Lazarus story is one of the most powerful and well-known miracles in the Bible. According to the Gospel of John, Lazarus fell ill, and his sisters sent word to Jesus. However, Jesus did not come immediately; by the time He arrives, his friend Lazarus is already dead and buried for four days. Yet Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead to demonstrate his power and authority as the Son of God, bringing glory to God, and strengthening the faith of the people.
Featured image: Attributed to Peter Paul Rubens artist QS:P170,Q5599,P5102,Q230768 Workshop of Peter Paul Rubens artist QS:P170,Q4233718,P1774,Q5599 Paris Orlando, The raising of Lazarus – Peter Paul Rubens, CC BY-SA 4.0
Table of Contents
- Who was Lazarus in the Bible?
- What is the meaning of the name of Lazarus?
- Jesus Brings Lazarus Back to Life: The Lazarus Story Summary
- The Lazarus Story in the Bible – John 11
- Why Did Jesus Raise Lazarus?
- How Long Did Lazarus Live After Jesus?
Well, how many people ever returned from the dead? The story of Lazarus is considered one of the most powerful miracles in Christianity. The resurrection of Lazarus, as told in the Gospel of John, not only demonstrates the power of Jesus as the Son of God but also serves as a reminder of the promised resurrection of Jesus, that is celebrated in Easter. This article will explore the significance and deeper meaning of this story through the biblical narration.
Who was Lazarus in the Bible?
According to the Bible, Lazarus lived between the years 12 and 36 C.E. According to the Gospel of John, Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha and lived in the town of Bethany, which was located near Jerusalem.
Lazarus was known for his generosity, kindness, and good works. He would also often help people who were in need of money, which was considered a great blessing by the people and often lead to others wanting to follow in his footsteps.
Lazarus is known for being raised from the dead by Jesus Christ. He is a significant figure in Christianity as it is seen as a demonstration of Jesus’ power over death and a reminder of the promise of resurrection for believers.
What is the meaning of the name of Lazarus?
In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells His disciples that he is going to prepare a place for them, just as He did with Lazarus. He also tells them that when they die, they will be resurrected, just as Lazarus was.
The divine identity of Jesus and his power over death and resurrection is one of the most important themes in the Bible, and the story of Lazarus is seen as a powerful reminder of this.
The name Lazarus is derived from the Hebrew name Eleazar, which means “God has helped.” This meaning of his name gives deeper insight into the story of Lazarus, as it can be interpreted as God helping Lazarus through his resurrection.
The name Lazarus also serves as a reminder that God is always there to help and guide us, especially in difficult times. it is significant in Christianity as it emphasizes the belief in God’s glory and power over death and his ability to bring eternal life to believers.
Celebration of Lazarus Saturday:
The celebration of the feast of Lazarus Saturday has a unique background and is celebrated with great joy in some countries around the world. It is commemorated on the Saturday preceding Palm Sunday, and its main purpose is to remember the resurrection of Jesus’ friend Lazarus. During this day people organize prayers, processions, liturgies, feasts and other activities. For further reading you can click here:
Treat Yourself to a Special Day! Everything You Need To Know About Lazarus Saturday
Jesus Brings Lazarus Back to Life: The Lazarus Story Summary
The small village of Bethany was in mourning. Lazarus, a beloved member of the community, had passed away. His sisters, Mary and Martha, were devastated and sent word to Jesus, their dear friend, to come and bring their brother back to life.
When Jesus arrived, he found the sisters weeping and the villagers gathered around the tomb where Lazarus lay. Jesus said to them, “Take away the stone.” But Martha, the practical one, protested, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.”
Jesus tells, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” And with those words, he lifted his arms and commanded, “Lazarus, come out!”
To the amazement of all who were present, Lazarus emerged from the tomb, alive and well. Jesus wept, overcome with emotion at the miracle he had performed. The villagers fell to their knees in awe, praising Jesus for his power and love.
From that day on, the story of Lazarus’ resurrection spread throughout the land, and many came to believe in Jesus as the Son of God. The sisters, Mary and Martha, were forever grateful to their friend for bringing their brother back to life and for showing them the power of faith and love.
