John 11:17-36

INTRODUCTION

A. The Pretense About Death

Men fear death. In fact, death is a taboo in our society. Sex used to be a widely observed taboo; now it's our national pastime, and death has replaced it. Death is the specter that haunts the end of every man's life. Our society likes to pretend that death isn't as bad as it appears by having flowers, songs, and fancy caskets at funerals. Someone even likened a funeral to a horizontal cocktail party! Man does everything he can to disguise the stark reality of death. His pursuit of money, success, prestige, position, education, and sexual satisfaction become pointless in the face of approaching death. The increasing anticipation of death that man suffers from leaves him with a sense of loneliness and despair. No matter what he has here in the way of security, friendship, and meaning; it can instantly vanish.B. The Promise of Life

However, that's not how it has to be because of John 11:25-26. These verses are the greatest news that has ever fallen on anyone's ears: "Jesus said unto [Martha], I am the resurrection, and the life; he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?" The greatest news is that death-- because of Jesus Christ--need not mean inevitable hell. A man who believes in Him dies only that he might rise again and live for eternity. Death only opens up eternal life. That is the Christian hope, which is founded on truth.C. The Plan of Christ

Jesus Christ conquers death in John 11. This marvelous chapter illustrates His resurrection power in the life of a man named Lazarus in what was the most powerful manifestation of divine energy that Jesus had given in His life to that point. It concluded His public ministry, which began about three years before. He was proclaiming that the Kingdom of God was coming and therefore Israel needed to repent from its sin. He was doing miracles and making great statements about His own identity.

1. Turning from Those Who Rejected

However, Israel for the most part rejected Him. In John 10:31, the religious leaders intended to stone Him. In verse 39, they tried to arrest Him, but "He escaped out of their hand." Their rejection ended the public ministry of Christ, who began a transition into a secluded ministry. No longer dealing with the populace of Israel, He concentrated His last days of ministry on those who had already declared their faith in Him. Jesus moved from the work of evangelizing the people to edifying His followers, who would be given the responsibility of reaching the world with the truth of the gospel. He needed to solidify their faith so His ministry would be maintained in His absence.

Christ's focus on personal ministry to His disciples didn't begin until John 13. Chapters 11 and 12 are the bridge from Christ's public ministry to His private ministry. While He performed the transitional miracle of John 11 to increase the faith of the disciples (v. 15), He did it near Jerusalem in the presence of many Jews as a testimony to Israel. By it, Jesus announced to Israel, "In spite of your rejection, I am the Son of God." Jesus did this last miracle before the shame and suffering that Jesus went through in His trial and crucifixion, as if to say, "Just watch and see what you've rejected."

2. Teaching Those Who Responded

The miracle of John 11 testified to the disciples that Jesus was the Son of God in spite of their doubts. He raised Lazarus to convince them of His power over death. It wasn't to be many days until they saw Him hanging on a cross. They needed the hope the miracle of chapter 11 could provide to prevent any doubts that He was the Messiah. In the process of increasing their faith, Jesus offered three levels of evidence for His power over death: First, He told them He would rise. In John 2:19, Jesus said this to the Jewish leaders in the presence of some of His disciples: "... Destroy this temple [a reference to His body], and in three days I will raise it up" (cf. Mk. 10:33-34). Second, He said, "Let me show you a little of My resurrection power" and proceeded to raise Lazarus. Finally, He rose from the grave Himself. Following His resurrection, the disciples were transformed into dynamic witnesses of the gospel. Most died as martyrs for proclaiming the truth. Having seen His resurrection power exhibited in Lazarus and Himself, they helped change the world. His power over death made such an impact on them that the central theme of their preaching was His resurrection.

John 11 is divided into four parts: the preparation for the miracle, the arrival of Jesus, the miracle itself, and the results. The preparation focused on Lazarus, his sisters, Christ, and His disciples before the miracle had occurred. Beginning in verse 17, we see the arrival of Jesus at Bethany along with His disciples. They loved Him and were willing to follow Him to their deaths. Verses 17-36 present not only an historical record of resurrection life, but also an analogy of the elements of salvation. Jesus is coming to a scene of death with resurrection life. Within the historical account, we will see how resurrection life applies to us, not because Jesus came to Bethany, but because He came into the world. His coming to Bethany with resurrection life parallels His coming into the world with salvation. The passage contains four basic aspects of salvation: humiliation (Christ humbled Himself and became a man); revelation (Christ declared His message); faith (which is man's response to Christ's work), and love (which is the divine motivation for salvation).

