The Gospel of John Lesson 41 (07-21-2013)
Lesson 40 – John 11:32-44
v. 32 Mary finally comes to Jesus after Martha
told her that Jesus was asking for her. Upon arriving the passage says that she
fell down at His feet we assume to worship Him. However, her worship in all
likelihood was not without emotion. She had been grieving the loss of her
brother and had been so upset that she couldn’t talk to anyone, not even Jesus.
At Jesus’ request to see her she now comes to Him and falls at His feet
essentially worshiping Him, but also coming with some questions for Him. In all
likelihood she came to Jesus crying and in bereavement. She was followed by a
host of mourning friends including what John referred to as the Jews.
V. 33 gives us an insight into
the tenderness of our God. We find Him here overcome with emotion, so much so
that it says that He was troubled in His spirit. I believe that at this point found
here that the reality of the whole mess and problem concerning the sin and
plight of man stood visibly before Jesus…the pain and suffering of man in his
fallen state. The final outcome of sin ending in death, the broken hearts and
agony of lost loved ones, severed relationships, all the suffering that was
never meant to be overcame Him and was just too much for Him causing Him to
grieve not only the loss of Lazarus, but also the loss of all who die. This
whole scene was never meant to be.
Jesus knew this would happen. He knew
that He would lose it,..that this scene would be too much for Him. He had
warned His disciples back in v. 15 of this chapter that He knew that He could
not go to Bethany right away because He would not be able to restrain Himself
from acting on their behalf.
The Father had given Him a plan and
purpose for this visit and Jesus knew what it was, Jn. 11:4. He also knew that
even for Him that it would have been difficult to obey the Father in this, and
even though we know that He would have in the end ended up obeying the Father, He
also knew that it would have been much more painful for those involved to wait
out the time for Lazarus’ resurrection if He had been there.
In v. 34 Jesus truly being
overcome with emotion asks them where they had buried Lazarus. In going to the
grave site we read some of the most powerful and meaningful words in the Bible,
‘Jesus wept’. This cry would echo throughout the halls of time.
To think that Jesus wept for
Lazarus would be a mistake. Jesus knew what was about to happen. If His emotion
expressed here was just for Lazarus His response and remark to the situation
and those present would have been much different. He would have much more just
smiled and reassured them that it would be alright, that Lazarus was ok and
everything would work out in the end, in just a few minutes, telling them to
just wait a few minutes and see. He would have reassured them like a parent
would reassure a child that the storm is not to be feared and that thunder will
pass quickly and not to worry. We see that He had tried to do that earlier in
this chapter when He referred to Lazarus’ death referring to Lazarus’ death as
him falling asleep.
It appears to me that here in
this section of Scripture that His troubled spirit and the tears that He shed
was more over death and all that goes with it. This was real life. People that were
involved in this thing called death and they felt real pain and agony. In a
short time He would feel it even more than they did experiencing death first
hand and suffering and paying for the sins of man. This was never meant to be.
He felt their/our pain. It hurt so much that He, always the strong and
confident one, cried. Moved by compassion, it broke His heart.
This is one of the only two
instances recorded in Scripture that Jesus was so overcome to tears. He was
saddened on other occasions, and sometimes greatly, but not moved to tears. It
took a lot to overcome Him like this. What was before Him was significant. His
reaction to what He saw was proof of the magnitude of the problem. His
compassion for Lazarus and the plight of all men was evident. In vs. 36 and 37 even
the Jews looking on had to admit God’s love for Lazarus and had come to the
same conclusion that Mary and Martha did, that Lazarus would not have died had
Jesus been there.
The moment had arrived. Now was
the time to show not only those present, but all of mankind the promise given
to all who believe. Here Jesus is demonstrating to all of us what He will do
for all who believe, not just what He was about do so for Lazarus. Resurrection
and the shedding of this past fallen life is the promise of all believers.
We see in the Gospel of John that
Jesus made the promise many times that those who believed in Him that they would
not die. We see Him reassure Martha of this in vs. 25-6. He also referred to
Lazarus’ situation not as death, but sleep. He was the One to fulfill the
promise of eternal life,…not in reincarnation or purgatory or by some other
means. He IS eternal life in Paradise. Later in v. 40 we will see Him refer to
God’s glory and that there are certain things that are only for God, demonstrating
His Majesty and Power. Resurrection was one of those ‘God’ things.
Jesus’ feelings’ concerning this
situation was not a quick fleeting emotion. In v. 38 we read that He continued
to be overcome with emotion as they accompanied Him to the grave site. He would
feel the same about this situation and what had happened tomorrow, and the next
day or next year. He had felt this way about this problem all along, at least through
the history of man. He was soon to remedy the cause of this problem altogether
only days from now.
Jesus arrives at the grave site
and begins to go to work. It was a cave that had been sealed with a large
stone. The time had come to do what the Father had instructed Him to do. Jesus
instructed them to take the stone away that sealed the tomb. At this command
the world standing by shouts ‘impractical’ … ‘not logical’ … ‘this does not
make sense.
