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JOHN 11
Lesson #22
THE SEVENTH SIGN: JESUS CHRIST, THE GIVER OF LIFE
- Memory verse: John 11:25
- In this chapter of this gospel, John presents us with the seventh sign of the power of Jesus Christ as God in the flesh. This seventh sign is the raising of Lazarus from the dead,
- There were 3 situations where Jesus raised the dead in the gospels:
- =1= The twelve year old girl who died. (Mar 5:35-42)
- =2= The young man (Mar 9:26-27)
- =3= Lazarus, an older man. (Joh 11)
- The technical difference between raised from the dead and resurrection:
- To be raised from the dead means that the person has the same body as before the event. This human body was subject to death and decay, and the person raised from the dead will one day die again.
- Lazarus is the example.
- Resurrection is the receiving of a new glorified body that is not subject to any subsequent death or corruption.
- Jesus is the example.
- In this chapter we see Jesus use the omniscient characteristic of His deity numerous times.
- An introduction to a Christian family:
- What do we know about the family of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus?
- This family was a family of believers who were especially close to Jesus.
- Every time Jesus was in Jerusalem, he lodged outside of Jerusalem in Bethany at Marthas house.
- Mary was the woman who anointed Jesus feet with expensive perfume.
- Martha liked to entertain Jesus and the disciples.
- Lazarus was especially loved by Jesus.
- The name, Lazarus, means = God is my help.
- “ This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God ”
- What did Jesus mean, when he knew Lazarus was already dead?
- He knew He would raise Lazarus from the dead, and that this miracle would glorify God, the Father and Jesus, the Son.
- There are two kinds of death, physical death and spiritual death. Lazarus died physically but not spiritually.
- Why did Jesus wait so long before going to Bethany (2 days)?
- Lazarus was already dead by the time he received the message of Lazarus illness. How do we know this?
- The message took one day to get to Jesus. Jesus waited two days. Jesus return trip took one day (four days total).
- Verse 17 tells us that when Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus was already in the grave for 4 days.
- Verse 6 indicates that he waited deliberately.
- Jesus was not moved by sentiment but by the will of God, the Father.
- Jewish custom required that a body be buried the first day, unless it was the Sabbath.
- Jewish popular belief claimed that the soul and the body separated after 3 days. They did not know that death affected only the body and not the soul.
- Jesus waited until he could be sure there was no doubt that his friend was dead.
- The concern of the disciples: (8)
- The disciples were worried for their safety and that of Jesus. Bethany is near Jerusalem where the Jews wanted to kill Jesus.
- Notice that Jesus was not requested to come probably because of the personal danger to Him.
- Mary knew Jesus could heal Lazarus from a distance as He had done the Centurions servant and for Jairus daughter.
- Jesus strange response:
- “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.”
- What did the day and the light have to do with the disciples fear?
- In Israel the days are of nearly equal duration of 12 hours year round. As God has appointed daylight hours for the laborer, he has appointed the hours for Jesus to minister.
- The disciples need to trust in Gods sovereignty.
- Jesus indicates that He is in Gods perfect will and timing. In Gods perfect will is truth and light. Where there is truth and light, there is no fear, but perfect peace.
- Remember that Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” (8:12)
- “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep”
- Why did Jesus use the word sleep to refer to death?
- Jesus wanted to teach us something about death and eternal life. In order to discover His meaning, we need to consider the similarities and differences between sleep and death.
(4)
(9)
(11)
|
Sleep |
Physical Death |
Spiritual Death |
| Temporary | Temporary | Permanent |
| Refers to the physical body | Refers to the physical body | Refers to the soul of man |
| The physical body needs a short period of rest | The physical body rests in the grave until the final resurrection | The eternal soul of man spends eternity in the lake of fire |
| Sleep is separation from the activities of the day | Physical death is separation from this life on earth | Spiritual death is eternal separation from God |
- “ I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe ”
(15)
- This statement gives us the feeling that the whole miracle was for the simple purpose that the disciples would believe in the resurrection, and most especially the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
- The raising of Lazarus is, therefore, a preview of Jesus own resurrection.
