Good morning. I hope you all had a nice weekend and are ready for a full, action packed week of Bible reading!! Not much excitement in my weekend- so let's dig in!
The story this morning is the story of the resurrection of Lazarus. Jesus visits (several times) the home of Marty, Martha, and Lazarus in the synoptic Gospels- but in all these stories, Lazarus is well and it s more focused on the Mary- Martha "controversy". This resurrection story (the seventh "sign" in John's Gospel) is not in any of the other Gospels! There are several "explanations" why they don't have it; shockingly (?) the most common argument for the others not to have it- it never happened! I know that will open controversy- but just reporting the research I did! Another suggestion is that the other writers were writing during the time when Lazarus was alive, and if they had reported that he had been resurrected, the Jews may take offense and seek to harm him; John wrote this after Lazarus' real death, so no fear of retaliation.
Lazarus, the Greek form of the name "Eleazar" which means God is my help, is very sick and his sisters Mary and Martha come to find Jesus. We know Jesus had a close relationship with this family, so we would expect the sisters to come and seek Jesus, a close friend, for comfort. They didn't beg Jesus to come and heal, they just reported that Lazarus was sick (v 3). Possibly to start the prayer chain?! Jesus knew what was going to happen and reported, this sickness will not end in death (v 4) but will end in glory to God. Jesus doesn't hurry to Lazarus' home in Bethany (v 6). Jesus didn't need to rush. Imagine the pain and grief that Mary and Martha are experiencing. Their brother is sick and they can't do anything. We have all been there.
Bethany is a small town in Judea, and Jesus eventually agrees to go to see Lazarus. Jesus could have healed Lazarus and could have raised him from the dead from a distance, but Jesus goes to the home. The disciples remind him of the stoning incident from before. Jesus willingly faces death to help a friend. On the way to the home, Jesus reports that "Lazarus sleeps" (Jesus' metaphor for death) and Jesus will go awaken him (v 11). The disciples are somewhat confused (yes, even in John the disciples don't always get it, although they seem more in tune with Jesus' messiahship than in the synoptic Gospels!).
Then some odd (for the time being) words from Jesus. He clarifies saying, "Lazarus is dead, and I am glad I was not there" (v 14- 15). Thomas (called the Twin because he looked a lot like Jesus!) says that if Jesus is going to risk death that they should all go with Jesus (v 16). If Thomas (yes, the one who doubted) only knew what he was saying!
By the tie Jesus gets to Bethany, Lazarus had been dead four days and his body had begun to decay. Four days is significant. Jewish tradition says that the spirit stays around the tomb for three days hoping and waiting to be reunited with the body. On the fourth day the spirit leaves and the person is dead dead (note that Jesus was dead three days- so his spirit was still waiting to be reunited- based on this Jewish tradition). Martha openly expresses her grief and frustration at Jesus (v 21). How many times have we said those words to Jesus, "If only you had been here!" Martha was not confident in Jesus' ability to resurrect Lazarus (v 23-24) but she does express trust in Jesus. Do we have that same trust and faith in Jesus? Martha expresses the knowledge of resurrection (thanks to the Pharisees) on "the last day", but she wasn't expecting Jesus to resurrect Lazarus (vv 23- 26). Martha confirms Jesus messiahship!
Martha goes to get Mary and we get a touching, emotional conversation between Jesus and Mary. I wish we could know the tone of what she said, was she angry? Was she sad? How did she say those words to Jesus? The grief and sadness of Mary and Martha move Jesus to weeping (v 35). The price of love is grief. Jesus shares our grief. Jesus weeps with us. There will always be those who express their anger..."He healed the blind guy, yet he didn't save his friend from dying!" (v 37). How many times have we said something like that!
Jesus gets to the tomb and commands the people to remove the stone; they were active participants in the resurrection of Lazarus. The people could smell the decay that was beginning. We have all smelled that smell and it is quite a wretched smell- yet the faith of the sisters is amazing. They moved the stone. Jesus prays to God, standing up, looking up, hands outstretched. Lazarus walks from the tomb, still in the linen coverings (notice when Jesus is resurrected the clothes are folded neatly). Jesus has the people remove the cloths. The people are active participants in this miracle.
As per usual- we get two reactions. Many believed (v 45). BUT (v 46+)!!
The religious authority convene a council and discuss. They affirm that Jesus is performing signs (miracles), but they are still not convinced of the messiahship (v 47). They feared that more and more people would begin to follow Jesus and that they would lose their following and power (v 48). We meet Caiaphas the High Priest (for the year, it "changes" every year- not really, but it is supposed to). Caiaphas prophesies Jesus' death, but notice John says "the high priest" said this; he doesn't call him by name in this sentence! The prophecy continues with the high priest saying people would gather as a result of the death of Jesus (v 52). In John, even the office of the high priest confirms Jesus' messiahship!
Time is drawing to a close and Jesus is now more alert and more cautious (v 54). He retreats to safety as the hour had not yet come. Passover is coming. The command comes from the chief priests (primarily Sadducees) and the Pharisees for the arrest of Jesus. Sadducees and Pharisees generally did not get along and agree on many things- but this one cause- the execution of Jesus- they could agree on and work together on.
We are close to the Passover celebration and Jesus' final discourse (chapters 13 through 17) as reported by John. The next few weeks of reading will be tough for us.
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
In reading more of John and realizing the stories that are told in John but not in the synoptic gospels and vice versa, I wonder if John skipped the stories told before because they WERE told before. And I wonder if the stories told in John is because they were NOT told in the synoptic gospels and John felt they were too important not to be told. And other stories that are in all the gospels maybe John felt needed more embellishing?
