Raising of Lazarus

"The Raising of Lazarus" redirects here. For other uses, see The Raising of Lazarus (disambiguation).
The Raising of Lazarus, by Duccio, 1310–11

The Raising of Lazarus or the Resurrection of Lazarus is a miracle of Jesus, in which Jesus brings Lazarus of Bethany back to life four days after his burial.[1][2]

The story is told only in the Gospel of John (John 11:1-44). Jesus is informed by messengers that Lazarus is ill, and his two sisters are seeking his help. Jesus tells his followers that he intends to wait for Lazarus to die, in order that God may be glorified:

"This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."

Jesus then delays for two days. The disciples are afraid of returning to Judea, but Jesus commands them to go with him, stating:

"Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe."

When they arrive in Bethany, Lazarus has been dead and buried for four days. Before they enter the town Martha, Lazarus' sister, comes to meet Jesus and tells him: "if you had been here, my brother would not have died". Jesus assures Martha that her brother will rise again and states:

Sixth century mosaic of the Raising of Lazarus, church of Sant'Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, Italy.

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

Martha's affirmation that she does indeed believe

"Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world"

is only the second time (after Nathanael) that someone declares Jesus as Son of God and the first time someone equates him as 'Messiah' and 'Son of God' together. The only other time this happens in the entire gospel is in the explanation the author of the Gospel gives for writing his Gospel as the very end.

Next, upon entering the village, Jesus is met by Mary and the Jewish people with her. Upon seeing their grief and weeping, Jesus is "deeply moved". Then, after asking where he was buried, the shortest verse in the four Gospels is found - "Jesus wept". After that, Jesus ask for the stone of the grave to be removed, but Mary interjects that there will be a smell. To which Jesus responds ,

"Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said:

"Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

The miracle of the raising of Lazarus

, is the climax of John's "signs". It explains the crowds seeking Jesus on Palm Sunday, and leads directly to the decision of Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin to plan to kill Jesus. Theologians Moloney and Harrington view the raising of Lazarus as a "pivotal miracle" which starts the chain of events that leads to the Crucifixion of Jesus. They consider it as a "resurrection that will lead to death", in that the raising of Lazarus will lead to the death of Jesus, the Son of God, in Jerusalem which will reveal the Glory of God.[3]

Introduction

- The raising of Lazarus is a miracle remembered through the ages only found in the Gospel of John. We will look at recorded history and commentary on the characters in this act, the cultural context, background knowledge and opinions on its significance by modern scholars of biblical studies.

Characters 

(used Reflections on the Gospel of John)

• Lazarus is from the town of Bethany (link to Lazarus of Bethany page). “The name is a shortened form of Eleazar, a name we meet in the Old Testament, notably as the name of one of the sons of Aaron. It means ‘God has helped.’” His sisters are Mary and Martha and he is loved by Jesus. “Lazarus is described as ‘a man who was sick,’ though the sickness is not told us either here or elsewhere.” • Jesus is referred to in this story as the Son of God, Rabbi, Lord, friend, the Resurrection and the Life, and the Christ. • Mary is from the town of Bethany and the woman who anointed Jesus with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair (link to Mary of Bethany). She is the sister to Martha and Lazarus. • Martha (link to Martha) is from the town of Bethany. She was sister to Mary and Lazarus. “Martha was apparently the hostess in the Lukan story, from which it has been deduced that she was the elder sister.” • Disciples (link to Disciple (Christianity) page) were a group of people that followed Jesus around while He was teaching and doing miracles. The only disciple mentioned by name is Thomas (link to Thomas the Apostle page). Thomas is known for doubting.

