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Raising of Lazarus
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just, so that in the resurrection of Lazarus she could see a pledge of
resurrection for all the righteous dead.
Martha answered, “I know that he will rise again in the resur-
rection at the last day.” Seeking to give a true direction to her faith,
Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life.” In Christ is life—
original, unborrowed, underived. “He who has the Son has life.”
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John 5:12
. Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, though he may die,
he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.
Do you believe this?” In this statement, Christ looked forward to the
time of His second coming. Then the righteous dead will be raised
incorruptible, and the living righteous will be translated to heaven
without seeing death. The raising of Lazarus would represent the
resurrection of all the righteous dead. By His word and His works
Jesus asserted His right and power to give eternal life.
To the Savior’s words, “Do you believe?” Martha responded,
“Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is
to come into the world.” She confessed her faith in His divinity and
her confidence that He was able to do whatever He chose.
“When she had said these things, she went her way and secretly
called Mary her sister, saying, ‘The Teacher has come and is calling
for you.’” She delivered her message as quietly as possible, since the
priests and rulers were prepared to arrest Jesus whenever they could.
The mourners’ cries prevented others from hearing her words.
When Mary heard the message, she rose quickly and left the
room. The mourners thought that she had gone to the grave to weep,
so they followed her. When she reached the place where Jesus was
waiting, she said with quivering lips, “Lord, if You had been here,
my brother would not have died.” The cries of the mourners were
painful to her, for she longed for a few quiet words alone with Jesus.
“Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who
came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.”
He saw that for many of them, what passed as grief was only for
show. Some who now were putting on a hypocritical sorrow would
plan the death of not only the mighty Miracle Worker, but also the
one He would raise from the dead. “Where have you laid him?”
He asked. “Lord, come and see.” Together they went on to the
grave. Many people had loved Lazarus, and his sisters wept with
breaking hearts while his friends mingled their tears with those of