- Thomas expresses his pessimistic view of his love and concern for Jesus, but he has no faith in Jesus words or purpose for going.. (16)
- Finally Jesus went to Bethany 4 days after Lazarus had died.
- Martha was the sister who first greeted Jesus before He arrived in Bethany. (30).
- “Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”
- Notice Marthas faith, “ even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.” (22)
- These verses tell us Marthas character. She is impatient, not content with inaction. She does not easily submit to the will of God, but has a predetermined idea of what God will do and how He will do it. Her faith is in Jesus as a friend.
- She knew Jesus had a close relationship with God, the Father. However, she did not realize that He was God in the flesh.
- Martha believes in the resurrection:
- Jesus asks her if she believes in the resurrection. She explains that the resurrection is an event.sometime far in the future.
- Jesus response to Martha:
- “ I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
- This is the fifth major “I am” statement. “I am the resurrection, and the life.”
- What is Jesus saying with this “I am” statement?
- Belief or faith in Jesus Christ brings a resurrection of the body.
- Jesus will raise the dead body to life and give the believer a new glorified body at the Rapture of the church. In other words, He is more than the one who raises people from physical death. He is the resurrection, the creator of life itself.
- This statement is also a subtle hint of His own resurrection that would come.
- Belief or faith in Jesus Christ brings life eternal life.
- Jesus is not just the resurrection, but also He is life. Therefore, He is living today.
- Jesus tells us that He is the life. He is not a life, but the only true life.
- He does not say He will give the believer life, though, in fact, He does give us that promise.
- This means that there is not only a future eternal life, there is also a current life in Jesus Christ now.
- “ though he were dead, yet shall he live ”
- Jesus is speaking about spiritual death which is eternal death and separation from God.
- Jesus asks Martha if she believes that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. (26)
- She already told Him she believed in a future resurrection. But He wants to expand her concept of life and the resurrection. Does she believe in Him as God in the flesh, the Messiah?
- Martha appears to pass the test when she said, “ I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God,” (27)
- However, the Greek words indicate that she is restating the accepted doctrine.
(21)
(25-26)
- Martha sends for Mary. Mary meets Jesus in the same place as Martha.
- “ Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”
- This was exactly the same statement with which Martha had first confronted Jesus.
(32)
- Why did Jesus weep when He knew what He was going to do?
- The Greek text indicates that Jesus groaning and weeping are a violent emotion with deep agitation, deeply troubled, and vehemently stirred.
- Jesus wept because physical death for man is so fearful, so seemingly final, so separating, and so misunderstood.
- Jesus wept because physical death is the result of Adams sin that came upon all mankind.
- These are tears of anger at the terror that Satan puts on man at death.
- Jesus did not weep for Lazarus. Jesus wept for the ignorance and lack of faith that He saw in people. He saw it in Martha and in Mary even though they had been with Him, spent time with Him, and knew Him on a superficial basis.
- Jesus compassion and love for man is exemplified in His tears.
- These tears should prompt us to greater faith to trust Him more because He certainly has all of life in His capable hands.
- Jesus wept for He knew his own death was coming.
- There are also tears of joy for the power of God that would bring victory to Lazarus and would glorify God.
- Some of the Jews who were present did not understand why Jesus wept. They thought He wept because He loved Lazarus. (37)
- “Jesus said, Take ye away the stone .”
- A cave was the burial place for the wealthy.
- Notice that it is Martha who is now hesitant after she had just seemingly passed the test of faith in Jesus. (27)
- Jesus lightly rebukes her for this hesitancy when he reminds her of her statement of faith, “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” (40)
- “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.”
- What is the significance of these two verses?
- Jesus prays out loud so everyone can hear Him so that everyone will know what is about to happen comes from God.
- This miracle is for the Glory of God.
- “ Lazarus, come forth.”
- Jesus speaks directly to Lazarus. If he had not spoken Lazarus name, others would have been raised from the dead.
- The raising of the dead is a double miracle:
- The body is raised to life.
- The body is healed of the illness that caused the death.
- Lazarus was raised from the dead to inhabit the same old body he had before. This means he would one day suffer physical death again.