This was one of the many miracles Jesus tells, that he performed to show the people that he was the savior sent from God, the one who can bring life to the dead.
The Lazarus Story in the Bible – John 11
1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister, Martha. 2 It was that Mary who had anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 The sisters therefore sent to him, saying, “Lord, behold, he for whom you have great affection is sick.”
4 But when Jesus heard it, he said, “This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that God’s Son may be glorified by it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. 6 When therefore he heard that he was sick, he stayed two days in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let’s go into Judea again.”
8 The disciples asked him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you. Are you going there again?”
9 Jesus answered, “Aren’t there twelve hours of daylight? If a man walks in the day, he doesn’t stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if a man walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light isn’t in him.” 11 He said these things, and after that, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going so that I may awake him out of sleep.”
12 The disciples therefore said, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”
13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he spoke of taking rest in sleep. 14 So Jesus said to them plainly then, “Lazarus is dead. 15 I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe. Nevertheless, let’s go to him.”
16 Thomas therefore, who is called Didymus,* said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s also go, that we may die with him.”
17 So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia† away. 19 Many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother. 20 Then when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary stayed in the house. 21 Therefore Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. 22 Even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies. 26 Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord. I have come to believe that you are the Christ, God’s Son, he who comes into the world.”
28 When she had said this, she went away and called Mary, her sister, secretly, saying, “The Teacher is here and is calling you.”
29 When she heard this, she arose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was in the place where Martha met him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house and were consoling her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”
32 Therefore when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.”
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned in the spirit and was troubled, 34 and said, “Where have you laid him?”
They told him, “Lord, come and see.”
35 Jesus wept.
36 The Jews therefore said, “See how much affection he had for him!” 37 Some of them said, “Couldn’t this man, who opened the eyes of him who was blind, have also kept this man from dying?”
38 Jesus therefore, again groaning in himself, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
40 Jesus said to her, “Didn’t I tell you that if you believed, you would see God’s glory?”
41 So they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.‡ Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you listened to me. 42 I know that you always listen to me, but because of the multitude standing around I said this, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
44 He who was dead came out, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth.
Jesus said to them, “Free him, and let him go.”
45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary and saw what Jesus did believed in him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done. 47 The chief priests therefore and the Pharisees gathered a council, and said, “What are we doing? For this man does many signs. 48 If we leave him alone like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”
49 But a certain one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you consider that it is advantageous for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” 51 Now he didn’t say this of himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but that he might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day forward they took counsel that they might put him to death. 54 Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews, but departed from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim. He stayed there with his disciples.
55 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand. Many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought for Jesus and spoke with one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that he isn’t coming to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had commanded that if anyone knew where he was, he should report it, that they might seize him.
source: World English Bible Online
Why Did Jesus Raise Lazarus?
The raising of Lazarus was not just a simple act of healing, but a demonstration of Jesus’s power and authority as the Son of God. Jesus performed this miracle to bring glory to God, showing His power and love to the people.
Furthermore, this story is a sign of hope for the people and an encouragement for them to have faith in Jesus.
The story of Lazarus also demonstrates the love of God, how he responds to pain and sorrow and how He will always be there to help in times of need. The story also reveal the divine identity of Jesus and his authority over death.
It’s important to note that these are some possible reasons for the resurrection of Lazarus. The Bible doesn’t provide a specific reason why Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead. But the overall message of the story is to demonstrate the love, power, and grace of God, which ultimately lead to the salvation of humanity and the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God.
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How Long Did Lazarus Live After Jesus?
The Bible does not provide any information about how long Lazarus lived after he was raised from the dead by Jesus. The primary purpose of the Bible is not to provide a historical record, but to communicate spiritual truths.
The story of Lazarus is not meant to focus on describing the history of this person, but rather to illustrate Jesus’ power over death and the promise of resurrection.
Lazarus died again after his resurrection. The Bible just focuses on the significance of the resurrection and not the post-resurrection life of Lazarus.
Final Thoughts
The story of Lazarus is considered one of the most powerful miracles in Christian history. It not only demonstrates the power of Jesus as the Son of God, but also serves as a reminder of the promised resurrection for believers. Moreover, it provides hope to the people of Christ that they will one day be reunited with their loved ones in eternity.
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