March 17, 2002 -- FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT
Ezekiel 37:1-14
Psalm 130
With the LORD there is mercy and plenteous redemption. (Ps. 130:6-7)
Romans 8:6-11
John 11:1-45
Color: Purple John 11: 1-45
Title: “Resuscitation vs. Resurrection”
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead.
Chapters eleven and twelve, form a distinct unit in the overall structure of the gospel. In this section Lazarus is raised from the dead, causing the Sanhedrin to condemn Jesus to death. Lazarus’ sister, Mary, anoints Jesus for burial and Jesus enters Jerusalem, his “tomb,” signifying the end of his public ministry. This “end” or, as John would say, “coming of the hour,” is signaled by the arrival of the Gentiles on the scene, whose coming signals, in turn, the beginning of the disciples public ministry.
This is the seventh and last “sign,” miracle, we might say, in the first half of John, called “the Book of Signs,” for obvious reasons, leading into the second half, called “the Book of Glory.” In the Synoptics “signs,” are called “mighty works,” and “wonders.” There are many more examples of Jesus’ unique power than the seven John highlights. John interprets these signs for his community, using them as a springboard to expound and expand on their hidden meaning. In the Synoptic tradition Jesus raised the son of the widow of Nain Luke 7: 11-17 and the daughter of Jairus Mark 5: 35-43, but only John reports the raising of Lazarus. He gives it unique importance. Whereas in the Synoptics Jesus is condemned to death by the religious authorities for his whole career and for all his “mighty works,” in John it is this one miracle that causes the axe to fall. John takes this one miracle and makes it the primary representative of them all because it captures, more than any of them, what it is Jesus brings, does and gives: life.
We should distinguish between resuscitation and resurrection. Resuscitation restores ordinary, earthly life, the physical level or level one; resurrection involves eternal life level two or the spiritual level. The physical life that Jesus gives to Lazarus is still not resurrected life. Like the widow’s son and Jairus’ daughter, Lazarus would physically die again. However, the resuscitation is a sign of resurrection, the transition to the state of glory. In the Prologue 1: 1-18, the Word gave light and life to humans in creation. Now the Word-made-flesh gives light in chapter nine, light to the man born blind) and life in chapter eleven, the raising of Lazarus, as signs of eternal light and life.
In verse one, Now a man was ill. Lazarus…Mary…Martha: This cast of characters is introduced, a sick brother and two sisters. “Lazarus,” means “God helps.” It is a Greek form of “La`zar,” an abbreviation of “Eleazar.” “Martha” means “Lady” and “Mary” means “Excellence.” The town of Bethany is on the east side of the Mt. of Olives about two miles east of Jerusalem. Today it is called El `Azariyeh, derived from Lazarus or Eleazar.
In verse two, Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord: This verse is clearly an editorial addition, referring to a scene in chapter twelve, which has not yet been narrated.
In verse three, Master, the one you love is ill: The word for “love,” here means friendship-love Greek philein, level one love. Jesus and Lazarus were friends and Mary and Martha thought he should know of his illness. Jesus’ subsequent failure to drop everything and go to him is not because of indifference. He has a greater purpose in mind. Where other humans see tragedy level one interpretation, Jesus sees opportunity level two interpretation.
In verse four, this illness…is for the glory of God: The symbolic, level two, importance of the miracle Jesus will perform is made clear from the beginning. Looked at from the light of eternity, there is no need for alarm. Lazarus will die but will not stay dead. If the end turns out well, why worry about the middle? God’s power to give life will be made manifest just as his power to bestow light became clear in chapter nine, with the curing of the blind man.
That the Son of God may be glorified through it: On level one this would mean that people would praise Jesus for the miracle. However, John means it on level two, in the sense that this miracle will lead to Jesus’ own death, which is a stage in his ultimate glorification. The “glory” referred to here is on level two, not level one. Hidden in the darkness of the crucifixion is the light of the resurrection.
In verses five and six, Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus: The verb of “love” here is agapein. In Greek it is noticeably different from the friendship-love Greek philein used in verse three. Here we are told Jesus has the kind of love for Lazarus and his sisters that marks Christian love: laying down one’s life for friends love, sacrificial love, one-way love, unemotional, attitudinal love. This love, love in and from the eternal perspective gave Jesus cause to pause. His natural impulse would be to go to Lazarus. However, in the bigger picture, his physical death would become an opportunity to do something greater, to give glory to God. Jesus would be of even more help to Lazarus when he was dead. So, Jesus will wait. He would put his emotional love, friendship, in second place and refrain from rushing to Lazarus, something his sister Martha would need to have explained to her. As verse nine, will show, Jesus distinguishes between a state of emergency or panic, which this situation is not, and a sense of urgency or anticipation, which reflects the attitude Christians are to have in the light of imminent death.
