In the Synoptics Jesus restores to life two persons who have just died, Jairus’ daughter and the son of a widow at Nain (Mk 5:21—43 par.; Lk 7:11—17).
w. 23-6, the dialogue between Jesus and Martha is built on a major misunderstanding: Martha thinks that Jesus is speaking about the resurrection at the end of time, but Jesus asserts that he himself is the resurrection and life, so that soon Lazarus will be raised. Those who believe in Jesus will be able to overcome their own physical death,
The NRSV ‘was greatly disturbed’ translates the Greek enebrimesato, which implies anger. The hypotheses that have been produced about a possible Aramaic or Syriac back- ground (cf. Black 1967: 240-3) do not sufficiently explain our actual text. Probably Jesus’ anger is not so much directed against the lack of faith of those who are weeping (so Bult- mann 1971: 407) as against the power of death he is now confronted with (cf. 12:27; I3:21)- Jesus’ own sorrow is real (cf. v. 35), but at the same time he envisions his fight against Satan, the ruler of this world (cf. 13:27, 30; 14:30).
27: Martha still misunderstands: her belief in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God does not include belief that he is “the resurrection and the life” (v. 25).
11.38–44: Calling forth the dead. Raising Lazarus, the final, greatest sign, proves Jesus’ earlier claim in 5.25–29 but is also the catalyst for his death.
from The Gospel According To John I XII ( Anchor Yale Bible AYB) By Raymond Brown
from The Gospel According To John I XII ( Anchor Yale Bible AYB) By Raymond Brown
for Lazarus, the one whom Jesus loves, is probably being held up as the representative of all those whom Jesus loves, namely the Christians. … Just as Jesus gives life to his beloved Lazarus, so will he give life to his beloved Christians.
So in xi 4 we are told that Lazarus’ sickness is for God’s glory, since God’s glory will be evident only when the Son is glorified. Such a statement has several Johannine plays on words. The reason why the sickness is not to end in death is because Jesus will give life, that is, physical life as a sign of eternal life. This miracle will glorify Jesus, not so much in the sense that people will admire it and praise him, but in the sense that it will lead to his death, which is a stage in his glorification (xii 23-24, xvii 1).
Evidently the author wishes us to think that Lazarus died immediately after the sisters sent the message. The day that it took for the message to come to Jesus, plus the two days that Jesus remained on after he got the message (6), plus the day that it took Jesus to go to Bethany—these are the four days of vs. 17.
As Bultmann, p. 303, puts it, “Jesus’ works have their own hour.”
Such a play on words is not strange to the Synoptic tradition; for in Mark v 39, after the daughter of Jairus has died, Jesus tells the crowd, “The child is not dead, but asleep.”
but, while in 4 the relation of the miracle to God is emphasized (glorification), in 15 the relation of the miracle to the disciples is emphasized (belief). This last sign of Jesus has much in common with the first: “What Jesus did at Cana . . . revealed his glory and his disciples believed in him” (ii 11).
She regards Jesus as an intermediary who is heard by God (22), but she does not understand that he is life itself (25).
Bultmann, p. 306, is correct when he says that vs. 22 is more a confession than a request.
However, Martha’s general understanding of the resurrection on the last day is scarcely adequate in the present situation, for in Johannine realized eschatology the gift of life that conquers death is a present reality in Jesus Christ (25-26).
Dodd, Interpretation, p. 365. There are two principal ideas. First, Jesus says, **“I am the resurrection.” **
Second, Jesus says, “I am the life.” This statement is commented on in vs. 26. **Whoever receives the gift of life through belief in Jesus will never die a spiritual death, for this life is eternal life. **
We notice that, as usual with the “I am” statements which have a predicate, the predicates “resurrection” and “life” describe what Jesus is in relation to men—-they are what Jesus offers to men.
in vi 40 and 54 the aspect of resurrection that was emphasized was one of final eschatology; in v 24-25 it was one of realized eschatology.
We are probably to understand her outlook in much the same way that we understood that of the Samaritan woman in ch. iv. There Jesus presented himself as the source of living water, but the woman could understand him only as a prophet (iv 19). Ultimately Jesus had to send her off to call her husband in order to lead her to deeper faith. So here in xi, in order to make Martha understand that he has the power to give life now, he will act out a drama of the gift of life by raising Lazarus. He does not reject her traditional titles, but he will demonstrate the deeper truth that lies behind them.
but let us discuss the possibility that Jesus was indignant or angry, rather than moved by sympathy (Lagrange, Bernard) or sorrow…. that he was angry because he found himself face to face with the realm of Satan which, in this instance, was represented by death.
He knows that whatever he asks is according to the Father’s will and that, therefore, he is heard (I John v 14). He demands this same confidence in the prayer of his followers (xiv 12-13, xv 16, xvi 23, 26).
In vss. 41-42 Jesus rejoices because the fact that his prayer is heard leads the crowd to faith, but this is neither arrogance nor showmanship. Because his prayer is heard, they will see a miraculous work which is the work of the Father. Through the exercise of the power of Jesus which is the power of the Father, they will come to know the Father and thus receive life themselves.
What is crucial is that Jesus has given (physical) life as a sign of his power to give eternal life on this earth (realized eschatology) and as a promise that on the last day he will raise the dead (final eschatology).
xi 17: “Lazarus is in the tomb.
43: Jesus shouts in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 25: “I am the resurrection and the life.”
v 28-29: “An hour is coming in which all those in the tombs will hear his voice and will come forth—those who have done what is right unto the resurrection of life.”
The Seven Signs
Turning Water Into Wine (John 2:1-12) ...
Healing the Nobleman's Son (John 4:46-54) ...
Healing the Man at the Pool (John 5:1-11) ...
Feeding of the 5,000 (John 6:1-15) ...
Walking on Water (John 6:16-21) ...
Healing a Man Born Blind (John 9:1-12) ...
Resurrecting Lazarus (John 11)
