We have reached a climatic point in our study of the Gospel of John. The raising of Lazarus is the final sign given to the Jewish people before the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord. There are two cycles of miracles or signs seen in the Gospel of John. At the beginning of the Gospel of John, we see the Cana Cycle starting with Jesus turning the water into wine. The second cycle is the Festival Cycle. The Cana Cycle opened the door for the Jewish people to discover who Jesus is through the miracles He performed. The Festival Cycle gives confirmation to who Jesus is and provides an invitation for the people to believe in Him. The Festival Cycle takes us from Passover through the Feast of Tabernacles to the Feast of Dedication and back again to the Passover. The raising of Lazarus is the climax of the Festival Cycle, leaving no doubt that Jesus is the Son of God. However, the question is: will they believe? The New American Commentary says, “The only question was, Would the authorities who operated within their closed religious system be willing to recognize a messenger from God who “colored outside their lines”? Did God have to operate in their box of rules to be acceptable? The answer is that the religious authorities had a major problem with a person who did not fit their guidelines for acceptability.”[1] This is why they sought to arrest and to kill Jesus. He did not fit into their rules. He was a radical that did not constrain Himself with religious rules and traditions. As we walk though John 11, there are several important questions to consider along with a spiritual application.
After hearing of Lazarus’ condition, why did Jesus wait two more days to go to him? Verses 1-7 says, “Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore, the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”[2] At first glance, we may wonder why Jesus did not immediately respond. Why the delay? No doubt the delay would cause even greater pain and grief for Mary and Martha. Normally, when one hears of the impending death of a loved one, he or she would immediately go to them to be by their side and say their final goodbyes. The disciples must have wondered why Jesus did nothing. They knew He had the power to heal. They saw Him heal the nobleman’s son from a distance. Could He not do the same for Lazarus, a man that He dearly loved? The delay of Jesus seems to contradict His love. A deeper question to consider may be: Is the love of Christ and suffering compatible? If He really loves us, and He had the power to remove suffering; why then do we suffer? Warren Wiersbe said, “God’s love for His own is not a pampering love; it is a perfecting love. The fact that He loves us, and we love Him is no guarantee that we will be sheltered from the problems and pains of life. After all, the Father loves His Son: and yet the Father permitted His beloved Son to drink the cup of sorrow and experience the shame and pain of the Cross. We must never think that love and suffering are incompatible. Certainly they unite in Jesus Christ.”[3] The work of God is a great mystery. Why does He heal one and not another? Why does He allow suffering in one place and prevents suffering in another? “Jesus could have prevented Lazarus’ sickness or even healed it from where He was; but He chose not to. He saw in this sickness an opportunity to glorify the Father. It is not important that we Christians are comfortable, but it is important that we glorify God in all that we do.”[4] For Mary and Martha, they did not see that a greater miracle was on the way. Sometimes, there may be a delay because God is about to do something greater. Therefore, if you are in a season of waiting, don’t be discouraged; it could be that an even a greater miracle is on the horizon.
What did Jesus mean by ‘one who walks in the day’? Verses 8-16 says, “The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”[5] There are many ways in which this question can be answered. The disciples were concerned for the safety of Jesus. They warned Him to not leave where they were because there were those that were out to kill Him. Jesus gives an illustration about walking in the day versus walking in the light. He was telling His disciples that it was not as dangerous as they supposed. Jesus was making it clear that no harm would come to Him until the appropriate time. Walking in the light is to walk in the will of God. “In the spiritual realm when one lives by the will of God he is safe.”[6] There is no safer place to be than in the center of God’s will. Another answer to this question has to do with a greater application to those living in Jesus’ day. The Light was there. Jesus was there. It would be best for them to believe on Him now, while He was present with Him. The unique opportunity given to them would soon pass. Therefore, they should believe on Him before the Light is gone.
