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

 

 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 

 

As we begun yesterday's reading, the topic was still the events which took place at the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:1-10:21).  As a result of Jesus' responses to their questions, we read, there was a division again among the religious leaders because of His sayings.  And many of them said, "He has a demon and is mad.  Why do you listen to Him?"  Others said, "These are not the words of one who has a demon.  Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"  Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter.  And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch.  Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, "How long do You keep us in doubt?  If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."  Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe.  The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.  But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.  My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.  And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand.  I and My Father are one."  Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.  Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father.  For which of those works do you stone Me?"  The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God."  Jesus answered them, "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."  Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.   And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed.  Then many came to Him and 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.  Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."   Today we begin reading in John chapter 11, in which occurs the seventh sign of seven in John's Gospel.  That is, the raising or resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus' most astonishing sign.  It is the sign which will seal the decision of the Jewish authorities to put Jesus to death.  This event is usually celebrated on the Saturday before Palm Sunday (for most Churches, especially in the West, this day is tomorrow).  Bethany is on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, about two miles from Jerusalem.  Lazarus is the same name as "Eleazar," which literally means "God helps." 

 

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."   My study bible comments that this message is sent back to Mary and Martha to strengthen them so that when Lazarus dies, they may take confidence in Christ's words.  The Son of God being glorified must not be understood to be the cause of the death of Lazarus.  Rather, this indicates that Christ will be glorified as a result of Lazarus' death (which happened because of natural illness) and Lazarus' being raised from the dead.  Let us understand clearly the parallel with Jesus' sixth sign, which was performed at the Feast of Tabernacles, when He healed a man blind from birth.  On that occasion, Jesus' disciples asked Him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?   Jesus' response was to declare, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."  Jesus' response to Mary and Martha shows a similar understanding in an occasion of great sorrow or loss.

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."   Another paradox:  Jesus delays going to Martha, Mary, and Lazarus in order to assure that Lazarus is dead long enough that the corruption of his body could set in.  This will assure that no one can doubt the miracle -- and the might of God would clearly be seen by all.  The disciples warn of yet another clear danger; the religious leaders have already sought to stone Him, and the town of Bethany where Lazarus and his sisters live is much closer to Jerusalem.  Indeed, there will be those there from Jerusalem who will witness the raising of Lazarus.  But Christ again refers to Himself as the light of this world.  He knows where He is going and why.

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."  Compare Christ's use of "sleeps" here to Acts 7:60; 1 Corinthians 11:30, 15:6.   My study bible calls Thomas' statement an unwitting prophecy of his own future martyrdom.  It notes that this is also an illustration of the path that all believers must take -- that we die daily to the world for the sake of following Christ (Luke 9:23-24).  

So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.   My study bible comments that there existed at that time a rabbinical opinion that the soul lingered about the body for three days.  But after four days, resuscitation would be impossible.  This is another affirmation of the power of the sign which Jesus will do.

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.  As the disciples fears noted, the proximity of Bethany to Jerusalem means that many of those in the religious leadership have joined Martha and Mary in their mourning.  My study bible notes that mourning began on the day of a person's death.  Weeping and wailing would last three days; lamentation would last one week; and general mourning lasted thirty days.

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."   As in the episode in Luke 10:38-42, the two sisters Martha and Mary react differently to Christ's arrival.  Martha is the one who is inclined to active service, and she rushes out to meet Jesus.  But Mary remains in mourning until she is called by Christ.  Sitting, my study bible explains, was the traditional posture when mourning and receiving other mourners (Job 2:8-13, Ezekiel 8:14).   Here, Martha expresses her faith but also indicates a lack of understanding about Christ.  When she says, "if You had been here, my brother would not have died," she shows that she does not fully see that Christ is God, as this indicates she believes He needed to be present in order to heal (contrast this to John 4:46-54).   When she says, "whatever you ask of God, God will give You," she shows that she lacks understanding that Christ possesses full divine authority to act as He wills.  

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 says, "I am the resurrection and the life."  This is in order to correct Martha's misunderstanding.  My study bible suggests that He declares His divine authority to raise the dead at the last day, as well as here in this world.  The power of Christ's words is such that Martha is led immediately to her great confession of faith.   My study bible says that Do you believe this? is a question which is directed not just to Martha, but toward all of us.

