Jesus and Lazarus
Jesus and Lazarus were friends. When news came that Lazarus, the brother of Mary and Martha, was very ill, Jesus did something a bit puzzling to those with him -- he waited two days before setting out to see him. Then Jesus told his disciples: “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.”
So Jesus and his disciples set out for the village of Bethany, a small settlement on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, and the hometown of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Today, Bethany is traditionally known as the Palestinian town of al-Eizariya, which means “Place of Lazarus” in Arabic. It is only about one and a half miles from Jerusalem.
When Jesus reached Bethany, he learned that Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb four days. Jesus led his grieving friends to the tomb of Lazarus. A large stone blocked the tomb’s entrance. People must have been shocked when Jesus asked, “Take away the stone.”
Jesus looked up and prayed to God. He prayed to God as his Father:
“Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” (John 11:41-42)
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. (John 11:43-44) Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. (John 11:45)
