The Gospel of John | The Resurrection and The Life – John 11:1-44
Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life changes our perspective for now and for eternity.
The prolonged teaching times of the previous few chapters give way to a change towards the narrative structure. Lazarus, a cherished friend of Jesus and the disciples and the brother of Mary and Martha, had died. Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus, hoping he would drop everything and come to save their brother. Yet, Jesus waited. In fact, by the time he arrived at the home of Lazarus, he had been dead four days, a time that the Jewish people considered to be when a body was fully dead and beginning to decompose. Jesus’ words to the disciples who did not understand throughout the course of this narrative was that Jesus reigns even over death and this will give glory to Jesus Christ somehow.
One of the largest issues of the narrative of Lazarus comes from people’s attempt to ascribe motive to Jesus’ pause in not immediately going to see His friend. Most people have the expectation that if their friend is dying, nothing else matter. Immediately, we would all take days off from work, clear our calendar, and do whatever it took to be there for someone we cared deeply about. Yet, John tells us that Jesus waited two days before going. Some of proposed that since the Jewish leaders were openly trying to kill Him, Jesus understood that going to Judea would set the events in motion that would lead to His crucifixion. This idea is supported by Thomas seemingly bleak outlook, knowing the effect this would have. Others have stated that Jesus had dealings where he was at and needed the additional days of rest after His prolonged teaching period. Whatever the reason for the delay, we can only say what the text states and whatever the reason, the death of Lazarus would be used for the glory of God through Jesus Christ.
During this narrative, we find one of the iconic “I Am” statements of Jesus Christ that openly self-identify Him as the King over all creation. Now, in dealing with the family of Lazarus, Jesus proclaims He is the resurrection and the life. Like the statements before, the “I Am” harkens the understanding of Jesus Christ as Yahweh, the one true God worshipped by their forefathers. Now, face with the present reality of death, Jesus establishes Himself as the authority over death and life. When he hears the news of Lazarus’ death, Jesus openly exclaims that this illness does not lead to death, but through His work, those Jesus considers to be His friends will be safe. Submission to Jesus Christ as Lord over all things changes our perspective on the reality of life. Eternal life does not become a far off goal, but remains a present reality for the believer. Our perspective changes that Jesus gives us life and resurrection now and for all eternity through His saving work on the cross. Jesus willingly faced death to bring resurrection to His friend in a massive foreshadowing of the looming cross.
Jesus Meets Us In Our Daily Life
As Jesus approaches, Martha comes out to greet Him, as one would greet a person in authority coming to visit. She breaks away from the funeral proceedings of mourning for a period of seven days and comes outside to Jesus (who never joins the funeral customs of this time). While her initial greeting demonstrated respect and honor for Jesus, her first words came out as a scolding rebuke rooted in the pain of having lost her brother. Then, she follows up her statements with her understanding of Jesus. She rebukes Jesus for not having been there but knows that if Jesus talks to God, then God will listen to His prayer. In this moment, Jesus could have chastised her brazen approach or correct her understanding of thinking God and Jesus are separate, but instead reassures her of what He knows will happen; this sickness will not end in Lazarus’ death. Martha’s, thinking Jesus only referred to an eternal and eschatological understanding of life. To Martha’s credit, she understood the eternal nature of Jesus’ ministry and work knowing that one day they will be reunited but here and now Martha felt a real pain and didn’t want the theological platitudes. Jesus challenged her faith in this point. If she truly believes that Jesus is the Christ and holds the authority over death then even this moment is subject to God’s rule and reign. He would not be some philosophical future reality but a real and current presence for those around Him. Jesus’ question hits hard in this moment; “Do you believe this?”
Likewise, Mary, when she came out to see Jesus similarly challenged Him stating that if only Jesus had been here, Lazarus would not have died. Yet, Mary’s emotions ran stronger than her sister. She had been inside with those around her consoling her and now she stood before Jesus an emotional wreck, mourning the loss of her brother and standing in front of the one who could have altered the outcome. She did not understand why or the purpose behind this. She did not try and force the will of God to do her own, but she cried the loss of her brother and friend. Jesus, rather than berate her lack of faith or explain the infinite truths and purpose behind the death of Lazarus, Jesus wept dearly with her, sharing in her pain. He felt what she felt and cried with her in her moment of vulnerability, mourning the life of his friend.
Jesus is not a far off reality or a future philosophical ideal. From the beginning of the Gospel of John, we see that God took on flesh and tabernacled, living with and among, His people. Life became something to be shared with God rather that some far off God who distances Himself from His people. There is a time for theological truth and study of the mind of God. Yet, until our theology becomes intensely personal, real, and stands in our midst, we do not fully comprehend the nature of God. Jesus does not want us just in our future home in eternity after the last days, but wants to share in our life and in our present reality now. Eternity with Jesus Christ is not something that starts later but starts when we submit to the will of God. When we understand that Jesus reigns over the mundane daily routine of life and desires to fully know us, our perspective changes to know that life, even now, is subject to the will and authority of Jesus Christ.
- In what ways do you see Jesus present in the reality of the daily moment throughout this story?
Jesus Hold Authority Over Death
When the disciples heard of the death of Lazarus they wondered why Jesus did not go to Lazarus immediately. Jesus told them they would see the glory of God and understand. Mary and Martha questioned why Jesus did not come in their own time to prevent the death of Lazarus. The community had gathered in the home of Mary and Martha to mourn with them for the usual seven days as was custom during the time and they too questioned to one another why Jesus, if He could perform the miracles he performed, did not simply stop Lazarus from dying? Jesus, in prayer to the Father in sight of the people, understood that Him and the Father were one and unified in mission and purpose, thus knowing that the Father heard the Son. He proclaimed loudly for Lazarus to come out of the tomb. To the astonishment of the crowd, the man who had been dead, buried, and beginning to decay, now stood before them emerging from the tomb. The people understood the theological significance of the Messiah but could not comprehend the immediate nature of His rule.
For God who reigns over all things, we cannot understate the expanse of His reign. We feel the impact of Jesus Christ as the resurrection and the life the moment we submit to Jesus Christ as the Lord over our life. This greatly impacts our perspective on the world. As we submit to Jesus as the resurrection and life, everything we need and everything we have can and should be found in the arms of Jesus Christ. Our life is not longer our own and we know that death has no effect on the believer. The Christian does not wait to fully follow God but submit to the redemption of our very lives. This means we will not one day be free from the sin that ensnares us but that Jesus offers that freedom immediately. We will not one day know God and be known by Him but can already begin to know God and be known by him. Even if it’s just a taste of a future and eternal glory, God will not one day be with us but is already with us and His victory over sin and death begins now not later. He plucks us from the sin and evilness that our hearts desire and sets us on a firm foundation of love and grace, having been saved by Jesus Christ.
- How did Jesus defy the expectation of the people mourning the death of Lazarus?
Discussion Questions
- What does it mean that Jesus is the life and the resurrection? What does the
- When have you experienced the redemption of Jesus Christ from sin and sickness in your life?
- How does Jesus Christ’s reign over death affect our daily lives? What changes when we understand that Jesus is the source of life?
- How does our perspective change when we understand that Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life?
- What can we do to live our lives today with the impact of Jesus Christ? How do we live in the promise of the eternity in our daily lives?
