Gospel for Lazarus Saturday

As we read from the Gospel of Saint John this morning, I was struck with several things.

First - while it was Mary that was praised for caring for having "chosen the better part" when Martha complained to our Lord that she had been left to serve alone (from the Gospel of Saint Luke, 10:41-42), it is now Martha who first goes out to meet the Lord as He comes to Bethany.  And in that encounter, we find an example perhaps of our own faith.  Martha shows a firm foundation in faith as she says to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."  Her words show a firm grasp that our Lord has done such great things for others, and therefore He would have been able to do them again, if only He had been there.  But her follow-up statement shows that even such great faith needs refinement and growth, as she says to Jesus, "But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."  She recognizes a "limited power" in our Lord.  She does not yet recognize Him AS God, as One of the Holy Trinity.

Next, it is striking that Mary then comes to Jesus with identical words.  "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."  The one who chose to remain with Jesus from the Gospel of Saint Luke has no 'greater' faith for her desire than her sister, who was, in our Lord's own words, "worried and troubled about many things." 

The next thing of note the impact of this event on our Lord.  We are told in the first instance that "He groaned in Spirit and was troubled."  In the next instance, Saint John records, "Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb."  The word translated as "groaning" from the Greek is originally ἐμβριμάομαι, which means "to snort with anger."  It is a response that we can relate to if we have children.  When they are contrary, we become upset and angered that they did not follow our instructions or advice, and because of that, they fall into trouble.  We can picture our Lord standing and looking into the tomb of Lazarus, seeing his body in decay, and recognizing that His creation, we as a people, have not followed His instruction, and in our sins, we have fallen into such trouble that only He can extricate us.

But perhaps the most striking thing about this Gospel account is that famous, shortest sentence in the Bible:  "Jesus wept."  It is not so much a surprise that a person would weep at the passing of a friend, or even more so at the loss of a loved one.  But this is God the Son - God who put on our flesh.  God is standing and crying over the fallen state of His creation!  We are created in the image of God, and God is standing here at the tomb and weeping!  God is mourning along with us, because all that bear this flesh must pass that same portal through death.

The people who are present recognize that Lazarus has now been in the tomb for four days.  They know of the state of his decay, for the odor, the stench of death is noticeable at the stone before the tomb.  And when the Lord commands that the stone be removed, those there seek to avoid this because of this state of decay.  What must the people have thought when "Jesus called out with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth!'"?  We can picture the people there thinking, "He's crazy - we KNOW Lazarus is dead.  How could He possible expect....."  And then, they see the form of a man struggling to walk in the strips of graveclothes, obeying the command of God the Son, God in the flesh.  Lazarus had to come forth.  The Creator commanded it!

Within the blink of an eye, rotting flesh was restored fully.  Within less than a heartbeat, a heart that had become solidified with the rigor of the flesh began beating.  In that same blink of an eye, the blood that had coagulated and dried became vital and filled with life.  All of this with those three commanding words, "Lazarus, come forth!" 

The people then believed.  This is not possible unless this is the will of God.  This Man must be God!  We cannot understand that, but what other explanation is there?

At the same time, the Jews of the Sanhedrin are thinking, "The whole world has gone after Him.  We are losing our grip over the spiritual life of this people.  We are losing our authority.  This Man must be stopped."

In an instant, the whole world changed.  In that instant, hell was informed, "You have no authority over My creation!"  In that instant, hell concluded, "If I am to hold fast to my power over mankind, I must destroy this Man who exercises such authority over those whom I hold captive."

In an instant, nothing was like it was before.  Jesus proclaims eight days before His own Resurrection His power over the tomb.  It was a message to His Apostles, who also did not fully understand at the time.

And it is a message to us to this very day.  Death is not the end.  In John Chapter 5 Jesus speaks of what has just occurred by saying, "Truly I say to you, the hour is coming , and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live."


Even though we may be dead in sin, let us live to hear this voice calling to us, so that we might live with Him - forever!