§186b. Jesus Resurrects Lazarus - Part C
(John 11:28-44)

Introduction

1. In spite of Jesus love for Lazarus, he delayed his visit for the glory of God. That is agape love: looking for the ultimate good.

2. A lesson to the disciples that they can neither extend their life by protection while disobeying God or curtail by taking risk for the Lord in His will.

3. John is more concerned about the conversation between Jesus and Martha and the spiritual significance of raising Lazarus from the dead.

4. Faith involves a personal relation with Christ, knowing the person of Christ, and a growing understanding of Christ.

5. Custom during Jesus's time was to bury the dead within twenty four hours for the lack of refrigeration. Coffin's are normally not used. Body will be tightly tied with strips of cloth. This eliminated the possibility of pseudo death.

6. Detailed narration once can infer that while they were sincere they lacked in grasping what that Lord can and thereby pointing to his deity.

7. Lazarus was buried not in a grave but in tomb also indicates the prominence of this family which serves as wider publicity of the the miracle. Note also the similarity between Lazarus and Jesus' burial and tomb.

8. We can also see the emotions of Jesus: groaning, weeping, and even frustration. He is fully God and fully Divine.

Exposition

11:.	And 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.”

1. Secretly: In a low voice that only Mary heard the saying.

2. The Teacher has come ...: Martha did not mentioned the name of Jesus. It indicated the place Jesus had in their life. Note: Rabbis do not have the custom of teaching woman - but Jesus is different.

11:29.

As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him.

1. As soon as ...quickly: These words indicates how much they were longing to see Jesus. A model worth imitating.

11:30.

Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him.

1. Town ...where Martha met: Cemeteries were outside the town and Jesus was waiting for Mary to arrive. This also gave sufficient time for many to come to the tomb.

11:31.

Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”

1. Jews who where with her: These Jesus were with the family during the whole proceedings of that day thereby we understand that the miracle was witnessed by these Jews. It is not the lack of proof that people choose not to believe.

2. Weep: Loud cry.

11:32.

Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

1. She fell down: Worship and adoration.

2. If you had been here: The response was same as that of Martha. Faith is sincere, but limited.

11:33.

Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.

1. Groaned: Jesus was deeply moved with sympathy. The word often indicates indignation.
2. Troubled: Jesus was disturbed Himself. Why? He knew He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. Instead the reason was the unbelief of the people - they are more concerned about the physical death and not concerned about the salvation.
3. Weeping: This proved that none of them, including the sisters, did not believe or expected any miracle.

11:34.

And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”

1. Where have you: It is dramatic that Jesus was acting fully in human plane as if he did not know the place. It is an act that demands obedience, but more than, demands faith.

11:35.

Jesus wept.

1. Wept: It means He shed tears. This is a word confined in the Bible to Jesus. It is not the loud wailing referred to earlier. It is quite weeping.

11:36.

Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”

1. Loved ( phileo): A deep personal feeling for him.

2. How he loved him: The spiritual blindness - they thought this is the love of Jesus. They thought his weeping was out of frustration of not healing Lazarus before his death.

3. Then Jews said: They failed to read the mind of Jesus.

11:37.

And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”

1. Some of them [The Jews] said: There is an irony in this. Read John 9:31-41 where Jesus healed a blind man and they all wanted to kill Jesus for the healing was on a Sabbath day. The height of unbelief: when Jesus did the miracle rejected him. now they doubt the love of Jesus suggesting how he should have acted!

11:38.

Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

1. Groaned: The reason for this groaning is due to the unbelief of the people.

11:39.

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.”

1. Take away the stone: Jesus could bring Lazarus either through the stone or the stone to fall by itself. However, the Lord requires our obedience. He wants us to share in his work! Not because of his helplessness.

2. Martha the sister of him who was dead: Her response, beyond any doubt, attest to the death of Lazarus.

11:40.

Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”

1. Did I not ...: When faith is lacking, remember the words of Jesus. Believe in Him. When God is glorified in our midst, we are blessed. Do not seek God to intervene in our life for promoting our cause, but to promote his cause. That will be blessing to us. (Illus: learn driving, focus on gear, but really needed is the destination). He did not say, if you believe, your would be blessed and see a great miracle.

2. See the Glory of God: What is the glory? Is it the miracle? No, it is the significance of it - i.e. Jesus is Son of God and He came with a purpose. Jesus is the Son of God, the glory of Father. Only those who believe will perceive it.

11:41.

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

1. Took away the stone: Sisters might have given the permission. Show their trust in Jesus, may not be with full understanding.

2. Lifted His eyes: Prayer of Jesus - how much more we should pray.

3. Heard Me: Note the grammar - past tense.

11:42.

And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”

1. Because of the people: The purpose of miracle and even his groaning. God is the giver of life and Jesus shares the same with His Father. Prayer similar to that of Elijah. 1 Kings 18:37. Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.”

11:43.

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”

1. Come forth: It was not resurrection - no new glorified body. However, he was restored to life with the same body - free from decomposition.
2. Lazarus: Augustine once remarked that if Jesus had not said Lazarus’ name all would have come out from the graves.
3. Loud voice: Not for the sake of dead man, but for the people to hear him.

11:44.

And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

1. Grave clothes: This means bandages or strips of cloth used for embalming the dead.
2. Cloth: This word describes a kerchief used to wipe off sweat; here it seems to denote a special embalming for the head.
3. Loose him: People could verify and experience that it was real.
4. Let him go: Figurative of Jesus releases where Satan binds us (death and resulting tieing with cloths).

5. What was the experience of Lazarus? We can make some reasonable inference - Was he happy that he was restored to life!

6. Confirming the words of Abraham - Luke 16:31. But [Abraham] said to [rich man], ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’”

Application

1. Hope: We will be resurrected: Dan. 12:2. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. 1 Thes. 4:16. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Rev. 20:4-6. And I saw thrones ...and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus ...6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power ...

2. Feelings: Lord grieves over our unbelief when we acted purely on the earthly natural realm without demonstrating faith in him. He wanted us to trust him that he is able demonstrate His goodness toward us.

3. Misread: Failure to read the mind of Christ - Jesus' weeping is due to lack of their faith; but they thought Jesus' was like them. One can be sincerely wrong!

About this document ...

Compiled by tfrdn7@gmail.com on 2026-07-05 02:01 for the glory of the Lord