Death of Lazarus

Illness

Many have heard the story of the woman who came forward and poured oil on Jesus’ feet anointing him. In the 2 verse we can Identify who this woman was. (NRSV)

2 Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was ill. This anointing does not take place until 12:3

The two sisters of Lazarus send Jesus a message to let him know that their brother and friend of Jesus is very ill. What should we make of the answer Jesus has for them? (NRSV)

4 But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Jesus seems to turn the illness into an occasion for revelation. For the audience, this cannot make sense can it? The audience has no way of knowing that Jesus will raise him from death to life. (NRSV)

5 Accordingly, though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, verse 5 would lead you to believe that the four of them were very close. Even loved one another. (NRSV)

6 after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Does verse 6 lead us to believe that this was a case of love? Then we get a parable. Jesus is always teaching. First of all Jesus says to the disciples, “ (NRSV)

7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” Notice that they call him teacher. A warning to Jesus that the Jews seek to stone you, yet you want to go back? Life as a servant carrying your cross can be challenging to say the least. But notice that Jesus doesn’t go without precautions. (NRSV)

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who walk during the day do not stumble, because they see the light of this world. 10 But those who walk at night stumble, because the light is not in them.” We will not stumble if we go by day. In this teaching we need to understand how those who work against the Lord work. Those who seek to secretly have Jesus killed do not want the world to see them do it. So the danger is minimal during the light of the day.

Then Jesus explains to the Disciples that Lazarus has simply gone to sleep, but he goes to wake him up. The story of Lazarus is a vision of Jesus’ on death and by choosing when he will return to Judea he also chooses the time when he will give his own life. (NRSV)

17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.” This scripture from the previous chapter describes how Jesus chooses his own fate.

Notice how what we know, what the disciples could understand in their human state, (NRSV)

12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be all right.” What Jesus does in the next few verses is give a theological explanation for what he meant by Lazarus falling asleep. Jesus then plainly explains , (NRSV)

14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 For your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” Verse 16, seems to be a bold statement by Thomas, (NRSV)

16 Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” This statement by Thomas is a mirror of what Jesus had said about his trip to Judea. This is the first appearance of the Doubting Thomas. The word twin in Greek translated is (didymos) which is Thomas. In the Gnostic circles, there was a rise of belief that Thomas was the twin of Jesus. Thomas appears to be the perfect and brave disciple. Of course we know the rest of the story. (doubting Thomas) Thomas and the other disciples did not understand that what Jesus was doing in this teaching moment was showing them his own death and resurrection.