I. HUMILIATION (vv. 17-19)

A. The Analysis of the Scene

1. The Coming to Bethany

We see the humiliation of Christ in His coming to Bethany. He didn't have to come. The sisters of Lazarus didn't even ask Him to come; they only told Him that His friend was sick. He was busy with His plans. He was the Son of God, moving through the world with every minute of His time strategically clocked by God. It would have been easy for Him to say, "I'm sorry; I can't be bothered with Lazarus. After all, the guy's a believer anyway. He's going to rise at the final resurrection. He's in heaven right now, so there's no need to cry." Jesus could have been very indifferent, but He wasn't. He comes because He's needed. He responds in humility by going back to the neighborhood of Jerusalem. Because His enemies were there, the possibility of death was very real (v. 16). It took humility for Him to put Himself back into that position.

Furthermore, do you realize that the Son of God, the Savior of the world and Creator of the universe was humble enough to respond to the need of two women? Jesus Christ made Himself available to their needs. He didn't go through the world saying, "Don't bother Me; I have important things to accomplish." Rather, He moved through humanity, sensitively meeting the needs of those He encountered. For example, when a woman who had a hemorrhage desperately grabbed His garment as He walked through a crowd, He turned around, pulled her out of the crowd, and healed her (Mt. 9:20-22). Jesus humbly moved through life sensitive to the needs of people. That is why He came to Bethany.

John 11:17-19 says, "Then when Jesus came, He found that He had lain in the grave four days already. Now Bethany was near unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off. And many of the Jews came to Mary and Martha, to comfort them concerning their brother." Jesus arrived at Bethany, a village less than two miles from Jerusalem. It was crowded with mourners who were at Lazarus's funeral.

2. The Customs of Burial

Whenever someone prominent died in those days, the religious leadership came out. Lazarus must have been such a person because of the many people who came out to attend his funeral. People often stayed at a funeral for a week to comfort the family members. The burial took place immediately following the death because there was no way to effectively preserve the body in the heat of the region. The rest of the week was filled with mourning the deceased and comforting the family. Some people came as professional mourners who would wail as an expression of grief. But many were there to legitimately comfort Mary and Martha. That beautiful custom needs to be more a part of our own ministry to each other.

It was customary to form a long procession that would march to the tomb. Women always led the procession because a woman had brought death into the world by her sin, so it was thought appropriate for women to lead the mourners to the tomb. Once there, eulogies were given. Returning from the tomb, there was a meal consisting of bread, hard-boiled eggs, and lentils. They wanted to make sure that the funeral stayed a funeral and didn't become a party.

B. The Application to Salvation

You say, "How is Jesus' coming to Bethany analogous to salvation?" Jesus came to Bethany prepared to deal with the problem of death, which is why He came into the world. The Apostle Paul said that before salvation, man is "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1). In a sense, He came to the funeral. When Jesus came to Bethany, it was a humble, voluntary act of His will. When Jesus came into the world, it was also a humble, voluntary act of His will. When Jesus came to Bethany, it was to deal with death on a physical level. When He came into the world, it was to deal with death on a spiritual level. Jesus came to a family in need; He also came to a world in need. He didn't have to bother with Lazarus, but He humbled Himself and came. Similarly, Jesus didn't have to bother with men, but He came and died so that He might give life to those who are dead. Just as His voluntary humiliation brought Him to Bethany to restore life, so did it bring Him to earth for the same reason. In John 10:10 Jesus proclaims to all who will hear Him, "... I am come that they might have life ...."

II. REVELATION (vv. 20-25a)

Jesus not only came, but He spoke. He gave direct revelation from God. He uttered things innately known by Him--unlearned but known because He was God. Everything He spoke was divine truth. When He got to Bethany, He revealed divine truth about Himself to Mary and Martha, as He did in a general sense to all of us when He came to earth.

A. The Analysis of the Scene

1. The Personality of Martha (v. 20)

"Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him; but Mary sat in the house."

That verse helps to portray Martha's personality. In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus visited the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Martha was the busy one, performing the duties of a hostess, while Mary was more of a introspective, pensive character. That is perhaps why when Jesus' arrival was announced, Martha immediately went to meet Jesus while Mary remained in the house.

2. The Perspective of Martha (vv.21-24)

a. The Compromise of Faith (v. 21)

"Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother [would not have] died."