ReplyDeleteIt is sad that Mary made Jesus weep, but also sortof reassuring - that Jesus does fully connect with "us" and our feelings so completely and that He loves us so deeply that our emotions can move Him to tears. It makes me wonder how often I have made Jesus/God cry - either because I am sad or because I have done the wrong thing!
I believe that the story of Lazarus happened. I don't really see a reason why John would make up such an elaborate story to prove a point when there were other miracles that Jesus did that John could report on that could have proved the same point!
I can't believe how frightening it must have been for the people to witness a "dead" person, still wrapped in burial cloth, rising up and walking out of the tomb. I would have been very afraid to remove the clothing of what I might see.
Also, I think I remember that the miracle that causes the Jews to start plotting Jesus' death is different in the synoptic gospels, yes?
I am looking forward to more reading!
It is interesting what stories are and are not reported by the various authors! There are some that are common to all four- but generally they are different!
DeleteJesus' weeping does show His connection with us on a personal level. And I ask the same- how many times have I made God cry?
In John, the plot to kill Jesus begins early- almost immediately. In the other three gospels, it does take a while to form that plot.
Thanks Donna
When we have someone dear to us who is close to death those of us with faith pray very hard. It seems unfair for Mary and Martha to be mad at Jesus. I know a family that their son brother husband father who is 38 is nearing the end of his life. I pray for him and his family every night but struggle with, do I pray for a miracle or for peace.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to imagine how we would react if someone we witnessed dead is alive after four days.
Just readings words passover makes me sad.
It does seem unfair for Mary and Martha to be mad- but we get that way too. I was so angry at God when my dad died many years ago. I was so angry and hurt and upset. I didn't like God very much at that point of my life!
DeleteI now know that death is OK and I look for the peace in it- for both the person transitioning and for their family.
Thanks Cindy
Lazarus is dying and martha and Mary want jesus to come and save him Jesus delays til after lazarus's deth before he comes He is going to prove once again that he is the Messiah. Martha is upset with jesus because he didn't come in time and says if only you had been here he would nt have died She did have faith that Jesus could have saved him but didn't really have faith that anything could be done once he was gone for 4 days. Mary expresses her sorrow and whatever he said or felt jesus felt also because Jesus wept. Do we make jesus weep with things we do or say? I remember when my favorite uncle passed away .he was living in Florida and was elderly at the time and dying from cance His brother my other uncle tod me that if I had gone to florida and cared for him he would still have been alive It broke my heart when he said that to me just because i was a nurse what did he tink I could have done to save mu uncle? After all is daughter was a nurse also and she didn't save him either.
ReplyDeleteAnyhow Lazarus is dead for 4 days and Jesus has the stone rolled away from the tomb and tell Lazarus to come forth. The rest of the story is history. Why would John have written this in his epistile if it we not so?
Jesus again says I AM the resurrection and the life I am lovig all these I Am's John has written of Jesus.
I can understand Mary and Martha's sadness and being upset at Jesus!
DeleteJesus weeping shows His human side and his connection with the family.
Those were some mean words to say to you! People die and sometimes there is nothing we can do but be there as they are going through the process.
John is a great change!
I love that when the stone was being moved away from the opening of the cave Jesus prayed. My Bible says “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.” Jesus was teaching people even while preforming this miracle. His prayer starts with thanks. I noticed this, I think, because I always try to start my prayers with thanks. I’m so grateful just to be able to pray and know that I’m heard.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a dramatic story. And then to have this wonderful miracle end so sadly. Jesus could no longer move publicly in the area for fear of arrest.
Here I am tonight writing in Word, then I will copy the finished product over to the LM Blogspot. I should be protected from the ills that have come on to me in the past. I should be all right as long as I do it this way.
ReplyDeleteThis story is familiar to me even if it isn’t in the synoptic gospels. I believe that this story did indeed happen as John related it to us. This story is too well known for me to believe that it didn’t happen. I don’t mean any disrespect, pastor, but I believe that it did happen.
Martha and Mary must have faith in Jesus to call on Him the way they did. However, He does not come immediately to their home as He is all to aware of the problems He had with the Jewish leaders the last time He was in Judea. I sure that the prospect of another stoning, or worse, is on His mind, even though He knows that His time has not yet come.
There are too many Marys. The first was the mother of Jesus. Then there was Mary Magdalene. Now here is another Mary who washed Jesus’s feet. Are any of these the same Mary?
Even though Martha and Mary have a lot of faith [in Jesus], the fact that 4 days have passed since Lazarus died has tested their faith. Are they mad at Jesus for not coming sooner? I imagine that they would been, since the Jews believed that after the third day, the spirit leaves the body, and the dead are actually dead. In any event, neither of them believes that Jesus can resurrect Lazarus.
After Lazarus is resurrected, the word gets to the leaders that Jesus is back, and He is doing His miracles again. It appears to me that they have mixed feelings about this. I Think they want to believe He can do these things, but they are afraid that if this continues, the Romans will catch wind of it, and they will lose everything. This is going to get interesting as Holy Week is coming. I ender what John will say about Jesus turning over the tables in the Temple, the Last Supper, the betrayal, and any other things that are mentioned in the synoptic gospels.
We often times begin prayer with "wants" don't we! I have tried to change, especially my public prayers, to beginning with thanks. Good point!
ReplyDeleteIt is a great story!
Thanks Cathy
No disrespect taken- just putting out there different ideas!
ReplyDeleteThe Mary of this story is also the one who anoints Jesus (we will read this in chapter 12). Mary Magdalene is a different Mary- and she was the Mary at the tomb.
Like Mary and Martha, we all have faith- but how deep is that faith!?
There are some major differences in John's Passion Week compared to the other three Gospels!
Thanks Jack!