Background

1. Cultural Context 

a.Greco-Roman: Throughout Greco-Roman culture, healing and bringing people back to life was not seen as supernatural. In fact, the many gods that were held as deities in antiquity could accomplish it. In the Greco-Roman culture they held many gods that could heal as well as heroes. The most popular healing deity was Asclepios, the Greek physician who was compared to gods (Miracles in Antiquity). Three deities including Asclepios, Hercules and Isis all held accounts of raising someone from the dead (Miracles in Antiquity). Hercules fought Hades to bring back up Artemis from the dead.                                                                                      b. Jewish- In Jewish culture, resurrection and healing was not common. They did not understand the mechanics or reasoning for resurrection, they just understood that God could raise a dead body back to life at any time.


2.The Book of John

- In Bart D. Ehrman’s text A Brief Introduction to the New Testament, we see that Bart describes the fourth gospel as the most spiritual of the synoptic gospels. In the book of John we see that Jesus performs more miracles that are not mentioned in any of the other gospels. John also does not begin with Jesus’ birth narrative but with discussing the word being God. It also immediately introduces John the Baptist and his baptism of Jesus.

3. Who was Lazarus? 

Lazarus was a Jewish male in antiquity that is the brother of Mary and Martha and friend of Jesus. He is only mentioned in the gospel of John.

What modern scholars said about The Raising of Lazarus?

Modern scholars and theologians have many interesting points to this incredible event recorded in John’s gospel. In this section we will look at different scholars similar and unique views on what exactly the significance of this miracle is theologically, historically and spiritually.

•

The uniqueness of this miracle- 

D. Moody Smith claims that this event is utterly unique, although Jesus raises others from the dead in the Synoptic gospels, the raising of his dear friend Lazarus is done differently. Scholars feel that this miracle goes beyond simply a miraculous act but were symbolic, personal and foreshadowing the coming crucifixion. Some scholars would debate whether that is true since not all are convinced that Lazarus was indeed dead due to Jesus’s statements beforehand such as "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up" and, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Anderson, Just, and Thatcher in John, Jesus and History, would argue that in the text itself the author blatantly states that Lazarus is indeed dead, and his body smelled inside the tomb (John 11:39).

•

The sign of Resurrection

- In Bart Ehrman’s book Introduction to the New Testament we see him discuss the unique writing of John and how Jesus in this gospel was most concerned with people knowing who he was. There are seven signs (miracles) that occur in this gospel all pointing do different “I Am” statements made my Jesus. The raising of Lazarus is seen as the sign pointing to Jesus being the Resurrection and the life. (John 11:25). Scholars contemplate that death occurs yet death does not win. For God’s glory and purpose is shown in Lazarus dying but death does not have the victory, paralleling with Jesus’s death and resurrection. In fact this event is so close to Jesus’s death many scholars believe it to be the turning point in this gospel, the rising action that leads to the climactic death of Jesus The surprising reaction- Scholars note that this miracle is also significant due to the reaction of the people and misinterpreted reaction of Jesus. Although Jesus raises a dead man to life after four days, many people believe, but many still do not and lead Jesus to his death. How can this be? John Phillips writes that it is amazing that this miracle, according to the other occurs, and still Jesus as a deity is rejected and disowned. In response Jesus weeps. But Bultmann would argue that Jesus is not merely emotional during this sign/miracle but he is agitated at the lack of belief amongst the people. So Bultmann argues the verse in which Jesus weeps, is not out of sorrow for Lazarus or his death, as many would believe, but his mourning for the living and lack of understanding of who he is. 

   Significance in John’s community-The last interesting significance of this topic we will discover is contemplated by scholar Wendy North about this being a significant story for John’s community in a time where they were being persecuted and feeling abandoned. This story when Jesus waits and is absent in healing Lazarus, but ultimately raises him to glorify God the Father and defeat a greater purpose.  This would’ve encouraged a community that was feeling abandoned and their faith was being tested.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "John 11:1-46". Biblegateway. NIV.
  2. ↑ Clowes, John (1817). The Miracles of Jesus Christ. Manchester, UK: J. p. 274.
  3. ↑ Francis J. Moloney, Daniel J. Harrington, 1998 The Gospel of John Liturgical Press ISBN 0-8146-5806-7 page 325
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