Read John 11:1-16. The events in verses 1-16 of John 11 actually transpire while Jesus was in Perea (see unit 31). Having learned that Lazarus had died, Jesus starts His journey to Jerusalem (Bethany) with His disciples. Mary and Martha contact Jesus to come in order to save their brother Lazarus who is very ill. Verses 1 through 44 give the account of the events, verses 45-46 give the reaction of the people who witnessed it, and verses 47 through 53, the reaction of the religious leaders to the news of this event.
1. When told that Lazarus was sick, Jesus waited two days before starting on the trip to Jerusalem. Travel in that day was quite different than today. It would have taken Jesus a while to get to Bethany. What seems to be the contradiction that most people would see between verses 5 and 6?
If Lazarus was sick, why did Jesus deliberately wait two more days for him to get worse and die if He truly loved these people?
2. Did Jesus know that Lazarus would die?
Probably, although the text does not tell us this. He did know that the sickness would not end in Lazarus’ death because He tells His disciples this. But whether He knew that Lazarus would first die then be resurrected is not stated. The fact that He waited two days then left when He knew Lazarus had died seems to indicate that He was aware that Lazarus would die then be resurrected.
3. Did the disciples want to go back to Jerusalem? Why?
No, they realized that the opposition in Jerusalem wanted to kill our Lord. Thomas, with resignation, says, “Well, we might as well go back with Him and die.” It was very dangerous to go back there.
Read John 11:17-44. Jesus arrives in Bethany. News of His coming had arrived before Him, and Martha goes out to meet Him while Mary stays at home. After Martha meets with Jesus, she calls Mary, who quickly comes to meet Him.
4. What was the first statement both Martha and Mary made to our Lord?
If you had been here, my brother would not have died.
5. What does this indicate about what they believed concerning the power of our Lord?
It tells us that while they believed He could do miraculous things, His power was limited. He could heal, but they never even considered that He could raise Lazarus to life again.
6. Was Jesus touched by the sorrow of Mary and Martha? How do you know?
It says He wept and was deeply moved.
Read John 11:45-54. This passage records for us the reactions of two groups to the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead.
7. What were the two types of reactions of those who witnessed these events?
a. Many believed.
b. Some went away and reported to the religious leaders.
8. What was the reaction of the religious leaders? Why did they react this way?
a. They decided to kill Him.
b. They were afraid that if He continued doing these miracles, the people would believe, and this would cause the Romans to step in. They would then lose their positions and their nation.
9. What was our Lord’s reaction to the intentions of the religious leaders?
He left Jerusalem and went away with His disciples to the city of Ephraim, where He stayed until it was time for the Passover.
The Applications:
What are the applications of these passages to our lives today? Identify as many as you are able.
1. The question often is asked, “Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?” Why did God allow Lazarus to get sick in the first place? Then, knowing that Lazarus would die, why did the Spirit of God keep Jesus from immediately hurrying down to him? The answer is, in these events, God would glorify Jesus Christ and confirm Him as Messiah. It would also congeal the opposition to our Lord. God knew how much pain and sorrow there would be for Mary and Martha. But He also knew how much this would strengthen their faith and trust in Him in the long run.
God’s plans go far beyond ours. We see a problem in our lives. We come to God and request that He solve this problem to our benefit. What we do not see, either because we are so preoccupied with our own issues or because we simply lack the vision of God, is that He uses our problems in many ways to benefit others. When He does not answer us in the way that we have asked, we, like Martha and Mary, respond by saying, “Lord, if you had been here, you could have solved this problem.” What we need is the faith that says, “Lord, I do not know why You have to chosen to act in this way, but I trust Your judgment. However You choose to use this issue, I know You will be glorified, and it will turn out the best for Me.”
An former pastor of the church to which I belong, John Rink, in a Sunday sermon about the Exodus, points out that the Lord had the children of Israel turn back and wait for the Egyptian army. He put them in a very precarious position. But this difficulty they found themselves in was primarily for the benefit of the Egyptians rather than Israel. It was God’s purpose to show the Egyptians His power and make it clear that He alone was God rather than any of the many gods the Egyptians worshiped. God may allow a believer to face difficult times for the benefit of someone else. It is not always about us!
God’s purpose was to show His power in our Lord by raising Lazarus from the dead. It would indeed serve to bring many to faith, it would strengthen the faith of Mary and Martha, and it would also galvanize the opposition’s determination to put our Lord to death. Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? His purposes might be manifold; they may not even be about us, and we may not even know what they are on this side of glory.
2. Martha and Mary knew our Lord could do miracles, but they had placed a limit on His power. They did not believe He could or would act once Lazarus had died. So too, we often place limits on what we believe God can do. Sure, as believers, we believe He is omnipotent, but in our hearts and minds, we set certain limits. He can do this and this, but if the conditions reach this point, then it is too late. Like Martha and Mary, we turn to God and say, “If only you had been here, Lord! Why did you not answer our prayer?” We need to recognize there is no situation in which He cannot save and turn to good. What does Romans 8:28 state? “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
We must have the faith that trusts that He can turn any situation around for good for us. While He may not choose to answer our prayer as we have asked, while we may not even see how He can possibly do it, we know He will. And knowing He loves us beyond what we can understand, we trust Him.
3. We catch a glimpse of the heart of our Lord and see the heart of the Father as well in this incident. We are told Jesus was deeply moved in His spirit, was troubled and that He wept. Yes, God did allow Lazarus to die; He did allow Martha and Mary to suffer in loss to accomplish His purpose. But He knew how they felt, and He was grieved by their sadness. So too, when we face loss, when we grieve, when we face difficult circumstances, we must remember that while God is accomplishing His will for His glory and our future good, He is not unmoved by our circumstances. When we grieve, He grieves with us. He is touched by our sorrows.
4. The Pharisees and all the religious leaders clearly witnessed the power of God working through our Lord. This they could not deny, nor do they. They were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” They knew the truth but refused to accept it. They would rather have the Roman rule and the status quo than accept Jesus as the Messiah. They did not want the Messiah to come and upset their applecart!
This, in a way, pictures all humanity who turn away from God. People know the truth; God has witnessed it in their hearts. But they wish to continue in the darkness rather than have the light in their lives.
We, too, as believers, must also be careful. For we also can willingly reject the truth we know to continue in our own sin.