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Author: Stephen Weller
693 words, 4 minutes read time.

Lazarus, Come Out

Scripture: John 11:38-44

In the previous lesson we witnessed a clear example of the humanity of Jesus as he weeps along with others over the death of Lazarus. In this lesson we will travel with Jesus and the gathering of people to the tomb where they lay Lazarus.

^{Jn 11:38} ‘Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. ³⁹ Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.”’

We arrive at the tomb where we notice that a stone lay against the opening. Jesus gives instructions to someone capable of removing the stone so as to open the entrance, but immediately Maratha demonstrates that she is a practical person, and in disbelief, says to Jesus, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” For Martha things are getting out of control. Maybe she is experiencing some embarrassment or that she believes the odor of a dead person might make one ceremonial unclean.

^{Jn 11:40} ‘Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”’

Jesus then reminds her of his previous statement to her, in verse 25, that he was the resurrection and the life and by raising Lazarus he would demonstrate the glory of God.

^{Jn 11:41} ‘So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴² I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.”’

As instructed, in verse 39, those capable of removing the stone did so. As they were doing that, Jesus lifts his eyes toward heaven and prays to his father, thanking him for hearing his prayers. He points out that his prayer was for the purpose of again pointing out his connection to the Father that they might believe that he sent him to the people.

^{Jn 11:43} ‘When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.”’

As Jesus cries out with a loud voice, we are reminded from John 1:3 and 10, that this is the voice of the omnipotent Creator crying out instructing Lazarus’s dead body to get up and come out of the tomb. Being bound as he was and with his face covered, God provided a way for him to appear standing outside the tomb.

^{Jn 11:44} ‘The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”’

Lazarus, the dead man, responds and comes out of the tomb. That would have been an event to see; a body bound with linen strips and his face wrapped with a cloth moving out from the tomb and a crowd of people standing in awe of God’s power at work before their eyes. Jesus then gives instruction to unbind him and let him go. I wonder how that was carried out.

At this point in the narrative nothing is recorded about the reaction of Lazarus to being alive again or to any of the aftermath of his raising. The only thing recorded was that some believed, and others went to tell the Pharisees; that we will cover in the next section.

Conclusion

This has been an interesting section of six lessons (At least it was interesting to write.) on learning about Jesus being “the resurrection and the life”; not just that he would bring about the resurrection or that he would be the cause of the resurrection. Being in Jesus Christ by grace through faith, we are raised with him, not just by him. He is the vehicle as well as the power.