1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped His feet with her hair.
3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one You love is sick.”
4 When He heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 So when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was two more days.
7 And then He said to His disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone You, and yet You are going back?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light.
10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”
11 After He had said this, He went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.”
13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but His disciples thought He meant natural sleep.
14 So then He told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead,
15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”
17 On His arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem,
19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.
20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him, but Mary stayed at home.
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
22 But I know that even now God will give You whatever You ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die;
26 and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that You are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.”
29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to Him.
30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met Him.
31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.
32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.
34 “Where have you laid him?” He asked.
35 “Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
36 Jesus wept.
37 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
38 But some of them said, “Could not He who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
39 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.
40 “Take away the stone,” He said.
41 “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
42 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
43 So they took away the stone.
44 Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that You sent Me.” When He had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”
45 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
46 Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Explanation of John 11:1-44
In John 11:1-44, Jesus performs one of His most powerful miracles: raising Lazarus from the dead. This passage is full of deep theological significance, showing Jesus’ power over death and His compassion for those suffering.
- Jesus’ Timing and Purpose: When Jesus hears of Lazarus’ sickness, He intentionally delays His visit for two days. This delay was not because He was indifferent, but rather to allow the miracle to unfold in a way that would bring glory to God and strengthen the faith of those who witnessed it. Jesus wanted to demonstrate His divine power over death and show that He is the resurrection and the life.
- The Compassion of Jesus: When Jesus arrives in Bethany, He is deeply moved by the mourning of Mary, Martha, and the others. He weeps with them, demonstrating His empathy and compassion. This moment shows that while Jesus is divine, He is also fully human, sharing in the pain and sorrow of others.
- Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life: In verse 25, Jesus declares, “I am the resurrection and the life.” This statement is one of the most profound claims of Jesus, showing that He holds the power over both physical and spiritual death. He is the source of eternal life for all who believe in Him.
- The Power of Faith: Martha expresses faith in Jesus, believing that He is the Messiah, and Jesus assures her that her brother will rise again. Jesus calls her to a deeper faith, showing that the resurrection is not just a future event but a present reality in Him.
- The Miracle of Lazarus’ Resurrection: Jesus’ command to Lazarus to come out of the tomb is a direct challenge to death itself. Lazarus emerges from the tomb, alive again, and Jesus instructs the people to remove his grave clothes. This miracle points to Jesus’ ultimate victory over death, foreshadowing His own resurrection.
Application for Today
John 11:1-44 encourages us to have faith in Jesus as the resurrection and the life. Just as He called Lazarus out of the grave, He calls us to life—both in the here and now and in the life to come. This passage also reminds us that Jesus cares deeply for us in our moments of sorrow and suffering. He is with us in our pain, and through His resurrection, we have hope that death is not the end.
As followers of Christ, we are invited to trust in His power over death and to share the good news of eternal life through Him. Jesus’ victory over death is a promise of hope and redemption for all who believe in Him.
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