WHO RAISED LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD?

WHO RAISED LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD?

BY DR. MERVYN ABREO

          Before shouting, JESUS, first look at the following sequence of events:

(Found in the eleventh chapter of the Gospel of John)

Verse 39—Lazarus is dead for three days. And obviously stinking.

Verse 41—Lazarus is alive. Why? Because he is not stinking.

Verse 43, 44—Jesus calls out to Lazarus.

          Therefore it’s obvious that Lazarus was already alive when Jesus called out to him!

          Then who or what brought Lazarus back from the dead?!

          From my very childhood to this very day, whenever a teaching is given on ‘Lazarus raised from the dead’, it has always been said that Jesus called out, ‘Lazarus come forth,’ and the dead man came out!

          I have heard this interpretation given by nuns and priests, by Catechism teachers, as well as by every pastor, and every person without exception, who has spoken on this subject.

          In fact one pastor on the T.V., even went to the extent of saying that, hadn’t Jesus specifically called out to Lazarus, then every dead person would have come forth from their graves.

Jh. 11:39 – When Jesus tells them to remove the stone which covered the cave in which the dead body of Lazarus lay – Martha, the sister of the dead man cautions Him saying, “ by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.’’

          This is a statement based on experience, and as we know it, is a scientific fact: dead bodies decompose! And they stink!

Jh11: 41 – On Jesus’ behest, they took away the stone – and there was no bad odor.

           The reason? Lazarus had come to life!!

John 11 : 43,44 – Jesus called in a loud voice, “ Lazarus, come out!’’ And the dead man, now alive, came out.”

          THEREFORE LAZARUS WAS ALREADY ALIVE WHEN JESUS CALLED OUT TO HIM!!

Therefore several questions arise.

1) WHAT, OR WHO BROUGHT LAZARUS BACK TO LIFE?

       The answer lies in between versus 39 and 41.

     The answer is in verse 40: Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you (Martha) that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?”

     Believed what?

     Here the answer lies in His earlier encounter with Martha (verses 25 & 26). Jesus had told her that if she believed in Him, though Lazarus was dead, yet he would come back to life.

        It was Martha’s belief, or faith in Jesus, that brought Lazarus back to life.

2) Why did Jesus say, “Lazarus, come out!” if it wasn’t to bring him back from the dead?

       Lazarus had been dead for four days and had just come back to life. Imagine his mental condition. He had been seriously ill, and knew that he was dying, without his friend Jesus to heal him. He gradually lapsed into unconsciousness and died, probably with his whole life flashing before his eyes.

        Suddenly he is brought back from the dead and wakes up on a cold slab, surrounded by silence, bound up with cloth, and not knowing where he is.

         He needed to get his bearings right and know that friends were around. He needed to hear a friendly voice.

 By calling out to Lazarus, Jesus was reassuring only him.

3) Then how do you explain “the crowd that was with Him when He called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead…..” (John 12: 17).

            It takes two to clap. It was Martha’s faith! But it was her faith and belief in Jesus that brought about the miracle!

SUMMARY: If Martha could do it, so can we. 
          But we can, and should do it, only in the mighty Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

           If you liked this article, then Part-II of the article by the same name, will fascinate you.

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