I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.

Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well." However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him." Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."

So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."

- John 11:1-27

In yesterday's reading, Jesus went to the Feast of Dedication, or Hanukkah - the festival of lights. It is the time to commemorate the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem. The leadership once again questions Him - and tells Him to tell them plainly if He is the Christ. Jesus says that the works He has done testify to Him, but they are not of His sheep. They don't "hear His voice." He adds that the Father gives Him His sheep - and that He and the Father are one. For this they try to stone Him, for blasphemy. He says to them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods."'? If by grace they become sons of the Most High, why do they dispute what He says about Himself? He tells the leadership again that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father - and the testimony of this is His works. They once again wish to stone Him, but He escaped and went beyond the Jordan (to the place where John the Baptist had been baptizing and spoke of Jesus), where He made many converts.

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." In today's reading, we begin to read of the account of the raising of Lazarus, which will be Jesus' seventh and last sign or miracle in John's Gospel. My study bible says that this event signals Jesus as the resurrection and the life. It will seal the decision of the authorities to put Jesus to death. The Evangelist assumes we know of something coming later in his Gospel, the anointing of Jesus' feet by Mary. Bethany is on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, about two miles from Jerusalem. My study bible also points out that the name Lazarus is the same as Eleazar -- which means "God helps." Mary, Martha and Lazarus are good friends of Jesus, and He clearly does love them.

When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Once again, as in the reading about the man who was blind since birth, an occasion of misfortune is not punishment for a personal sin -- nor, in this case, an event which leads to death, but classified by Jesus as an occasion for the glorification of God. And then, a kind of paradox set up for us by the Evangelist: Jesus is beyond the Jordan, but He delayed two more days before leaving -- because, we are told, He loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. This is enough time for Lazarus to die.

Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." Jesus again alludes to the light that is present so long as He is in the world, before it is His "time" and the darkness closes. He has work to do while He is still in the world. The disciples are referring to the occurrences in yesterday's reading, in which the authorities tried to stone Jesus for declaring that He and the Father are one.

These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well." However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him." Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him." A typical literary convention in John's Gospel: we are led from metaphor (which others take as plain speech) to Jesus' meanings. He declares that Lazarus sleeps, meaning that he has died -- but will be awakened nevertheless. The disciples misunderstand twice. It will be Lazarus' resurrection that is Jesus' seventh and most potent sign in this Gospel. "Sleep" will often be used in the New Testament to signify death. But, my study bible adds, "Thomas, if not with full understanding, speaks the truth: dying with Christ, in baptism and sometimes in martyrdom, will become the seal of Christian discipleship."

So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. My study bible says that there existed a rabbinic opinion that the soul lingered about the body for three days, but from the fourth day on there was no hope of resuscitation. Therefore, Jesus' delay has assured the power of this miracle.

Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. In Jewish tradition, official mourning began the day of death and immediate burial is the custom -- which my study bible points out is necessary is warm climates. It notes, "Weeping and wailing lasted three days; lamentation lasted the rest of the week; general mourning lasted 30 days following death. During this time mourners constantly came and went from the home of the deceased." So we have a great picture of what is happening here: being so close to Jerusalem, many have come from the temple to mourn with these pious people; the house is filled with witnesses.

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. The Gospels teach us about the differences in personae between Martha and Mary, and it is a wonderful personal touch. Martha is active in hospitality, while Mary is the more contemplative and remains home in mourning. My study bible points out that sitting is the correct posture for Mary when mourning and greeting mourners. Jesus loves them both. See Luke 10:38-42.

Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." Jesus takes this personal time with Martha, once again, to teach. He takes her from one understanding to another. At first, she misunderstands, thinking He is referring to the final resurrection. But He takes the occasion to speak to her deeply and personally, and she comes to a confession of faith before the miracle takes place. It is a kind of seal on the love and understanding there is between them.

Jesus' great friends, Martha, Mary and Lazarus, are essential to our understanding of the Gospels and of Jesus' life. Here, we get a glimpse of the personal, and it will continue in tomorrow's reading. Although He loves them all deeply, He understands that Lazarus' sleep will be for the glory of God, an occasion for His greatest miracle or sign. It will also be the thing that seals His fate with the authorities. But the love between these people is the great thing that I notice; His friends who are touched by Him and the holiness He carries into the world are His greatest family. They, too -- especially Lazarus -- will share with Him the burdens of being hunted by the authorities for their role in His ministry. Christ's tremendous power working in us changes our lives, reforming and reshaping priorities, friends, love and community -- perhaps even family. But it is, ultimately, love that is at work here, and love which is shared in Christ's holiness and the work of grace in the world. Love may ask us to share burdens we cannot predict nor know; it may be uncomfortable, unfamiliar and unexpected. But, the question is, can we see it for what it is? Can we embrace it and the holiness the Spirit brings, in whatever form? This, to me, is the great question for today. What form does this love carry into your life? Where does it call you to go?