In verses seven and eight, the Jews were just trying to stone you, and you want to go back there?: After a two day lapse Jesus decides it is time to go to Judea, where Bethany is located, about two miles from Jerusalem. Jesus is a marked man. The authorities are on the lookout for him. If they had post offices then, his picture would be among the ten most wanted. Thus, Jesus is going to give life, to Lazarus, at the risk of his own life., which, in turn, the giving of his life, will be a demonstration of his own conquest of death.
In verse nine and ten, twelve hours in a day: Jesus quotes a proverb to make his point. It must have been a very flexible proverb because Jesus quoted it in 9:4 regarding the urgency to cure the blind man. Daytime was reckoned from sunrise to sunset, the third, sixth and ninth hour, twelve hours of light. Nighttime was divided into four watches. The point is that action must be taken while it is light, that is, while Jesus is in the world. This will be Jesus’ last miracle, in the eleventh chapter, not so numbered at the time, however, at the eleventh hour.
In verse eleven, Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him: In Greek the word used is koimasthai, from which the English “cemetery” comes. It has two meanings: sleep and death. John loves such words. Their ambiguity enables him to appear to be speaking on level one, in this case, death, but really mean level two, sleep, a level two interpretation of level one death. To the physical eye, Lazarus will appear dead; to the spiritual eye he will be seen for what he really is, merely asleep. Jesus is not denying the physical reality, but interpreting it in the light of eternity.
In verse twelve, Master, if he is asleep, he will be saved: In Greek the word translated here as “saved,” sozein, also can mean “recovered” or “be healed, whole, healthy.” Again, humans will see the event on level one and Lazarus will appear to have recovered from what looked like death. On level two, this will be a sign of salvation. The irony here is that the disciples say what will actually happen, without realizing they are doing so.
In verses thirteen to fifteen, Jesus accepts the physical fact of Lazarus’ death. He rejects the notion that Lazarus is physically asleep, though he does mean that he is symbolically asleep. Jesus is on level two, while the disciples are still on level one. Thus, their interpretation of reality is flawed. Jesus is glad, what is a cause for sorrow on level one is a cause for rejoicing on level two, that he was not there when Lazarus died, for he can now turn this sad event into an opportunity for belief on the part of his disciples.
In verse sixteen, Let us also go to die with him: Thomas means this in the sense of dying along with Jesus. Not only did Jesus have a price on his head, but so did his associates. At this point Thomas, mentioned outside this gospel only in the lists of the Twelve, is speaking a truth of which he knows not. He is not yet aware that every disciple shares in both the death and resurrection of his Master. His statement is one of unwitting irony. In Mark 8: 34-35 Jesus made the point about saving one’s life by losing it for his sake.
In verse seventeen, four days: The Jews believed that the soul surely left the dead body after three days. This remark is to indicate that Lazarus was irretrievably dead, not just mistakenly sleeping.
In verse eighteen, many of the Jews: In John “Jews,” is a generic term for the religious authorities and the “authoritative” Jews, such as the Pharisees. In chapters eleven and twelve, however, the term means ordinary Jews, everyday, normal people. We get the picture that the customary Jewish rites of mourning are being observed.
In verse twenty, Martha went to meet him…Mary sat at home: We know from Luke 10:38-42 that Martha was a “do-er” and Mary a “be-er” and the scene here fits in with that picture. These two stories, the one in Luke and the one here, are the only ones we have of these two sisters. Only John tells us about Lazarus being their brother, although there is a story about a different Lazarus, a homeless beggar, in Luke 16: 19-31.
In verse twenty-one, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died: This is reminiscent of Jesus’ mother’s remark in 2:3 that “they have no more wine.” Both present Jesus with the problem rather than the solution. Neither formally requests anything, just discreetly suggest that it is or was, within Jesus’ power to do something, without explicitly saying what that “something,” might be. Neither at Cana nor here is Jesus moved by their suggestions.
In verse twenty-two, But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, God will give you: This reminds of Mary’s remark to the stewards at Cana, “Do whatever he says.” John wants to connect the first and last miracle of Jesus here. Martha presupposes that, because Jesus is a holy man, God will give his prayers priority. She believes in Jesus, but inadequately. She knows he can bring one back to health, but only, she believes, on the spot. She does not know, as yet, that he can give life.
