The chapter opens with the news that Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, from the village of Bethany was sick. Jesus disclosed that the sickness will not end up in death but is for God’s glory so that the Son may be glorified. Sickness glorifies God in its end result, not in its ordeal. God receives glory when sickness is ‘conquered’ literally in healing or figuratively in the case of those who transcend their physical sufferings and continue to trust God and to honour Him in the midst of the sickness. Jesus waited two days on hearing the news before deciding to go to see Lazarus. When He arrived in Bethany, Lazarus was already dead for four days. The general understanding of the Jews is that if a person is dead for four days, there is no longer any hope of resuscitation. Jesus’ delay seems odd at first reading but it is probably to demonstrate that His subsequent raising of Lazarus from the dead is truly a miracle and it certainly helped many to believe in Him, including those of His disciples who also saw Jesus in a new light with awe and worship.
The disciples were aware that the Jews were seeking to kill Jesus and they were wondering why He would go to Bethany near Jerusalem despite the danger. It is interesting that doubting Thomas displayed courage and loyalty in this instance when he declared his willingness to go and die with Jesus. Jesus’ mention of the fixed hours of daylight and darkness seemed to point to the impending ending of His earthly ministry.
Jesus’ encounter with Martha and Mary brings out some important truths. Both sisters felt that if Jesus were to come earlier, their brother would not have died. When Jesus told Martha that Lazarus will rise again, Martha thought He was referring to the collective resurrection at the end of time.
Jesus declared that He is the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Him will live, even though he dies and whosoever lives by believing in Him will never die. He then asked whether Martha believed this. Although Martha believed in Jesus as the Messiah, she has not been shown the connection between an abstract belief in the resurrection and a personal belief in Jesus. Jesus, God’s Rescuer, does not simply procure or promise the resurrection – He is the resurrection and He is the life. Those who come to Him in belief now have found life forever and they have found it now! They will never die the fullest sense even though they will die physically, because Jesus is God’s Rescuer who overthrows death. He is God’s answer to the greatest problem faced by humanity and mankind. Verses 33-36 shows Jesus expressing indignation at the sadness, pain and suffering caused by death. Death was never intended for man and it is the final enemy in the fallen world. But Jesus is the only one who can do something about this.
Jesus proceeded to raise Lazarus by just calling him to come forth. We see the power of His words. Ironically, the very miracle that reveals God’s glory and His glory also precipitates a violent reaction among His enemies and drives the plot towards His death.
Notice that the priests and the Pharisees were more concerned about their positions and the possibility of losing them if the Romans were to interpret that there was a rebellion brewing. They were not concerned for the truth and they could not believe in Jesus because they were not willing to believe. We see the hardness of the hearts of men, particularly those who were supposed to know the Scriptures and the Law.
The ‘prophecy’ of Caiaphas the high priest was simply a politically motivated remark but it served as a prophecy of Jesus’ substitutionary death. Jesus will die for His people and nation; He will die on our behalf for our sin. He really is the one who can deal with death and reverse the effects of sin in a fallen world. He brings life now; He does so through His substitutionary death.
Jesus’ asking Martha whether she believes that He is the resurrection and the life was directed at one who was already a disciple. It is a question to all of us who claim to be believers. Are we experiencing the life of Jesus now? Do we live as those without God and without hope? Is our belief in Him only an abstract idea or a mental acceptance, or is it a belief which rejoices in Him and abides in Him? This will determine how we go through life here on earth and how we maintain an eternal perspective in our pilgrimage in this fallen world.