The Raising of Lazarus

John tells that Lazarus of Bethany, the brother of Martha and Mary of Bethany, fell ill, and that his sisters sent word to Jesus, who was then beyond the Jordan (John 10:40; 11:1–3). Jesus stayed where he was for two more days. Then he told his disciples plainly that Lazarus was dead and that he was going to him (John 11:6, 14–15). They reminded him that people in Judea had just tried to stone him, and Thomas said to the others, “Let’s go also, that we may die with him” (John 11:8, 16).

When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been in the tomb four days. Bethany lay about fifteen stadia from Jerusalem, a little under three kilometres, and many had come out to console the sisters (John 11:17–19). Martha went to meet Jesus and said that her brother would not have died if he had been there. He answered, “I am the resurrection and the life,” and she replied that she believed him to be “the Christ, God’s Son, he who comes into the world” (John 11:20–27). Mary came and fell at his feet with the same words. Seeing her weep, and the mourners with her, Jesus was troubled, and he wept (John 11:32–35).

The tomb was a cave with a stone laid against it. Jesus told them to take the stone away. Martha objected that after four days there would be a stench. He prayed aloud and then cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” John says that the dead man came out, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and that Jesus told them to free him (John 11:38–44).

Many who saw it believed in Jesus; others went and told the Pharisees. The chief priests and Pharisees called a council and said that if they let him go on, everyone would believe in him and the Romans would take away “both our place and our nation”. Caiaphas, the high priest, told them that it was better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to perish, and from that day they planned his death (John 11:45–53). Jesus withdrew to a town called Ephraim near the wilderness (John 11:54).

In John’s Gospel this sign leads directly to the last week. Six days before the Passover Jesus was again at Bethany, at a supper where Lazarus sat at table (John 12:1–2). The chief priests planned to kill Lazarus as well, because many believed on his account (John 12:10–11), and the crowd that went out to meet Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem did so because they had heard of the sign (John 12:17–18).