In verse twenty-three, Your brother will rise: Jesus means he will rise now, Martha thinks he means later, at the resurrection on the last day. She thinks Jesus is merely consoling her, as religious people are wont to do when confronted with a grieving person, with general religious statements, like “Do not worry, he is with God” or “He will rise again on the last day.” Martha affirms that she believes that much, but Jesus means much more.
In verse twenty-five, I am the resurrection and the life: Jesus now proceeds to open Martha’s eyes to the truth and to evoke from her a more adequate confession of faith. In 8: 12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” Now he says he is the resurrection and the life. He means “through me human beings are raised up and receive eternal, divine life, the quality of life God enjoys.” This life is stronger than physical death. The resurrection on the last day, the final state of affairs, will depend on one’s response to Jesus now. If a person is in an enduring relationship with Jesus now, that person enjoys already now the quality of life Jesus enjoys. Eternal life begins now, before physical death. In other words, those who have accepted Jesus now are already in eternity. If the “presence” of physical death does not render spiritual life “absent,” neither does the absence of physical death, that is, physical life, prevent the presence of spiritual life. The final state of affairs begins now with accepting Jesus.
Even if he dies, will live: Jesus, and John, means death on level one, but life on level two.
In verse twenty-seven, I have come to believe that you are…: Martha expresses her advance in faith by using the same three messianic titles that the gospel began with: the Messiah 1:41; the Son of God 1:49; and he who is coming into the world 1: 27, 30. The last one is the most important because it most plainly affirms the in breaking of the eternal, the beyond this world, into time, into this life. Jesus will soon act out his power to give life in a dramatic resuscitation of Lazarus, a precursor to his own resurrection.
In verse twenty-eight to thirty-three, this scene of Mary greeting Jesus could be omitted from the story without even noticing it. Verse thirty-four could easily follow after verse twenty-seven. The scene does not advance the action, but serves to link the story of Lazarus in this chapter with the story of the anointing by Mary at Bethany in the next. It also introduces the “overlay,” of the resurrection story as John tells it later. John starts to tell the story from the vantage point of the resurrection scenes he relates in chapter twenty. He warms his readers up by using the same title for Jesus, “Teacher,” here as Mary of Magdala does there. He has people following Mary to the tomb, Mary weeping as Mary of Magdala does in chapter twenty and Martha strangely does not. In chapter twenty, it is Mary of Magdala who does not know “where they laid him,” but here it is Jesus who asks, “Where have you laid him?” See Mark 16:6 where the angels say these words. These elements are not clear parallels, but hints of more parallels to come.
In verse thirty-three, When Jesus saw her weeping…he became perturbed and deeply troubled: Jesus became angry. In the Synoptic tradition Jesus became angry when he came face to face with the realm of Satan and results of his evil. He especially had this emotional reaction at Gethsemane when he confronted his own imminent death caused by Satan and all he represents.
In verse thirty-five, and Jesus wept: Jesus could be moved to compassion quite easily. His friend Mary is crying. His friend Lazarus is dead. Even though Jesus knows what he is about to do, the crowd does not. Thus, part of the reason for noting Jesus’ tears is to keep the suspense mounting. And, no doubt, the other part is to teach a lesson. Jesus wept at the death of his friend even though he would soon raise him. Christians weep at the death of their loved ones, even though they know they will be raised up as well. The one does not preclude the other, nor do tears indicate a lack of faith.
In verses thirty-six and thirty-seven, the onlookers are both right and wrong. Jesus did love Lazarus. The word used is Greek philein not agapein. The latter word is used to indicate Christian love; the former human love. Jesus loved Lazarus both ways. The comment about Jesus’ inability to prevent Lazarus’ death, especially by one who has given sight, light, to the blind man in chapter nine, is an example of Johannine irony. The comment is ironically true. Jesus can and will “do something.”
In verses thirty-eight to forty, take away the stone: One would be hard pressed to describe approaching a first century Palestinian tomb in any other language but this. Nonetheless, one familiar with the resurrection stories, as the readers were, could not help by feel they are in the atmosphere of Jesus’ own tomb. John is telling this story for the benefit of all Christians as he shows the effects of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection upon them all.
In verse forty, if you believe, you will see the glory of God: In 2:11, the first sign at Cana “revealed his glory” and the disciples “believed in him.” Here, John wraps up, the technical term is inclusio, everything from the first sign to this last sign in the mantle, really the uncovering rather than wrapping, of the glory, hidden presence made manifest, of God seen through the eyes and heart of faith. This miracle story provides the transition from the Book of Signs chapters one to twelve, to the Book of Glory chapters thirteen to twenty. The miracle will be a visible and down-to-earth, level one, demonstration that Jesus is God’s “go-between,” agent, means, to give life, not just physical but resurrected life. It will also be a symbolic level two or spiritual anticipation, a sort of dress rehearsal, of Jesus’ own resurrection.