Martha had probably been anxiously thinking over and over again, "If only He were here!" while waiting for Jesus to come. Then when Lazarus died, it changed to "If only He had come." So, when Jesus arrived, the thought spinning in her mind involuntarily pounced off her lips. It was a statement of half faith and half grief. You say, "That sounds like total faith. She believed that if Jesus had been there, no matter how sick Lazarus was, He could have raised him out of his sick bed." Martha believed Jesus had the power to raise Lazarus when he was sick, but not when he was dead. That's why her statement exhibited only half faith. She had confidence in Christ, yet she limited His power. She believed no illness could kill her brother when Jesus was there, but once her brother died, she thought even Jesus couldn't change that.

How full is your faith?

Before you scold Martha about her little faith, analyze your own. You may claim to believe the Lord, but then you walk around like you're not too sure. You say, "Lord, You've got my destiny in Your hands; I know all things work together for good, so I trust You," yet you doubt and are filled with anxiety. It's easy to trust God when everything is going well. As long as your check comes on payday, it's easy to recognize how wonderfully the Lord provides. Your faith can be very practical as long as you're not in a situation that is out of your control. When you really have to trust God, you find out the measurement of your faith. We're often like Martha. But fortunately she wasn't about to throw all her faith out the window, even though she had a little doubt.

b. The Confidence of Faith (vv. 22-24)

1) In the Relationship of Christ to the Father (v. 22)

"But I know that even now, whatever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it to Thee."

There was a ray of hope in Martha's statement. Although she had doubt, she wasn't about to let go of her faith. In fact, Martha turns out to be a pretty good theologian. She knew God would give Jesus whatever He asked because He had been saying that throughout His ministry. In John 6:38, Jesus said, "For I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will but the will of Him that sent Me." Martha knew who Jesus was. She understood His relationship to God because He had visited her home on several occasions. In fact, in John 11:27 she said, "... I believe that Thou are the Christ, the Son of God ...."

The Greek word for "ask" in verse 22 reveals more of that relationship. Rather than the term erotao, which means "to ask an equal on an equal basis," the verse employs aiteo, which means "to ask as an inferior of one who is superior." That is not to say Jesus was inferior to God because that would directly contradict Jesus' claims to be God. This verse is merely acknowledging the humiliation of Christ. You say, "If He was equal to God, why did He have to ask the Father for things?" When Jesus was in glory before He came to the world, He was face-to- face with God and equal with Him (Jn. 1:1). But when Jesus came to this earth, He limited the exercise of all His attributes to the Father's will (Phil. 2:6-7). He still had all His power, but He used it only in the framework of the predetermined plan of God. When Jesus came into the world as a man, He wasn't powerless; He restricted the use of His power as an act of humility. He submitted in obedience to the Father's will in every situation. In John 5:19 Jesus said, "... The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do ..." (cf. v. 30). Furthermore, verse 22 emphasizes His humanity from Martha's perspective.

2) In the Resurrection from the Dead in the Future (vv. 23- 24)

"Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

You would think Martha would have been overjoyed at Jesus' reply. However, she still had doubts about His power and assumed He was talking about the resurrection of the just at the end of the world. Unlike many Jewish people of her day (e.g. the Sadducees; Ac. 23:8), Martha apparently understood what the Old Testament taught about resurrection in such places as ...

a) Psalm 16:9-11--"Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also shall rest in hope. For Thou wilt not leave my soul in sheol, neither wilt Thou permit Thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt show me the path of life. In Thy presence is fullness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore."

b) Job 19:25-27--"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, whom I shall see for myself ...."

Postponing the Power of God

There's an interesting inconsistency in Martha's response. She felt Jesus could raise Lazarus at the last day based upon what He had said in John 5:25-29, but she couldn't believe that He, as the Son of God, could raise him after he had been dead only four days. It's easy to rejoice in the power of God for the future while doubting it today. We often do that, saying something like, "Some day the world is going to go up in smoke and Christ will come out of the sky on a white horse. Some day there will be a new heaven and a new earth." But when we run into a problem today, we have an anxiety attack because we fail to realize that God can also work in the present. Such reasoning is ridiculous. If you can trust God in the future, you can trust Him in the present. His power does not change. However, just the opposite is true: Since Jesus can handle the resurrection of all the dead (Jn. 5:25-29), it would be a small thing to for Him to raise Lazarus, who had been dead only four days. Do you realize that God still has the wonderful task of raising the Old Testament saints who have been dead for thousands of years? Although their souls are with the Lord, He will raise their bodies at the end of the Tribulation.

3. The Proclamation of Jesus (v. 25a)

"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life ..."