It's interesting that in this section leading to the resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus' seventh and final sign given during His ministry in John's Gospel, there are several points that seem to be revisited here that have come up earlier in the Gospel with regard to Christ's power.   Once again, the paradoxical understanding of people meets the meanings which Jesus attempts to give to the world, and in particular, to enlighten people regarding Himself.  There is the perplexed use of "sleep" by Thomas, as well as Thomas' inadvertent prophecy of his own martyrdom.  After the Resurrection of Christ, to sleep takes on new meanings for Christians, in expectation of the general Resurrection and particularly within the understanding of the defeat of death by Christ.  Martha indicates that she believes her brother would not have died if Christ had been there, but already we have learned through the second sign given in the Gospel, the healing of the nobleman's son, that Jesus need not be immediately present to effect a healing.  There was also a "preview" of Jesus' knowledge from a distance in the meeting of Nathanael, which prompted an early confession of faith from Nathanael (see this reading).  Moreover, earlier in today's reading and commentary we noted the similar dynamic to the previous extraordinary healing and sign, that of the man blind from birth, in which the disciples express the understanding that someone must have sinned (either "this man" or "his parents") in order for the man to be born blind.  But Jesus responded, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."  Again, in today's reading, the seeming tragedy of the deadly illness of Lazarus is corrected by Jesus, when He says, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."  It is a way of teaching us that the mourning of this world might be turned to joy through the power of God in some way in our lives.  This, in itself, is suggestive of the very power of resurrection, of life conquering death.  Finally, Jesus' words in today's reading regarding "the light of this world" reflect and expand upon this saying at the healing of the blind man.  Just after He taught the disciples that the man's blindness was so that the glory of God could be revealed through it, He said, "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.  As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."   Here in today's reading, He repeats the emphasis:  "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 is the light, and this is because of His depth of unity with the Father, through whom His steps are guided.  He knows where He is going, even into the danger of the outrage and fear of the religious leaders, who will not be able to withstand the effects of Jesus' seventh sign in the Gospel.  They will most assuredly choose to put Him to death as a result.  But Jesus walks in the light, even as He proceeds into a gathering darkness.  Finally, in this understanding, we go back to the very beginning of the Gospel, which declares, "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (John 1:4-5).  All of these things are reinforced for us, as they further unfold, so that they can reveal and further illumine the facets of meaning of Christ Himself, and all those things given to us in the Gospel story, in the word.  For we are called upon also to walk in this light, with Christ as our light in the world, even into the very dark corners we may find we inhabit at times.  Christ walks toward danger because He knows where He is going.  This is not an adventure of the sort you might read about in a comic book or even in a heroic epic mythology.  This is a spiritual journey into which Christ is sent, and sent by the Father, in order to bring the light to the darkness, although, as the Gospel teaches, the darkness did not comprehend it.  If we follow in His footsteps, we may find that we are not meant to convince all that is "dark" of the truth of this light, for even the very educated and enlightened religious leaders of Israel were capable of choosing blindness to Christ (while there were many who did not).  No, we may find that we are called to shine that light even where the darkness will not comprehend, but in faith and in accord with the purposes of the light which leads us through prayer and worship.  This seems a paradox to a materialistic mind, but we shouldn't forget all the facets of the truth of Christ's healing which are revealed to us:  He defies all material reality.  He needn't be present physically for a healing to happen.  And for the things we know of God, even time does not stop the presence of God, although we are also bound by time in this world.  So let us understand that to bear the light is not necessarily to solve every problem and correct every ailment or darkness.  Neither will we necessarily change the minds of those who would deliberately choose blindness, darkness.  But we shine the light we are given in order to glorify God, just as did Christ, and the rest is really not up to us.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:13-16).  Like Christ we are to be salt, to retain our "flavor" in faith to Him and the commandments we're given, even to the sacrifices we might be called to make.  But we shine the light He gives so that our Father may be glorified, even as Christ does.  We have confidence that this is so, even when, like Christ, we do not necessarily receive the "praise of men" for doing so, or when the darkness does not comprehend it.