“Jesus Has Power over Death”

This is the third lesson on the miraculous power of Jesus – God incarnate. Thus far in our study, Jesus has demonstrated his power over nature and His power over disease. In this lesson we will study Jesus’ power over death as He raises Lazarus from the grave.

The death of Lazarus. John 11:1-20

Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, became sick and his sisters sent word to Jesus that His friend had become very ill. [vv.1-3]Note that Bethany is referred to as, “The village of Mary and Martha.” [v1] In Luke 10:38-42 these sisters are listed as Martha and Mary. Martha was very busy getting everything in order, Mary, was content to set at the Master’s feet and learn. Here some thirty years after the cross and resurrection John not only lists Mary first but identifies her as “the one who anointed the Lord and wiped His feet with her hair.” [v.2] What took place in chapter twelve left a deep impression on believers, to the point that Mary was the one remembered for her service to the Lord. See the Synoptic account of the event in Matthew 26:6-13; and Mark 14:3-9 and note Jesus’ promise.

Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” [v.3] We look at it as short and to the point. It is, yet it was packed with pathos. I wonder who wrote the note? If I’m correct the only words of Mary recorded in the Scripture are later in this chapter. The note began, “Lord,” the sisters always addressed Him as Lord, Master. “Behold, he whom,” the word “behold” is an attention getting word, it is an imperative. John the Baptist said, “behold the Lamb of God,” 1:29&36, Jesus used the same word of Nathaniel, “Behold an Israelite…” it is used in the same way here, “become aware” that “He whom” there was no question in their minds but that Jesus would know instantly whom they spoke of, Lazarus whom He loved. “Is sick” this word is not used for an illness when recovery is expected. It was used of the official’s son in John 4:46 who was sick unto death. Lazarus was on his deathbed. Mary and Martha believed that was all Jesus needed to know. He would do the right thing. Do our prayers reflect that same trust?

Jesus received the message and said “this sickens was not to end in death, but was for the glory of God so that the Son of God would be glorified by it.” [v.5] To whom did Jesus say these word? Most likely the messenger (s) from the home of Mary and Martha. He didn’t tell them everything, but he told them enough to give hope. He said, “this sickness will not end in death.” From our point of view at first is looks like it ended in death. Not so, four days dead was not the end! After that, “The glory!”  Through Lazarus’ death Jesus would reveal the power of God over death.

After two more days Jesus He said to His disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”[v.7] They reminded Him that the Jews were seeking to stone Him there. [v.8] Jesus responded that they would walk in the light of the day. That their friend Lazarus “had fallen asleep,” [died] but He was going to awaken him out of the sleep. It was a pre-announced miracle He was going to Bethany to accomplish. [v.11] The disciples did not catch the meaning of “asleep” so Jesus said plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.”[vv.14-15]

The disciple Thomas said“Let us go also that we may die with Him.”  Showing the real danger and his belief that if Jesus went to Judea He would be killed. [v.16] When Jesus arrived at Bethany He found that Lazarus had been in the grave for four days. That’s a long time dead! The rabbis said that the human spirit stayed close to the physical body for three days. Jesus tarried until after four days to assure that Lazarus was truly dead and beyond all rabbinical hope.[v.17] Jesus had given life to others, but none of them had been in the grave. Can you name them?

Jesus – the resurrection, John 11:21-44

Martha went to meet Jesus and said to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” [vv.21-22] This is a second class conditional sentence which is called, “contrary to fact.” It would be understood as, “If you had been here with us, which you were not, my brother would not have died, which he did.”[Utley] Jesus replied “Your brother will rise again.” [v.23] She said she knew he would rise again in the resurrection in the last day. Martha, like the Pharisees, did believe in a final resurrection in the last day. In the Old Testament Daniel spoke of a day of resurrection and judgment. [Daniel 12:2] Job spoke if his living redeemer and that after death he would see God. [Job 4:14; 19:25-27]

Jesus declared to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”  [vv.25-26] This is the Lord’s fifth of seven “I Am” statement in this gospel.  [see 6:35; 8:12; 10:7,9; 10:11,14; 11:25; 14:6;15:1] “I am the resurrection and the life.” This is what He and who He is. He would soon demonstrate that all power rested in Him, even the power of life and death. [John 1:4] “Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.” The believer in Christ, though he die, yet shall he continue to live. Martha confessed her faith in Him as the Christ. [v.27]

Martha went and told Mary that Jesus had arrived. Mary came to Jesus, falling at His feet said, “Lord if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” [v.32, see v.21, same conditional clause] As Whittier says, “Of all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.’ ” Notice Mary “fell at His feet,” her preferred position to Her Lord. “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Literally, “Lord, if you had been here, had not died my brother,” i.e. Me brother would not have died in Your presence. [v.32b] Mary saw Jesus as: (1) Prophet, Luke 10:39; (2) here as Priest who knows our infirmities, and (3) in 12:3 as King, Matthew 26:7 she anointed His head and His feet.

When Jesus “saw her weeping…He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled.” [v.33] The literal translation for “deeply moved and troubled” is “snorted in the spirit.” It usually refers to anger, and in this context could refer to Jesus anger with Satan and death. The Holman translation has, “He was angry in His spirit and deeply moved.” [HCSB] I think the NASB and NKJV of “deeply moved and troubled” better reflects the context.

Jesus asked where they had laid Lazarus. “Jesus wept.” [vv.34-35] Three times in Scripture we read of Jesus weeping: (1) He wept over Jerusalem. [Luke 19:41] (2) He wept in Gethsemane, [ Hebrews 5:7] and here. Each time His tears were connected with the consequence of sin. He wept  over souls under the shadow of death and He felt it. He wept also because in Him lay the only hope of resurrection power and was about to fill the house at Bethany with resurrection joy.  Others saw how He loved him. [v.36] Others said could He not have healed him and kept him for dying?  [vv. 36-37]

Lazarus is raised from the dead. Jesus went to the tomb [v.38] Again He was “deeply moved within” same context as in verse 33. He commanded that the stone be removed from the opening. It was an imperative to those standing there. Martha said by this time there would be a stench. Jesus said, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” Remember His words to the messenger, “This illness will not end in death, but for the glory of God.” [v.4] His glory was about to be seen. The stone was removed  then Jesus prayed, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me…..I said it that they may believe that You sent Me.” [vv. 39-42] Then Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” The Greek word translated, “cried out”  is used nine times in the New Testament and always in a context of someone or someones, as in the crowd that called for Jesus to be crucified, shouting in a loud voice. Lazarus came forth! Or as John the gospel writer put it, “The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth.” [v44a] How did Lazarus get from the place his body had lain to outside the tomb with all that wrapping? It can only be explained by the power of God. Jesus again commanded, “Unbind him, and let Him go!” The Greek word for “unbind” is “lyo”, to loose, set free. That’s exactly what they did. [v.44b]

That is exactly what the Savior has done for all who will believe in Him. He has removed the wrapping of sin and death, taking it upon Himself, paying the total price of sin, and giving in its place His righteousness. Have you placed your faith in Jesus the resurrection and the life? I hope you will do so today.

The reactions,  John 11:45-57

This is the climactic seventh sign in the gospel of John. Each sign had been for the glory of God, and for building of faith in those who witnessed them. Some believed in Him. [v.45] Some went and told the Jewish leaders.[v.46]  At this miracle, the Jewish leaders from this day on planned how they might kill Jesus. The Chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many miracles.” [v.47] “But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. [vv.49-52]
Note also that the Passover was near and many were going up to Jerusalem to purify themselves. This would be the last Passover for our Lord, He would be the Passover Lamb slain for sinners.