Day #302

Sermon - Audio
John 11 - Reading
John 11 - Audio

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John 11

The raising of Lazarus [ 11:1–54 ]. Jesus’ raising of Lazarus belongs to a biblical genre known as the death-rebirth story, and it is the last of the seven great signs that punctuate John’s Gospel. The famous story unfolds by the following sequence: prologue in which Jesus is told about Lazarus’ illness (vv. 1–14); Jesus delays (generating narrative suspense about why he “fails” to respond to a dire need) and then journeys to Bethany, accompanied by mysterious sayings about the situation (vv. 5–16); Jesus’ discourse with Martha in which he leads her to recognize the truth about Jesus’ being the resurrection and the life (vv. 17–27); Jesus shares Mary’s grief about the death of Lazarus (vv. 28–37); Jesus raises Lazarus from death to life by the power of his word and restores Lazarus to his family (vv. 38–44); the religious leaders react with extreme hostility to the raising of Lazarus (vv. 45–54). Jesus is the center of the action throughout the narrative, and we do well to pay close attention to the portrait of Jesus that emerges from this story. We see Jesus’ humanity in his loving compassion for the dying and grieving and his divinity highlighted in his miraculous power over death. -ESVLB-

*One of the highlights in this passage is the emotions of Jesus. We see that Jesus loved, was moved, troubled, and wept. Jesus was truly human.

5-6 - Jesus stayed two days longer: he allowed his friends to go through the sorrow and hardship of the death and mourning of Lazarus because he loved them and wanted them to witness an amazing demonstration of Jesus’ power over death, thus seeing “his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father” (1:14). The Lord does not always answer prayers as expected.

*Jesus knows that it is not His time yet to die. He has full confidence in His mission, thus walking in the day (according to the ways of His Father), brings Him no worry/fear.

*4 days - Lazarus is dead..dead. Though burial usually followed soon after death (see Acts 5:6, 10), some later Jewish sources indicate a belief that the soul hovered over the body for three days, hoping to reenter it, but then gave up and departed.

*25 - "I am the resurrection and the life" = Resurrection from the dead and genuine eternal life in fellowship with God are so closely tied to Jesus that they are embodied in him and can be found only in relationship to him.

*26 - "lives" & "believes" = everyone who has the life of the kingdom of God and believes on Jesus shall never die. Death cannot destroy since the believer is in union with him who is the Life.

*Mary knew that Jesus could heal, but her grief would not allow her to see that Jesus can even conquer death.

*35 - see earlier notes on the humanity of Jesus.

*40 - Jesus does everything to bring glory to God.

*42 - Jesus makes sure that the people know that it is the Father working through Jesus to bring about His purposes.

*45-46 - Two different reactions. Some realized that this indeed was the Messiah, while others tried to find ways to discount Jesus. This is still true today.

*48 - Most influential Jews held council (Priests & Members). Notice they are most concerned about things being taken away from themselves (position, status, wealth, etc).

Josephus (Famous Roman/Jewish Historian) wrote of the Sadducees: “The behavior of the Sadducees one towards another is in some degrees wild; and their conversation with those that are of their own party is as barbarous as if they were strangers to them”

Caiaphas is basically saying, "“It is better that this man be killed than the totality be punished on his account." Caiaphas in his declaration had in view the benefit of the death of Jesus for the Jewish people: it would avert disaster for the nation and, by implication, leave the rulers secure. The Evangelist saw a more profound meaning in his words: the death of Jesus would benefit not alone Jews, but “the people of God” drawn from all nations, and the “benefit” would be nothing less than the salvation of the kingdom of God.

55 - People went up early to purify themselves from any ceremonial uncleanness that would have prevented them from celebrating the Passover.