Notice the temporal significance of that verse. Jesus was saying, "It is immaterial whether you're talking about the past, present, or future. I am resurrection and life." What a tremendous statement! Martha projected the God's resurrection power into the future, but Jesus said, "It's here right in front of you, Martha--it's Me! Time is not an issue. I will resurrect Lazarus whenever I design to do so." Jesus' use of "I am" (the Greek equivalent for the Hebrew name of God) reinforced His claim.

B. The Application to Salvation

That Christ is the resurrection and the life is precisely the message the world needs to hear. We need assurance that someone was victorious over death and has made a way for others to be victorious as well. Martha was thinking about an event, but Jesus directed her attention to Himself. Salvation doesn't come in a system of religion or an ethical code; it comes in a living person, Jesus Christ, who is "the resurrection and the life." You will not have victory over death by going to church, by thinking religious thoughts, or by doing good works. Resurrection and life are found in the person of Jesus Christ. He is the power of resurrection for the past, present, and future.

III. FAITH (vv. 25b-27)

The third element of salvation is faith, the response to the revelation of Christ.

A. Its Content (vv. 25b-26)

"... he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

Whereas verse 25 is talking about physical life following death (resurrection), verse 26 refers to spiritual life (rebirth into eternal life). Physical death is nothing for the Christian to fear. It is merely the escape hatch into glory.

The human side of salvation is faith, which is the act of believing. "Believest thou this?" is a question for everyone who seeks assurance that they can come out the other side of death into glory. That guarantee is valid only for those who believe Jesus is the Son of God, and that He has the power that can raise them from the dead. Belief in His power to impart physical and spiritual life is what He asks of all men. Once you believe that, death is abolished. Then with the Apostle Paul you can say, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15:55-57). Only a Christian can mock death like that because it is an entrance to glorification. Death cannot break the continuity of eternal life, which begins when you believe in Christ (Jn. 17:3). You say, "What does it mean to believe?" Belief that results in salvation is a commitment to entrust one's whole self to God.B. Its Confession (v. 27)

"She saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who should come into the world."

Martha believed that, but she still had doubts. Maybe you believe too, yet you still have doubts. That's a common problem because we must still struggle with the forces of evil and our human sinfulness. You may say, "I'd like to believe. What do I do?" You could read verse 27 as a prayer to God if it's the honest desire of your heart. That you might believe in Christ is the main reason the Gospel of John was written. John 20:31 says, "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name."

IV. LOVE (vv. 28-36)

There can be no salvation without love. It was the element that prompted it and permeates every part of it.

A. The Setting of the Scene (vv. 28-32)

1. Martha's Confidence (v. 28)

"And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary, her sister, secretly, saying, the Master is come, and calleth for thee."

After Martha had reconfirmed in her own mind what she already believed, she took off to inform her sister of Jesus' arrival. She was so satisfied with Jesus' statement in verses 25-26 that she didn't even need to wait for a reply from Jesus to verify her confession. She had become confident of Jesus' identity and His ability to do what He claimed.

2. Jesus' Calling (vv. 29-31)

"As soon as [Mary] heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto Him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met Him. The Jews then, who were with her in the house and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there."

Jesus summoned Mary to come to Him, knowing her mourners would follow her to the tomb. He had everything planned: He brought everyone connected with Lazarus out of the house and down to the tomb so they could all see the display of His glory.

3. Mary's Crying (v. 32)

"Then, when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying unto Him, Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother [would not have] died."

Although Mary made the same initial comment that Martha had, she had less faith than her sister, who knew God would do anything Jesus asked. Mary's pessimism would have made her a terrific wife for Thomas--she sincerely loved Jesus, but she didn't have much faith.

B. The Sensitivity of the Savior (vv. 33-36)

Jesus entered that cold scene of death and transformed it into a scene of warmth by His love.

1. His Care (v. 33)

"When Jesus, therefore, saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping who came with her, He groaned in the spirit, and was troubled."

The Greek verb for weeping is klaio, which means "loud weeping or wailing." When Jesus saw the grief the others were experiencing, He groaned in His spirit, being deeply troubled. Sometimes the word means "angered." It could be that what troubled Jesus was His anger over sin. He was indignant about the death and sorrow that sin causes. However, I think the phrase refers primarily to an involuntary groan that was the expression of His saddened heart. He was emotionally gripped by the situation. He literally "troubled Himself," according to the Greek text. That shows He let Himself care. He could have said, "Hey, everyone, you don't need to cry; I'm going to raise Lazarus from the dead." But Jesus was torn by grief, knowing that the consequences of sin had caused death and brought sorrow into the lives of people He loved. He's a sympathetic Savior, the opposite of how the Greeks pictured their gods. They believed the gods were characterized by apatheia, a total inability to feel any emotion.