- Jesus could have raised Lazarus free from the grave clothes, but He used others to remove the grave clothes.
- The believer is free in Jesus Christ once he is born again, but he needs to remove the grave clothes of sin. (Eph 4:22-25) Our fellow believers are to help us put off the old sins.
- Summary:
- What do you learn about faith from the raising of Lazarus?
- It is easy to say you have faith and believe, but not so easy to maintain that faith in light of adverse circumstances.
- Faith and obedience are linked. They had to roll away the stone from the tomb to let Lazarus out. They had to loose him from his grave clothes.
- When there is a delay in the answer to faith, it means that God has a better time and / or a better way. When death occurs and there is no raising of the dead, God has a better plan and / or a better purpose.
(39)
(41-42)
(43)
- The raising of Lazarus is the end of Jesus public ministry.
- Some believed in Jesus as the Messiah, but some did not.
- Read Luk 16:31
- The chief priests and the Pharisees gather to determine what to do about Jesus and these miracles:
- What was the religious leaders predicament? They have an evil rationale motivated by fear:
- If the religious leadership does nothing about Jesus, the people will make him a king. That will anger the Romans who will come and destroy the temple, the priesthood, and the nation.
- The Jews believed that the Messiah would come and usher in the kingdom of God with the Messiah as a political leader.
- Caiaphas, the high priest, suggests, “it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.” (50)
- Caiaphas was a Sadducee who did not believe in the resurrection. He was the high priest for 18 years (18AD to 36AD). He was finally deposed by a Syrian governor. He was the High Priest at the trial of Jesus and during the Christian persecution in the book of Acts.
- The irony of this statement is that it is a true prophetic statement from a very evil man.
- Caiaphas believed one man (Jesus) should die in the national interest of the nation.
- The Holy Spirits purpose was that one man (Jesus) should die in the spiritual interest of mankind.
- Jesus did, indeed, die for the sins of the people (Isa 53:8 Joh 1:29) but the majority of the people did not take advantage of His great sacrifice on their behalf.
- The irony is that despite their plot to sacrifice one man for the nation, the nation, the temple, and the priesthood were destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.
- Jesus isolates himself with his disciples because He is now considered a most wanted criminal.
- There are 30-40 days left of Jesus earthly walk.
- Jesus and the disciples went to a city called Ephraim.
- We do not know exactly where this city was located, but it may have been a city just north of Jerusalem.
- People look for him to come to Jerusalem for the Passover so they can take him and put him to death.
- What does this passage teach you about life and death?
- Life on earth is temporary and so is physical death.
- Jesus is the Life.
- He is the sustainer of physical life.
- He is the giver of spiritual life.
- At the moment of being born again.
- In the future eternity.
- In Him is a daily life in the kingdom of God for the believer now.
- Jesus has power over physical death and spiritual death.
- He has power over Satan the author of physical and spiritual death.
- Spiritual death is eternal separation from God.
- The dead in Christ will be able to hear the voice of Jesus Christ and be raised.
- This chapter represents the 7th time Jesus promised eternal life and power over death for the believer. (Joh 5:21 Joh 6:40 Joh 6:54 Joh 8:51 Joh 10:17-18 Joh 10:27-28 Joh 11:25-26)
- How do explain two apparent contradictory verses: Heb 9:27 and Joh 11:25?
- There is no contradiction because Heb 9:27 speaks of physical death while Joh 11:25 speaks of spiritual life over physical and spiritual death.
HOMEWORK
John 12:1-50
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher for correction.
- Application of Joh 11
- How patient is your faith to wait for Gods perfect will and timing?
- Remember that belief in the sovereignty of God means belief in Gods perfect will and perfect timing.
- Remember that faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom 10:17) , and with a hearing and understanding of the Word of God do we obtain knowledge of how God works. With that knowledge comes patience in His sovereignty.
- Read Joh 12:1-11 Mat 26:6-13 and Mar 14:3-9
- What do you learn about humility?
- What do you learn about omniscience (the knowledge of all things)?
- What do you learn about discipleship?
- What does the passage teach about the purpose of miracles?
