would be. He told the disciples that Lazarus was sleeping and the disciples missed the meaning, thinking that sleep is helpful for recovery, and only then did Jesus reveal that Lazarus was dead. So what His reply had meant was that this sickness was not to be seen as resulting in true death, that is that death would be the end of this sickness.

Jesus teaches that this sickness will be for the glory of God (just as He had revealed concerning the healing of the man blind from birth). Just as 12 hours are allotted to a day, there is also a time allotted for the will of God to be done.

To see properly the full effect and plan of this sign, we must recall that Jesus had brought the dead back at other times. Mark records the raising of the daughter of Jarius, and Luke records the raising of the widow's son but these were those who had just died.

Lazarus was dead four days, and in the tomb where the flesh gives way to nature.

When He arrives at Bethany, His heart is moved as the sisters are in sorrow. As He asked where the body was laid, and was shown to the tomb, we have the shortest of all Bible verses, “Jesus wept” (35). 

When Martha had greeted the Lord, she said that if Jesus had been there her brother would not have died. Jesus tells her that her brother shall rise again. She voices her understanding of Jewish faith by telling Jesus that she knew he would rise in the last day at the resurrection. Jesus provides perhaps the strongest evidence He has ever given of His identity and power when He says:

“I AM THE RESURRECTION”

Jesus commands that the stone closing the tomb be removed. Here, as in other miracles, He could have spoken the word and the stone would move away, but He includes men inside the work of God. They moved the stone. 

Jesus moves His gaze upward to the Father and prays. He says that the work is for those standing there that they may see the glory of God work among them. He speaks the words, “Lazarus, come forth”. Lazarus walks from the tomb in his grave clothing and Jesus commands those there to loose him. Notice that Jesus thanked the Father BEFORE the miracle was done. 

ARE WE THANKFUL BEFORE WE MAKE OUR REQUESTS OF GOD?

We should also carefully note that Jesus used the name of Lazarus before His command to come forth. If He had simply said “come forth” all the dead in that graveyard and all the dead in Hades would have left their rest to come forth. Here in a small way is the picture of what will occur at Rapture time. Each will be called and each will come forth.

Here Jesus shows His mightiest power. Captivity was led captive and Christ stood as the one who had defeated death and Satan. Here was a foreshadow of that glorious third morning when death, hell, and the grave, AND sin, will have been cast aside until He appears on the Mount of Olives at the last day.

It was during the bodily absence of Jesus Christ from Bethany that death exercised its power over Lazarus. It is the same with us now. When Jesus returns bodily, as the Resurrection and the Life Eternal, His power will prevail over death just as it was that day at Bethany.

Until that time, the tears He shed before this sign grant us the symbol proof of His love and compassion for us while we are here awaiting His return. 

(46-57)

A meeting was hastily called of the temple leaders. The question is obvious to them. What do we do? This man does many miracles. If we do nothing, this man will grow in influence and reputation until the Romans hear of him and think of him as a threat. The Romans may then take our place and nation away. 

Caiaphas then speaks and proposes the remedy that all were thinking but none had yet voiced. Caiaphas places the issue in the aspect that it is better for one man to die that the nation may live. Verse 53 is clear as to the meaning:

“Then from that day forth, they took counsel together for to put him to death”.

Jesus leaves the area, going to Ephraim with His disciples. The Jewish passover was near so many people went to Jerusalem. They sought Jesus there and asked whether He might come to the feast. The Pharisees gave a command to all the people that if Jesus was seen, He was to be reported so that they may take Him.

Do we notice the irony in the last 3 verses that while the people were approaching the temple of God and were purifying themselves for the feast of the deliverance, the leaders were staining themselves as they plotted to kill the sinless Son of God who could deliver all who believed on Him from death for eternity?