Jesus could have resurrected Lazarus from a distance or even prevented his death. Even though he knew that Lazarus would be raised, he also knew Mary and Martha were disappointed he hadn’t come before Lazarus died. Jesus empathised and shared this moment of sorrow with his friends. This in contrast to the word used for a quieter shedding of tears when Jesus “wept” in verse 35. Mary’s “weeping” in verse 33 means loud wailing. It was Jewish custom to have three days of very heavy mourning then four of heavy mourning, followed by lighter mourning for the remainder of 30 days. It was usual for friends and family to visit and offer comfort at a time like this. The tombs had a small entrance that was closed by rolling a big stone against it. There might be a number of niches in the tomb where bodies of family members were placed. Months after today’s story, Jesus’ body would be prepared in this same way ( John 19:39-40 and 20:3-7). The linen strips were then wrapped around the body over the clothing. They placed a cloth over the head and wrapped the hands and feet separately in strips of linen. The body was washed and anointed with spices. It was customary for a person to be buried on the same day as they died. This was the amount of time that Lazarus was dead before Jesus came to him. Add the travelling time of the messengers and Jesus together with the two days and you come up with four days. Jesus waited two days to go to Lazarus because he knew that this sickness would not end in death (verse 4).

Lazarus must have died just after Mary and Martha sent messengers to tell Jesus of his sickness. It was a small settlement at the edge of the Judean desert on the slope of the Mount of Olives.Īt the time Lazarus got sick, Jesus was preaching on the eastern side of the Jordan near the place where John the Baptist had baptised him. This is not the woman in Luke 7:36-50.īethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem. John identifies Mary as the one who anointed Jesus’ feet with oil and wiped them with her hair ( John 12:1-8). Lazarus’ two sisters, Mary and Martha are mentioned in Luke 10:38-42. It is another Lazarus in Jesus’ story in Luke 16:19-31. In fact, despite the fact that Jesus was very good friends with him, we only read about Lazarus in John chapters 11-12. They also made plans to kill Lazarus since, ' on account of him,' people were placing their faith in Jesus.This story is only recorded in the gospel of John. You know nothing at all! You do not realize it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.įrom the time of that Sanhedrin meeting, the religious leaders plotted to kill Jesus. Why have Rome's wrath directed at the entire Jewish nation? He argued for a different result: If everyone believed in Him, dire consequences would result for the Jews, who lived under Roman rule.Ĭaiaphas, the high priest that year, had an idea. They were concerned that if Jesus continued to perform such miracles, all the people would believe in Him. The leaders called a meeting of the Jewish religious council, the Sanhedrin. Others went to the Jewish religious leaders to report the event.

Some of those who witnessed the miracle believed in Jesus. With his body still wrapped with strips of linen, Lazarus walked out of the cave. After four days the smell would be terrible!Īfter the stone was removed, Jesus commanded Lazarus to come out of the tomb.

In the presence of all those witnesses, Jesus commanded that the stone be removed. Many of the family's friends gathered to comfort Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus. Lazarus' body had been wrapped in linen cloth and buried in a tomb sealed by a large stone. He waited two days to walk to the village, located less than two miles from Jerusalem.īy the time Jesus arrived, his friend had been dead four days. Hearing his friend was ill, Jesus did not go immediately to the village of Bethany (today a Jordanian town called Al-Eizariya, Arabic for 'Place of Lazarus'). The plot to kill Jesus developed after the death of Lazarus. The work is currently maintained by the National Center of Manuscripts, Tbilisi, Georgia. It is a miniature from the the Synaxarium of Euthymius Athonite, MSS A-684, 34r.

'The Resurrection of Lazarus' was created in 1030.

Lazarus story