Lesson 33

Dealing With Death

John 11:17-57

By the time Jesus finally came to Bethany, Lazarus had died and been in the tomb for four days, v. 17. (Jews did not embalm the body and so since there was no way to preserve the body because of the heat of that region, the burial happened very shortly after death - in this case, on the same day, compare with verse 39). Although the burial happened very quickly, the mourning did not cease so soon. Although the "funeral" had taken place four days prior, friends were still coming from Jerusalem to Bethany to comfort Martha and Mary, vs. 18-19. Typically, this would go for a week. If a person of prominence died, religious leaders would come. It is at this point that Jesus arrives in Bethany.

The Ministry Of Jesus, 11:20-38.

There is going to be a miracle in this passage, an incredible, wonderful, mighty miracle. The seventh and final miracle of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of John. But before performing a miracle, Jesus ministers to those who mourn.

The condition of Martha and Mary are both similar and unique at the same time. Their words are almost identical (compare v. 21 with v. 32). In there statement there are two significant words. The first is a word that hurts. It is the word "if ". "If you had been here"... If is a word you often hear when there is sorrow and regret. "If only we had known she was sick...", "If only we hadn't moved here ...", "If only I hadn't married him ...", "If only I had listened to her ...", "If only we had more money ..." Perhaps you and I need to examine our lives and ask ourselves, "What are the 'if's" in my life?" I think we would do well to remove them from our vocabulary, for "if" is a word that hurts. But the second significant word in two sisters statements is a word that heals. It is the word "Lord". When we come to Jesus as our Lord, we find comfort and healing.

Their words were similar but at that the similarities ended. Compare Martha and Mary. Jesus' ministry to Martha is found in verses 20-27 and to Mary in verses 28-38.

The sisters had differing personalities. Martha was the busy one, performing the duties of a hostess, when Jesus had come earlier to their house, Luke 10:38-42. Mary was the more pensive one. In fact, every time we meet Mary in the New Testament, she is at the feet of Jesus. In Luke 10:38-42, she found at His feet her blessing. In John 11:32, she brought to His feet her burden. In John 12:3, she will give at His feet her best.

It sounds to me a bit like Martha is rambling on with Jesus in verses21-22. Jesus interrupts her with the promise, "Thy brother shall rise again" (v. 23). Martha accepted His words, understanding them as having some distant, future significance, and gave her mention assent to the doctrine of the resurrection - as we do, when confronted with the loss of a loved one. "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day" (v. 24). The greatest Old Testament statement on the bodily resurrection of the believer was voiced by Job in the midst of his sufferings. Job 19:23 -26 "Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book! That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God." Martha believed in the end time resurrection of believers. But Jesus was saying something more about life and death. "I am the resurrection and the life." This is the fifth "I Am" statement of Jesus recorded in the John. When he feed the 5000, Jesus said, "I am the bread of life." When he opened blinded eyes, he said, "I am the light of the world." When teaching about sheep, Jesus said, "I am the door of the sheep" and "I am the good shepherd." Now, in the face of death, Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life." There are more "I Am's" to yet to come. The Lord Jesus wants Martha to know that He was the key to resurrection life, life in the body beyond death. "He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." It is Jesus Christ who imparts spiritual life to those who are "dead in trespasses and sins" (Ephesians 2:1). "And whosoever liveth and beleiveth in me shall never die." Jesus guarantees eternal life, life without end. "Believest thou this?"

No mere man could have made such a bold claim to have mastery over death. But Jesus was about to prove that he was no mere man. Martha rose to the ocassion and confessed her faith in Jesus, see v. 27. So was the theological encounter between Martha and Jesus.

Next, John reports on the conversation between Jesus and Mary. When Mary heard of Jesus summons of her, she hastily rushed to Him. The entourage of comforters, supposing that she was headed for the tomb, hurried after her, v. 31. But Mary did not run to the sepulcher; instead she ran to the Savior. Jesus did not respond to what he heard from her, but from what He saw - not her words but her weeping, her tears.