Jesus experienced the grief of the mourners--He let Himself care. You say, "Why did He bother?" Because He wanted to feel every pain you've ever felt and know the grief you experienced when you've stood beside the grave of a loved one. He knows the sorrow and emptiness you felt when you watched a casket being lowered into the ground. He has even felt the pain of death that you haven't felt. Eighteenth-century Scottish poet Michael Bruce in "Christ Ascended" has said, "In every pang that rends the heart, the Man of Sorrows has a part."

2. His Crying (vv. 34-36)

a. Its Character (vv. 34-35)

"[Jesus] said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto Him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept."

Rather than using the Greek word for loud wailing (Gk. klaio), John used a word that meant Jesus silently burst into tears (Gk. dakruo). It wasn't a professional cry or a sentimental cry; it was a spontaneous expression of love that couldn't be held back. He burst into silent tears. Those tears have been for all ages a testimony to the humanity of Jesus. He cried two other times: once over Jerusalem (Lk. 19:41), and once in the Garden (Mt. 26:37). Those weren't sentimental tears; they silently coursed down His cheeks and dropped to a chest that was heaving with sighs of sorrow. He was caught in human suffering. Isaiah tells us that the suffering Messiah would be "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief ..." (Isa. 53:3). Because Jesus was so human, He was trapped in the sorrow of the moment. That thrills my heart because I know He understands grief.

b. Its Cause (v. 36)

"Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him!"

The Jewish mourners knew why Jesus was crying. They knew He loved (Gk. phileo) Lazarus as a friend. In another sense, that's why Jesus came into the world to bring you resurrection life--Jesus loves you. That's why He sat over Jerusalem and said, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem ... how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Mt. 23:37).

Hopefully this passage has helped clarify how salvation begins with the humiliation, revelation, and love of Christ, and how it is fulfilled in our lives as we respond in faith.

Focusing on the Facts

1. What is presently the main taboo of our society? What taboo did it replace?

2.Why does man's anticipation of death leave him with a sense of despair concerning his security, friendships, and purpose for living?

3.What change in ministry did Jesus begin to make in John 11? Why?

4.What later became the central theme of New Testament preaching?

5.How was Jesus' humility demonstrated in His return to Bethany?

6.Why did people often stay with the family of the deceased for a week?

7.How was Jesus' coming to Bethany analogous to salvation?

8.How did Martha's statement in John 11:21 reveal that she lacked total faith in Jesus' power?

9.What did Martha know about Christ's relationship to the Father (Jn. 11:22)?

10.Before Jesus came into the world, what relationship did He have with the Father, according to John 1:1? What did He give up when He came to earth?

11.Why wasn't Martha overjoyed about Jesus' promise that her brother would rise again?

12.Where can true joy and pleasure be found, according to Psalm 16:11?

13.What assurance is reflected in Job 19:25-27?

14.Explain the inconsistency in Martha's response in verse 24.

15.What is the message the world wants to hear about death? How does that victory come?

16. What two kinds of life did Jesus talk about in John 11:25-26?

17.Why shouldn't physical death be anything for the Christian to fear?

18.How is it possible to believe in Christ and still have doubts?

19.What is the main reason the Gospel of John was written? Cite a support your answer.

20. What can we learn from the fact that Jesus "groaned in the spirit, and was troubled" (v. 33)?

21. What is one explanation of why Jesus wept? How does that make Him different from the characterization of the Greek gods?

Pondering the Principles

1.How fully do you believe that your destiny is in God's hands? Do you still find yourself worrying about the details of life? Do you find it easy to trust God when everything is going well, but more difficult in the midst of a crisis? If so, make sure you immediately turn to the Lord for guidance and strength as you face a trial. If you are already communing with the Lord on a regular basis, that will not be difficult. If you are not praying regularly, your first reaction in a crisis will be to resolve it on your own. You need to be convinced that God cares for you and is able to bring you through any trial you may face. Meditate on Matthew 6:25-33, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 Corinthians 1:3-11, and 1 Peter 5:6-7.

2.Our Savior became a man and understands the sorrows and fears that we face. Therefore, we can relate to Him personally. Read Isaiah 53:4-5 and Hebrews 4:15-16. Praise God that He can identify with us through His Son and that "we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Heb. 4:16; NIV). As a Christian, you can reflect the merciful and compassionate nature of Christ to others. Is there a neighbor, friend, or relative who could benefit from the loving concern you could offer them? Decide how you might comfort them in a practical way.