What did Jesus mean by saying that He is the resurrection and the life? Look at what John records in verses 17-27. “So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”[7] As Jesus and His disciples arrived in Bethany, they found that Lazarus had already been dead four days. It is interesting to note that Lazarus died the day the message came to Jesus. It was a day journey from Bethany to where Jesus was. The servant that travelled to Jesus was one day. Jesus waited two days and then took a day journey to Bethany. When He arrived, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Therefore, He must have died the very day that Jesus was told that he was sick. Jesus already knew that Lazarus had died. As Jesus approaches, Martha comes out to meet Jesus. Martha declares her faith in Jesus as she says that if He would have been there, Lazarus would have been healed. Jesus tells Martha that Lazarus would rise again. She understood this to be the day of resurrection. But, Jesus declares to Martha that resurrection is here, for He is the resurrection and the life. By saying He is the resurrection and the life, He is once again claiming to be the Savior. He has power over death and the grave. He is salvation to those who would believe in Him. Because of who He is, those who believe in Him will never die. They have everlasting life. As the resurrection and life, Jesus gives us hope. He gives us a future. He gives us peace.
Why did Jesus weep? Verses 28-37 says, “And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.” Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!” And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”[8] The obvious answer to this question of why Jesus wept is surface level. He wept because he loved Lazarus. He was saddened by his death. We must not forget that Jesus is just as much man as He is God. Therefore, He experienced human emotion. He was sad by the death of his friend. However, there is a much deeper and more profound reason as to why Jesus wept. He knew what He was about to do. He was about to raise Lazarus from the grave. Yet, Lazarus was in glory. He had gone to Heaven. Jesus did not want to bring Lazarus back. It would be better for Lazarus to not come back. But, Jesus was there to fulfill the will of the Father by providing one final sign before His crucifixion. Perhaps, this is another reason why Jesus wept. He knew the cross was drawing near.
What were the people thinking when they saw Jesus call Lazarus out of the grave? Notice what happens in verses 38-44. “Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”[9] Can you imagine being in the crowd that saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the grave? A dead man came walking out of the grave when Jesus called His name. Imagine what the disciples were thinking. It was as if all doubt was removed. The disciples in that moment also knew how this would trouble the religious leaders. They had seen Jesus perform miracles before, but this was a whole new ballgame. Nothing would be the same again after this.
Why did the Jewish leaders plot to kill Jesus? The Jewish leaders had seen enough. The raising of Lazarus was the final straw for them. Verses 45-57 says, “Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.” And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad. Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. Therefore, Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples. And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?” Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.”[10] The Jewish leaders were self-centered. They cared more about protecting their religious practices and traditions. They wanted to keep the status quo. Since Jesus was breaking from their traditions and doing things that had never been done before, they wanted to get rid of Him. They refused to believe that Jesus was the Messiah. They saw Him as someone who was taking away their control over the people. Therefore, they sought to kill Him.
As we have considered these questions surrounding John 11, there are also several applications that we glean from this text.
SICKNESS = SIN. Jesus makes an interesting point in verse 4. “When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”[11] Jesus was saying that Lazarus’ sickness was not unto death. Meaning, that Lazarus was very much alive because of His belief in Jesus. Physical sickness does not bring eternal death. It is the sickness of sin that brings eternal death. The scripture teaches us that we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.
DEATH = SEPARATION. Sin brings death and death brings separation. Those who are lost in their sins are separated from God. One day, they will be separated from God forever in Hell. Death is separation from God. The body of Lazarus was in the grave, but He was alive because of His faith in Christ. However, those who do not believe on the Lord Jesus will suffer eternal death. Separation from God for all eternity.
JESUS = LIFE. Jesus is life for all who believe on Him. You do not have to be separated from God forever. You can be reconciled to God through faith in the Lord Jesus. He is the resurrection and the life.
Knowing that you are a sinner. Knowing what sin brings. Knowing that Jesus has given life to those who believe in Him. Will you believe?
[1] Borchert, G. L. (1996). John 1–11 (Vol. 25A, p. 347). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[2] The New King James Version (Jn 11:1–7). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 334). Victor Books.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 334). Victor Books.
[5] The New King James Version (Jn 11:8–16). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[6] Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 313). Victor Books.
[7] The New King James Version (Jn 11:17–27). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[8] The New King James Version (Jn 11:28–37). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[9] The New King James Version (Jn 11:38–44). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[10] The New King James Version (Jn 11:45–57). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
[11] The New King James Version (Jn 11:4). (1982). Thomas Nelson.
Pastor Chris Noland 