In verse forty-one and forty-two, Jesus raised his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you for hearing me”: Jesus lived in the presence of God, as all do. He was constantly aware of that presence, as few are. The “raising his eyes,” means that he focused on God’s presence in order to speak directly to and with him. He is supremely confident that his union with the eternal dimension and personal presence with his Father has already empowered him to do a work that will make that presence felt by others, in this case, those standing around. He is thankful that they will see the work and see into it, into its level two meaning, and come to believe. Jesus does nothing apart from his Father.
The prayer is spoken for the people to hear, not for the power to perform it, that its purpose may not fail. Jesus performed miracles to bring people to faith, not to show off his power.
In verses forty-three and forty-four, Lazarus, come out: Characteristically, John reports the actual miracle with minimum detail. The level one miracle- Lazarus’ resuscitation- is but the “sign,,” of a level two reality- Jesus’ and his disciples’ resurrection. Jesus has given physical life as a sign of his power to give eternal life. This gift of eternal life begins with obedient acceptance of Jesus, who calls people from the grave, the tombs, the depths, the pits, here and now, what scholars call “realized eschatology”. This gift reaches its fullest expression on the last day when Jesus will raise the physically dead, what scholars call “final eschatology”.
Tied…with burial bands…his face wrapped in a cloth: A body would be laid on a length of cloth long enough to come back over the head all the way down to the feet. Bandages would then be wrapped around it to keep the arms and legs in position. A face cloth would be tied under the chin to keep the jaw in place. These details are the same ones noticed in the story of Jesus’ empty tomb, and purposely so. Lazarus will need his burial clothes again, Jesus will not. Jesus leaves his behind; Lazarus does not. He is raised the physical life, resuscitated, and will physically die again.
Sermon
Many of the details of this story are really from the accounts of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, historically and chronologically, later events. John is doing what all Christians do, interpreting life and life’s details in the light of the bigger reality of eternity. The central reality is Christ’s death and resurrection. Even though it happened after, Christ’s resurrection enabled Christians to interpret correctly what happened to Lazarus earlier. Details such as the mourning women, the rock-hewn tomb closed with a stone, the burial clothes, the separate mention of the face cloth, the doubts of Thomas, these are obviously taken from the resurrection story in chapters twenty and other places. They helped to shed light on what Jesus was really doing in the case of Lazarus. He was signaling his own resurrection and ours, even as he was distinguishing between mere resuscitation and real resurrection.
Lazarus represents all Christians. The text tells us that Jesus loved him as a friend echoing 15:14-15) and that he loved him and his sisters as “beloved” echoing 15: 17. Lazarus is not, as some have thought, the “beloved disciple” referred to so often in this gospel. That is, he is not the historical personage behind that term. He is not the physical person. Yet, in another sense, so typical of John, he is. He is because all Christians are. The “beloved disciple,” in the gospel represents all Christians. Like Lazarus, we are both friends of Jesus, having human emotional bonds with him and he with us, and we are “beloved,” by Jesus, having our interests at heart so much that he will give his life to give us life. His friendship for Lazarus, whose loss made him cry on one level even though he knew on another level he would shortly bring him back to physical life, might have impelled him to come to him sooner, right away, ASAP. However, his other love, his “agape” love, a love which had Lazarus’ best interests at heart, delayed his pleasing everyone by a swift appearance. Because Jesus loves everybody, his human, emotional love for Lazarus was put in the context of his divine, disinterested, unbiased love for all. Lazarus would be of help to him to show God’s power in Jesus to give life and not merely to heal. Yet, for all of that, Lazarus would only be resuscitated. Resurrection involves more than returning from death. It is entering into a different plane of life. Only Jesus’ resurrection will empower others to enter that realm. Lazarus was a dress rehearsal compared to the real event. We will not be restored to physical life, as we have known it when we are raised. Whenever the “last,” day is for the whole world, our “last day,” will be the day of our physical death. We will enter more fully a realm, a dimension, we already entered in Baptism. In that sense, we will continue, full speed ahead, into the eternal atmosphere, but onto a higher plane or in a higher key. Eternal life will not merely be “Physical Life Plus.” It will not be bigger, better, richer, earthly life. It will be better than even that.
