Jesus Christ
The Passion
The Death and Ressurection of Lazarus
by Rhawn Joseph, Ph.D.
Jesus again retired to the town of Bethany, home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, and which was but a few days journey from Jerusalem. Here Jesus began to plan his triumphal reentry into Jerusalem, during the Passover, and the events and actions he would take which would lead to his Crucifixion and death.
Jesus, however, was not accompanied by his 12 deciples. Probably this was because he did not completely trust them, because of their "little faith," "unbelief" and "doubt." As Jesus well knew, one of his disciples would in fact betray him, and the rest would run away and disavow him after he was arrested. Peter, at the end, denied him three times--exactly as Jesus predicted. Indeed, they would all desert him and run for their lives.
Jesus had more faith in Lazarus of Bethany, "who he loved." Bethany was a special place of respite and planning. It was here that Jesus met with his most trusted followers, including Mary, Martha, and Larazus "whom he loved."
In fact, Lazarus was of such importance to Jesus and his ministry, that unlike the other disciples, he was condemned to death by the chief priests (Luke 12:10).
It was Lazarus of Bethany, or some other unnamed resident of this well-to-do village, who was to help make possible Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the eve of the Passover. It was presumably the family of Lazarus who would prepare the last supper, and Lazarus who would provide the "colt" and the "ass" upon which Jesus would ride into Jerusalem--as prophecied.
And it was in Bethany, perhaps in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, that Jesus also laid out the final plans not only for his entry into Jerusalem, as the Messiah, but his own death and ressurrection.
Jesus prophecied that he would be crucified and would be born again, and would rise from death, on the third day. "The third day" is repeatedly emphasized in all four Gospels. However, exactly what would transpire after he had risen, is not addressed, except that, we are to presume, based on scripture, that after he had risen and had been born again, Jesus would claim the kingship and the era of Righteousness would follow.
Throughout history their have been cults, and secret societies which have embraced the "born again" concept. In some, initiation into the cult involves a ritualistic, symbolic death resulting in the destruction of an old world, and the birth of a new. To be born again, meant that the initiate would have die, only to be born again into this new world; that is, into the brotherhood of the cult or religion. "Death" was meant to be a symbolic destruction of the initiate's "old" personality, identity, and body and the attachments he had formed. Thus the initiate would be born anew.
In ancient times, the initiate might enter and be laid to "rest" in a tomb or grave. In more modern times, initiates might lie in a coffin. The tomb and the coffin serve not just as a receptical for the "dead" body, but a "womb" from which the reborn will emerge.
Baptism, too, was a symbolic death, in which one's sins are washed away, and one is reborn. However, following a symbolic death, one is born anew as someone completely different--someone who has awakened from a death-like slumber.
In some cults and religions, the death was always a symbolic, ritualistic sleep-like "death" coupled with a symbolic rebirth, or renewal. In others, the initiate would take some powerful drug that would render him into a deep sleep or death-like coma--and the initiate might even have an "after death" or "near death" experience, including communing with angels, devils, or god. As Jesus told his disciples, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep."
However, in some instances, the initiate would actually die and could not be revived.
Bethany, the home of Lazarus, may have been a cult-center where symbolic deaths and rebirths were a commonplace occurrence for initiates.
The disciples of Jesus, in fact, make mention of traveling to Bethany, in order to "die" and thus to experience what they may have thought was a ritualistic death and rebirth--that is to take part in a ceremony that would make them part of an elite brotherhood.
Lazarus, whom Jesus loved, apparently participated in a ritual such as this, for when Jesus told his disciples, "Lazarus is dead, then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him." -John 11.
Jesus, too, in announcing the death of his beloved disciple, also believed, at least initially, that the death of Lazarus was not a true death, but that he "sleepeth" and that Lazarus was engaged in some ritualistic act--perhaps even rehearsing the death and the ressurection that had been prophecied for the Messiah. This would explain why, when told Lazarus was going to die, that Jesus was unconcerned. Presumably he believed that Lazarus would not really die, but was engaged in a religious ritual, one that Jesus would also engage in and which would result in incredible glory, power, and fame.
"Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. Therefore his sisters sent unto Jesus, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby." -John 11.
Indeed, Jesus was completely unconcerned, explaining that the purpose of this "sickness" was for experiencing the glory of God. Jesus thus, dismissed their request for help, and "he abode two days still in the same place where he was."
Even after he was told that Lazarus was dead, Jesus was nonplused. Lazarus was not really dead, but was so deeply asleep that he appeared to have died. "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth," he said. Lazarus, Jesus believed, would awake from that sleep, and thus would rise from death--no doubt, on the third day, exactly as had been prophecied for Jesus.
Finally, Jesus informs his disciples that "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep." It was then that "Thomas" told the other disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
Apparently, however, something had gone terribly wrong. By time Jesus arrived in Bethany, "he found that he had lain in the grave four days already."
Jesus is startled and upset by this news. Lazarus had been sleeping longer than he had expected. "Four days!"
Repeatedly Jesus had told his disciples that he, Jesus, would die and would rise on the "third day." Lazarus too had died, but three days had passed and he was still dead.
Had Jesus, by waiting two days, miscalculated as to when and how long Lazarus had "sleepeth"?
Martha is so upset by the death of her brother, that she upbrades Jesus, accusing him of causing the death: "Said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."
That she blames Jesus, suggests that she and Lazarus had been counting on Jesus to engage in some act that would have prevented Lazarus from truly dying; that the plan was for Jesus, as he himself admitted, was to have awakened Lazarus, from his sleep, on the third day. Unfortunately, Lazarus had "died" so quickly, and had gone to "sleep" perhaps a day early, that now four days had passed and now Lazarus was truly dead.
Mary, too, is weeping and upset, and she too upbrades and blames Jesus: "Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."
Jesus is shocked by what has happened and he groans in anguish. For the first time, since hearing of the death of Lazarus, and upon being told that Lazarus was not "sleeping" but had now been dead "four days" Jesus begins to weep and cry.
"When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled..." and then "Jesus wept." -John 11.
Where have you laid the body, Jesus asks, as he continues to groan and cry. He will call unto God, he promises, and will use all his power to bring Lazarus back to life.
"Jesus wept.....and again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?"
"Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go." -John 11.
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