A Practical Commentary on Holy Scripture/LIV. The Raising of Lazarus from the Dead

by Friedrich Justus Knecht

Chapter LIV.

THE RAISING OF LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD.

[John 11.]

THE two sisters, Martha and Mary, who lived in Bethania, had a brother named Lazarus. Now Jesus loved Martha and Mary, and Lazarus. But Lazarus fell sick, and his sisters sent word to Jesus^[1]: “Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick.” Jesus, hearing this, said to His disciples: “This sickness is not unto death^[2], but for the glory^[3] of God, that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”

Two days after, He spoke again to his disciples: “Let us go c, to Bethania; Lazarus, our friend, sleeps; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep.”^[4] The disciples answered: “If he sleeps he shall do well.”^[5] They thought He spoke of the repose of the body, but Jesus spoke of death. Seeing, however, that they did not understand what He meant, He told them plainly: “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes^[6] that I was not there, that you may believe; but let us go to him.”

When Jesus arrived in Bethania Lazarus had been four days^[7] buried. Now many friends and relatives had come to console the two sisters, who were in great affliction. As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she left her friends and went forth to meet Him. When she saw Him she exclaimed: “Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But now also^[8] I know that whatsoever Thou wilt ask^[9] of God, God will give it to Thee.”

Jesus said to her: “Thy brother shall rise again.” Martha replied: “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus answered: “I am^[10] the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in Me, although he be dead, shall live^[11]. Believest thou this?” She said to Him: “Yea, Lord^[12], I have believed that Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God ^[13], who art come into this world.”

Then Martha, going into the house, called her sister secretly ^[14], and told her: “The Master is come, and calleth for thee.” Mary rose up quickly and went to Him. The Jews who were in the house followed her, saying: “She goeth to the sepulchre to weep there.” As soon as Mary came to Jesus, she fell at His Feet, exclaiming: “Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died.”

Fig. 81. So-called tomb of Lazarus at Bethania. (Phot. Bonhls.)

When Jesus saw her weeping ^[15], and the friends who had come with her, He groaned in spirit, and troubled Himself, and said: “Where have you laid him?” They answered: “Come and see.” And Jesus wept^[16]. Seeing this, the Jews exclaimed: “Behold how He loved him!”

Jesus, having come to the vault or cave (Fig. 8^[17], p. 597), in which the body of Lazarus was laid, said: “Take away the stone!” Martha told Him that the body of her brother must be already putrid, knowing that he had been four days1 in the grave. Jesus said to her: “Did I not say to thee that if thou wilt believe^[18] thou shalt see the glory of God?”^[19] They then removed the stone.

And Jesus, lifting up His eyes, said: “Father, I give Thee thanks^[20] that Thou hast heard Me^[21]. And I know that Thou hearest Me always, but because of the people who stand about have I said it^[22], that they may believe that Thou hast sent Me.”

Then crying out with a loud voice, He said: “Lazarus, come forth!”^[23] And immediately he that had been four days buried , came forth, wrapped in the winding-bands^[24]. And Jesus said: “Loose him, and let him go!”^[25]

Many of the Jews who were present when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, believed in Him. Some of these went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. Then the Scribes and Pharisees assembled together, and said one to another: “What do we, for this man doth many miracles? If we let Him alone so, all men will believe in Him.” From that day they resolved to put Jesus to death. But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, walked no more openly among the Jews^[26].

COMMENTARY.

The Divinity of our Lord Jesus. Throughout all this story our Lord spoke and acted as God.

a) He called Himself the Son of God, and said that He was the (author of the) resurrection and the life.

b) He solemnly addressed God as His Father, thanking Him for having always heard Him; for the will of God the Father is one with the will of God the Son.

c) He accepted Martha’s confession of faith: “I believe that Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.”

d) He manifested His Omniscience by knowing that Lazarus was dead, though He was far from Bethania, and no one had brought Him the news of his death.

