Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick

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."

- John 11:1-16

In yesterday's reading, Jesus was once again at the temple in Jerusalem, and in confrontation with the leadership. The setting is the Feast of Dedication, or Hanukkah, festival of lights, and it is winter. They want to stone Him for saying that "I and My Father are one," declaring Himself equal and Son of God. Jesus asks, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of these works do you stone Me?" They replied to Him that it wasn't for His works, but for blasphemy. Jesus said, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods" '? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him." They sought again to seize Him, but He escaped from them. Then Jesus went beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first. People said, "John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true." And many believed in Him there.

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. The scene is being set for Jesus' seventh and final sign in John's Gospel, the raising of Lazarus. What is to happen in this sign sealed the decision of the temple authorities to put Jesus to death. Bethany, points out my study bible, is on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, about two miles from Jerusalem. It notes, "Lazarus is the same name as Eleazar (lit. 'God helps')." We note also an anomaly in John's Gospel: although the story of the anointing of Jesus' feet will be told later in the Gospel, the Evangelist assumes that the readers already know of this account. It tells us something about the love between these sisters and brother and Jesus.

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." Again there is emphasis on the love between this family and Jesus. This occasion will be for the glory of God, for the final sign of Jesus' ministry, a revelation of God's grace in the world.

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." And again, this time explicitly, John teaches us of the great love between Martha, Mary, Lazarus and Jesus. Jesus stays two more days because Lazarus' death will be for a sign of God's presence, a revelation of God. Going to Judea means danger of the temple authorities who seek to kill Him.

The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?" We remember that in John's Gospel, the term "the Jews" is used to denote the leadership in the temple who oppose Jesus, and their followers. Everyone in this Gospel story is a Jew, including the family of Lazarus and Jesus' disciples.

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 has already said that "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Therefore one thing we can conclude from this saying is that it is about walking in the light of His faith, His divine union with the Father, and His human acceptance of the will of the Father. He has all along said that His death is in His control, His power. John's Gospel has told us on more than one occasion that though the authorities have sought to seize Him, His hour had not yet come.

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." My study bible points out that sleep is often used to signify death. It also 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."

The stage is set for Jesus' final miracle or sign in John's Gospel, the raising of His good friend Lazarus. Lazarus is a powerful figure in the Gospel, not for his presence, but because of what will happen through his death and raising by Jesus. He is a good friend, a beloved friend, as we have read already and will read further along in this story. John the Evangelist doesn't just use the word friend, but also love. These people are great friends of Jesus, ones whom He loves, and they love Him. So our Evangelist is giving us the image of family - not by blood but by affection, by love. John is the one, the beloved disciple, who will be declared Mary's son by Jesus upon the Cross. I think it's really important that we understand the power of love in this Gospel, which is always present. John is the one who will also declare that God is love. So, before we go any further, let us stop and look at these people. They're only a handful of people, a small family of two sisters and a brother, and Jesus who loves them, and they love Him. But they are all linked in the greatest of stories, of dramas, one that will live for thousands of years in the hearts of others who love them. Thomas, in today's reading, doesn't quite understand, but we can hear also his love and his passion for his great Friend, and through Him, "our friend" Lazarus. Let us remember this love, and understand its root. It's the foundation for all that is to come, and what will unfold through God's love and its shared power in the world. Let us remember the foundation of faith.