At the tomb, our Lord grieved - He groaned, was troubled, He wept. What a demonstration of the humanity of the Savior! He has entered into all our experiences and knows exactly how we feel. He is a "man of sorrows and acquainted with grief"(Isaiah 52:3). "Jesus wept" is the shortest and one of the deepest verses of the Bible. His was a quiet weeping (the Greek word is used only here in the entire New Testament) not the loud lamentation of the mourners. We see in His tears the tragedy of sin and what havoc it has brought on to creation. We see, in His tears, what the other onlookers saw (v. 36) evidence of His love. Their comments in verse 37 indicate that nobody really expected a miracle .

Without any rebuke or reservation, Jesus met each sister where she was. He engaged in theological conversation with Martha and He wept with Mary.

The Miracle Of Jesus, 11:39-44.

When they came to the tomb, Jesus commanded that the stone be rolled away. Obviously, one who has the omnipotence to raise the dead, has the power to blast a rock to oblivion or roll it away. But Jesus had not come to perform cheap tricks, nor would He do what they could do. Martha, who had confessed faith in Christ, now objects to Christ's command. Was Jesus just wanting in a moment of deep grief to view the body of the one He loved? By now, the decomposition process would be repulsive, v. 39.

Jesus had to remind Martha that this was for the glory of God. She must trust Him. Resurrection life is one of the manifestations of God's glory, Romans 6:4.

That being accomplished, Jesus gave a prayer, vs. 41-42. This is a prayer of thanksgiving. Jesus is grateful that the Father hears and will authenticate who Christ is. Then Jesus spoke with power, vss.43-45. A quaint Puritan writer wrote that if Jesus had not named Lazarus when He shouted, He would have emptied the entire cemetery!

Perhaps it was a little eerie, and unquestionably dramatic when Lazarus came back from beyond, bound in the typical grave clothes.

What a way to learn about the doctrine of the resurrection. Jesus brought the doctrine out of a book and into a person, himself. "I am the resurrection and the life." When you are sick you want a doctor not a medical book. When you are sued, you want a lawyer, not a legal book. And when you face your last enemy, death, you want a Savior not a doctrine written in a book.

Jesus also brought this doctrine out of the future and into the present. Martha was looking to the distant future but Jesus raised Lazarus in the present. In this, there is a preview for our future. Someday, if we die before we are raptured, our bodies will be resurrected as Lazarus' body was. The soul that has gone on to be with Jesus, will be reunited with a new, glorified body. 1 Thess. 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The Mixed Reaction Toward Jesus, 11:45-57.

As with the previous miracles, the people were divided in their response. Some did believe and later gave witness of the miracle Jesus had performed, see 12:9-11; 17-19.

But others went immediately to the religious leaders and reported what had happened in Bethany. The Jewish council met to discuss what to do with Jesus. They were not searching for truth, only seeking to protect their own selfish interests. If Jesus got too many followers, He might get the attention of the Roman authorities, and this could hurt the Jewish cause.

Unknown to himself and to the council, Caiaphas the high priest uttered a divine prophecy: Jesus would die for the nation and for all of God's children who would be gathered together in one heavenly family.

The official decision that day was that Jesus must die. Humanly speaking, the death of Christ was a murder. But from the perspective of God, it was a sacrifice.

Jesus withdrew to Ephraim and there remained with his disciples. The crowd was beginning to gather in Jerusalem for the Passover feast and the pilgrims were wondering if Jesus would be in attendance. Jesus was now on the "most wanted" list and the council had made it known that anyone who knew where Jesus was must report it to the officials.

John 11 reveals the absolute deity of Jesus Christ and the utter depravity of the human heart. Jesus told a story about a rich man in hell who argued that "if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent" (Luke 16:30). Lazarus came back from beyond and the officials wanted to kill him.

In addition, John 11 shows us how that Jesus ministers to those who mourn and promises to resurrect those who sleep in Him.

The stage has now been set for the greatest drama in history, during which man would do his worst and God would give His best.