e) He revealed His Omnipotence in the most glorious way, by calling back to life, by His sole word, a man who had been four days in the grave, and whose body was already corrupt^[27] He called Lazarus not only from the grave but from corruption, overcoming death in the very midst of its work of devastation, and thus revealing Himself to all present as the very Lord of life and death— as the resurrection and the life. Our Lord worked this miracle before many witnesses. They had all known Lazarus, and they all knew that he was dead: many of them had seen him laid in the tomb, and the mouldering decay of his body was perceptible to their senses, as they stood around the open grave: and, behold, by the mighty power of one omnipotent word he who was dead stood alive and in the full vigour of his manhood in their midst! Not even our Lord’s bitterest enemies could deny the miracle!

The especial object of this miracle. The time of our Lord’s Passion and Death was at hand, and He wrought this mighty miracle beforehand in order that the faith of His disciples, and more especially of His apostles, might be strengthened, and “that they might believe” and not doubt when they saw their Lord and Master in the hour of His abasement; and most of all to enable them to hope, when they saw His Body laid in the sepulchre, that He who had raised up Lazarus would Himself rise again.

The necessity of faith. “He that believeth in Me, although he be dead, shall live.” It follows, therefore, that he who does not believe will not attain to eternal life.

The causes of unbelief. The impressions produced by the miracle of the raising of Lazarus from the dead were very different. Many believed in Him now who had not believed before; and for them the miracle worked salvation. The Pharisees and their followers could not deny the fact of the miracle, but they believed none the more in our Lord’s divine mission, and the wonderful miracle only served to harden them in their obstinate incredulity — once more grace knocked at their hearts for the last time by means of this stupendous miracle which even they could not deny; but so blinded were they by their hatred and envy of Jesus, that they resisted and shut out the true knowledge of Him which was, as it were, forced on them. They had to admit that our Lord did “many miracles”; but this undeniable fact so increased their hatred, that they could not even bring themselves to pronounce His name, but called Him “this man”. Though they owned that He worked the miracles they did not draw the logical conclusion that therefore they must believe in Him, but, on the contrary, the illogical conclusion that therefore they must kill Himl However wonderful the miracles He might work, one thing was certain, they would not believe in Him! The Messias must die, or else their own 'position would be injured, and their hypocrisy unmasked! “If we let Him alone”, said they, “all men will believe in Him.” They even wished to put Lazarus to death, “because many of the Jews by reason of him went away and believed in Jesus” (John 12, 11). Pride, envy and love of power combined to blind these men, and destroy their souls by reason of their unbelief. Pride and envy are capital sins.

The chief doctrine of Christianity is the doctrine of the Divinity of Jesus Christ. It was because Martha believed that Jesus was the Son of the living God that she also believed His words: “I am the resurrection and the life”, although she probably did not understand their full meaning.

The compassion of the Heart of Jesus. “And Jesus wept.”

The consolation of faith. The words: “I am the resurrection and the life”, are used at the service for the burial of the dead. They console us wonderfully for the loss of those dear to us, for they convince us that we shall all rise and meet again.

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Application. Jesus loved Martha and Mary, and yet He put off helping them, and let their brother die! He did this to prove their faith and their resignation to God’s will, and also because their trial would tend to the glory of God and to their own salvation. Be sure that Almighty God’s motive is one of love when He visits us with trials. Do not murmur, but use the trial for your salvation by bearing it patiently, because God wills it, and for so long as He wills it.