The interesting thing was that
the comment about being impractical came from within the camp. Wasn’t it Martha
that had just asked Him only moments ago to raise her brother and that He could
do it if he only wanted to? Martha always the practical one earlier had stepped
out of her comfort zone and had made a statement of faith that at least had
looked good on paper telling Jesus that she did believe in Him so much that she
claimed to know beyond a reasonably shadow of a doubt that He could raise
Lazarus even from the grave if He had wanted to.
But, now Jesus was graveside. Her
faith was now about to become reality and the thought of seeing her brother
again in this situation was a little unnerving. She tells Him that by now the
body is stinking and pulling the stone away is not a good idea. It is possible
that she was more concerned with Jesus making a fool of Himself. What if He was
to make a public display and prematurely and foolishly ask Lazarus to come forward
and nothing were to happen. By saying this, Martha, like us, was saying ‘I
believe in you Jesus even if things don’t work out, …just remember I am on your
side even if this doesn’t work out.
In v. 40 Jesus reassures her,
however, not to worry and that He is the real deal. He reminds her of the
purpose of this whole event…He was here to ‘Glorify God!’ This would
unmistakably be the work of God. The works before this definitely had the image
of God associated with them identifying Jesus with the Father. However, this
one work that was about to happen would part the waters so to speak between
faith and doubt like nothing that had happened prior to this.
After this, those who would chose
not to believe His message would have no reason to reject it except that they
chose not to receive His free offer. They were about to see God’s unmistakable glory.
That means that what was about to happen was reserved only for use by God. God
will not share His glory with anyone else, Is 42:8. No one but God was able to
do this.
After hearing this it appears
that Martha reassumes a position of faith and trust in Jesus as Messiah and
faithfully watches what is about to happen. In v. 41 they take away the stone. Jesus
prays. But, He prays aloud being sure that everyone can hear Him. Jesus makes a
prayerful public declaration to God the Father much like Elijah did on Mt.
Carmel before all those that were present. As a side note, I sometimes wonder
what Jesus’ prayer life was really like, public and private. I am sure that He
could have taught me more than a thing or two.
Praying aloud like this was not
common for Jesus and was not what He had instructed His disciples to do, Matthew
chapter 6. He had instructed His followers to not pray publically like the
publicans who prayed so that everyone can hear their piety. Instead He told
them to pray to God in private telling them that their prayer and praying was
to God and not as a show for others to hear.
But, this was different. This
prayer was to God for their benefit. There had to be no mistake as to who He
was and what He came to do in this situation. Soon the world would have to
decide whether or not they believed His message and the purpose of His coming.
This decision about believing in Him would not be optional. Lazarus would be
stone dead for four days. Their eternal fate would hang in the balances. What
was about to happen with Lazarus would make the difference for many who had not
yet fully placed their faith in Him. Others, also, at the raising of Lazarus would
resolve to turn against Him. His prayer had to be public.
Even though His prayer was
public, it was still just that, a prayer. In His prayer and communion with God
even though His prayer was short what He says publically is significant. In His
prayer in essence He walks right up to God and calls Him by His first name,
calling Him Father, and identifies with him in prayer publically as if He were speaking
directly with Him instead about Him.
It was as if He were presenting
the Father to them publically for all to hear saying ‘This is my Father’ and
then making a gesture to His Father like saying ‘Hi Dad’ waiting for a public
response of recognition from His Father that indeed He is His Son, who He
claims to be.
He had made a public statement.
He publically had put His reputation on the line. Those present waited for the
reply from God in their mind not sure whether God would reply or not. Jesus had
put Himself completely in God’s hands also waiting for the Father’s reply,
however, with one difference, knowing that the Father would indeed reply.
Like Elijah at Mt. Carmel, if God
was going to speak it was time for God to speak. The outcome of what was about
to happen had the potential of turning the hearts of the people toward God as
God’s Mt Carmel event did, and probably even more so. Jesus knowing how the
Father would respond, depending on the Father for the outcome, turns and speaks
loudly so that all may hear. He commanded Lazarus to come forth.
For just but a fraction of a
second everyone waits to see what would be the outcome. As in the case of
Elijah, so there could be no doubt, God’s response was instantaneous. Lazarus
awakes and comes forth…still wearing his pajamas…in public none the less! God
had spoken! Loudly! Jesus unsurprised by what had happened finishes the job
telling those present to help Lazarus get dressed appropriately for someone who
is awake…awake to sleep no more!
God had spoken! In v. 45 it says
that many of those who were present seeing what had happened were now ready to
step forward and place their faith fully in this One. We must remember that it
is only a week to ten days at this point to Jesus’ crucifixion. There is no
time to be casual about what was happening. This was not just another miracle.
This event would be the watershed for many as to what they end up believing. Jesus
was right when He told His disciples in vs. 9-10 that they need to be at work
because there is not much day left. In the remaining days before the Cross it
will be amazing to watch how quickly things will happen.
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