“Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’” The dead man came out, tied hand and foot with burial bands …”
Jesus healing lazarus full#
Its full force comes over him, and he weeps - so much so that the bystanders say, “See how much he loved him.” In his human heart, Jesus experiences the full force of the loss and the blow that death delivers. Coming upon the scene, Jesus is described as deeply moved, as perturbed, as weeping. And so before raising Lazarus and dispelling grief, Jesus checks the condition of Martha’s faith and elicits an act of faith: “Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord, I have come to believe.”
Our faith and our soul are more important to God than our bodies and creature comforts. Encountering Martha, Jesus inquires about her faith.
Jesus is determined to go and help Lazarus even though he puts himself in great danger in doing so since they are plotting to kill Jesus in Judea. Note, too, how Jesus’ delay enables something even greater to take place. Somehow our waiting is tied to strengthening us and preparing us for something greater. This, of course, is paradoxical, because we expect love to make one rush to the aid of the afflicted. “So when Jesus heard that he was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was.” Note that the text says Jesus delayed because he loved Martha and Mary and Lazarus. But, if we are faithful, every trial is ultimately for our glory and the glory of God. The Lord permits these trials and difficulties for various reasons. Sometimes there are trials in our life, by God’s mysterious design, to bring us to greater things. The Gospel opens noting that a close friend of Jesus, Lazarus, is deathly ill. Let’s look at this Gospel in six stages and learn how the Lord acts to save us and raise us to new life.
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