1. To Jesus. He being then in Penea, to the east of the Jordan (see chapter XLIII), about thirty miles from Bethania.
2. Unto death. Death which will last.
3. For the glory. It is permitted by God, so that His Son may work the great miracle of raising the dead to life, and may thus manifest His divine power. The messenger returned to Bethania with this consoling though mysterious message, and there he found that Lazarus was already dead.
4. Sleep. Our Lord called the death of Lazarus a sleep, because He foreknew that He would raise him from the dead. For Him, therefore, His friend was only asleep, though for others he was dead (St. Augustine).
5. Shall do well. Sleep often shows a crisis in an illness, and is the first symptom of recovery.
6. Your sakes. Had I been by his bedside as he lay dying, I should have cured him as I have cured so many others. But now he is dead, I will raise him to life again; and your faith will be strengthened, for you will behold a far greater miracle than the healing of the sick. So, for the sake of the apostles, Jesus waited where He was until Lazarus was dead. “He forebore to cure Lazarus’", says St. Augustine, “in order that He might raise him from the dead.”
7. Four days. He had, according to the Jewish custom, been buried on the day of his death. Jesus arrived at Bethania on the evening of the fourth day.
8. Now also. Although he is dead I still have hope, for I know &c.
9. Thou wilt ask. She hoped and believed that our Lord could procure her brother's return to life by His prayers. Her faith was but imperfect, for she did not expect that Jesus could work a miracle by His own Omnipotence, but only by the power of His prayers. It was to combat this error that our Lord said: “I am the resurrection and the life.”
10. I am. I do not need to pray for the restoration to life of your brother, for 1 can raise him up myself; for I am the author of life (chapter XXVI).
11. Shall live. His soul will live for ever in heaven — and his body also, after its resurrection, will attain to life everlasting.
12. Yea, Lord. Her faith was still imperfect when Jesus first arrived; but His words: “I am the resurrection and the life” increased and perfected it.
13. The Son of the living God. Her answer is most apt and complete. He had asked: “Believest thou that I am the resurrection and the life?” Martha answered: “I believe that Thou art the Son of the living God, and that, therefore, not only canst Thou raise the dead to life, but also do everything that Thou wiliest.”
14. Secretly. So as not to let any of our Lord’s enemies who might be present know of His arrival. Jesus remained outside the village, where was the burial-place of the dead.
15. Weeping. She could say no more, nor frame any petition by reason of her weeping. But, in reality, her tears pleaded her cause better than any words could have done.
16. Jesus wept. When Jesus saw Mary’s deep grief, and heard the sobs and wailing of those present, His tender Heart was moved, and He wept. Picture this scene to yourselves: Mary sobbing at the Feet of Jesus, and our Lord Himself shedding tears in the sight of all present! No doubt Mary’s deep grief made Jesus think of that sword which was so soon to pierce the heart of His own Mother.
17. Four days. When she realised that her brother had been already four days in the grave, and that the corruption of his body must have begun, Martha’s faith wavered, and she said to herself that he could not possibly be raised up. But our Lord’s word once more strengthened her faith.
18. Believe. Jesus had not said explicitly, I will raise your brother up, but He had signified that He would do so by His words: “Thy brother shall rise again”, and again : “I am the resurrection and the life.”
19. The glory of God. Manifested by the wonderful calling back to life of your brother.
20. Thanks. Our Lord uttered this prayer of thanksgiving aloud, so that those who heard it might know' that the miracle which they were about to witness was not, as His enemies maintained, the work of the devil, but of the power of God; and that they might thereby be moved to believe in His divine mission.
21. "Thou hast heard Me", said our Lord, for His prayer was granted the moment it was uttered. He, being One with the Father, granted as God that which He asked as Man.
22. I said it. I have uttered this prayer of thanksgiving.
23. Come forth! Imagine to yourselves what must have been the state of suspense of the on-lookers, as they peered into the open grave and heard this mighty command given to a mouldering corpse!
24. Winding-bands. He was tied up, so that, naturally, he could not move or use his hands to undo for himself the bands in which he was swathed. That he stepped forth bound hand and foot was a scarcely less great miracle than his coming forth at all (St. Chrysostom). Think of the astonishment of the bystanders, and the joyful thanksgiving of the sisters!
25. Let him go! This command proves that he could not move, or of himself remove his bonds.
26. Jews. He hid himself from these deadly enemies, retiring to the wilderness near Jericho, because His hour, that is the time pre-ordained for His Sacrifice and Death, was not yet come.
27. Jesus raised up the daughter of Jairus, but a few moments after she had died; the young man of Naim, as he was being taken out to be buried; and Lazarus, after he had lain four days in the grave.