How do we know? We know from our present experience of the Lord. We know that the realm we enter into when we are aware of his presence and in harmony with his will does not take us out of this world or change this world. It has an effect on the way we experience this world and life in it. Indirectly, it has an effect on the world because we behave differently, not because the world has become different or because we see different things from what others see. We see differently. Circumstances, even death, even the death of a loved one, are seen for what they really are- impositions, beyond our control or say-so, which must be suffered, undergone. We see our attitude toward them as more important and decisive than our feelings about them. Like Jesus we recognize and express our feelings. Like him we cry at the death of a loved one. But like him, we see through it into eternity and it does not bind us or stop us. Like Lazarus it may put us down, temporarily, but it does not keep us down. Lazarus could not get up on his own power. Neither can we. But that is just fine with us, for the eternal perspective shows us that we do not need any power of our own. Our relationship with the Lord is all the power we need. This relationship, this reality, is better than any earthly reality we know. True, we experience the Lord’s love in and through this world and its realities. However, it takes us beyond them, is not bound to or by them. One of the oddest things about this story is that Lazarus was bound by the trappings of this world tied hand and foot, dead and yet in obedience to Jesus he could still walk! The same is true or every believer.
Jesus, being fully human, had friends, people he “loved” in a human way Greek philia.
Jesus, being divine, loved everyone in a divine way Greek agape.
Jesus loved his personal friends both ways, but the divine way took preference.
God became human in Jesus to offer us divine life, eternal life, now.
Physical death does not end divine life, but releases a person to fully experience and enjoy it.
Life: What the Synoptics call “the Kingdom of God,” John calls “eternal life” or just “life.” The metaphors or parables or comparisons the Synoptics use to refer to the Kingdom- light, leaven in a mass of dough, growth of crops, life, from planting, burying, seed, a bumper crop of grapes in a vineyard, shepherds seeking lost sheep and guarding the gate to the sheepfold, and the ground fertile for life- are translated in John into personal metaphors referring to Jesus- “I am the Light of the world,” “I am the Bread of Life,” “I am the Resurrection and the Life,” “I am the True Vine,” “I am the Good Shepherd,” “I am the, sheep, Gate,” “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” From the many synoptic metaphors John has chosen just seven, as he chose only seven miracles or signs, to indicate that Jesus is God become human to be for us all we need to become human as well. Most likely, Jesus used this figurative speech of himself in order, among other reasons, to discourage people from thinking that the heavenly kingdom would just be a bigger and better earthly kingdom. So, in John, Jesus makes it clear that he has come to bring us life, God’s very life, the quality of life God himself enjoys. Although he gives this life to us now, life more than mere physical life, he wants us to know that later, after we physically die, we will be transported into a realm, an atmosphere, a “kingdom,” where God rules unchallenged and there we will enjoy fully what we here and now enjoy only partially, though this “partial,” enjoyment can grow even while we are on earth. Everything Jesus tells us about the Kingdom of God in the Synoptics, he applies to himself in John, because he is the Kingdom of God. What Jesus promises and gives is life, not accoutrements, not positions of importance, not earthly wealth, but simply life, actually himself. Those things and events that distract us from enjoying the quality of life we so desperately crave will be removed in the eternal atmosphere and there will only be life and, of course, love. We will love life forever, if we have begun really loving life now and we do that, that is, loving life, loving God, by loving one another, those with whom, along with God, we will in the future share the eternal atmosphere.
Love: Jesus loved everyone, but that is not to say he liked everyone. As a human being he had his favorites, his special friends in a human sense. That did not take away his love for all others. Everyone needs and should have friends, in the strictly human sense, the sense captured by the Greek word philia. Jesus would be no exception. He had friends outside his inner circle of disciples and he had friends inside that circle Peter, James and John, the only ones who witnessed the Transfiguration. However, human friendship love does not always act in the best interest of the other or others. Jesus knew that and refused to let the expectations of friendship overrule the expectations of God. Although duty would dictate immediately going to his friends in their time of sorrow, the loss of their brother and his friend, Jesus waits until it is an appropriate time lapse so that God can do his work, advancing the kingdom and revealing his glory. His divine love Greek agape of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, indeed his divine love of all humanity, caused him to take a different course of action, namely, in this case, delay. To others this might seem shocking, but wisdom is knowing when and Jesus knew just when to do what because of his constant, conscious contact with his Father. Neither did he listen to his “friends,” the disciples, who told him he was crazy and tempting fate to go to Bethany, what with the price on his head. Surely, he would be killed. Nonetheless, despite the risk to his life he would restore physical life to Lazarus in order to show that he can also bestow eternal life on those who are willing to love as he loves, as he defines the term and expresses the reality. Friends might not always act in our best interest or theirs, but God always does. Amen.
