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Did Jesus Bring Lazarus Back to Life?
According to the Gospel of John, Jesus performed many miracles during his ministry, including healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and calming the storm. However, one of his most remarkable deeds was raising a man named Lazarus from the dead.
The Story of Lazarus
The story begins with Jesus receiving a message from two sisters, Mary and Martha, who were friends with him. The message said that their brother Lazarus was sick and that they wanted Jesus to come and heal him. However, instead of rushing to Lazarus’ aid, Jesus decided to stay where he was for two more days.
When Jesus finally arrived in Bethany, the town where Lazarus lived, he found that Lazarus had already been dead for four days and that his body had been placed in a tomb. Mary and Martha were mourning their loss and many Jews had come to comfort them.
The Miracle of Resurrection
Despite the apparent hopelessness of the situation, Jesus told Martha that her brother would rise again. When she expressed her belief in a future resurrection at the end of time, Jesus replied:
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.
Do you believe this? “
Martha affirmed her faith in Jesus as the Son of God and went to fetch her sister Mary. When Mary saw Jesus she fell at his feet weeping and saying:
“Lord if you had been here my brother would not have died.”
Jesus was deeply moved by her sorrow and by those who were with her weeping. He asked them to show him the tomb where Lazarus was buried. When they arrived at the tomb, Jesus told the people to remove the stone covering the entrance.
Martha protested that there would be a bad smell because of Lazarus’ decaying body, but Jesus said:
“Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
Then Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed:
“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.”
After this prayer, Jesus shouted in a loud voice:
“Lazarus, come out!”
To everyone’s amazement and horror, Lazarus emerged from the tomb still wrapped in burial cloths. Jesus told them to take off his grave clothes and let him go.
The Significance of Lazarus’ Resurrection
The raising of Lazarus from the dead was a powerful demonstration of Jesus’ divine authority over life and death. It showed that he had power over physical and spiritual death and that he could use it to reveal God’s glory and bring faith to those who witnessed it.
Moreover, it foreshadowed Jesus’ own resurrection from the dead three days after his crucifixion. Just as Lazarus had been raised by the word of Jesus, so too would Jesus rise again by his own power as the Son of God.
The Reactions to Lazarus’ Resurrection
While many who saw Lazarus come back to life believed in Jesus as a result, others were alarmed and threatened by his growing popularity and influence. They saw him as a threat to their power and authority, and sought to arrest him and put him to death.
However, Jesus continued to teach and perform miracles until he was arrested, tried, and sentenced to death by crucifixion. Yet even in his death, he showed that he had power over death itself by rising again on the third day.
Conclusion
The story of Lazarus’ resurrection is a powerful testimony to the divine nature of Jesus Christ and his mission on earth. It shows that he came not only to heal the sick or feed the hungry, but to bring eternal life to all who believe in him as their Lord and Savior.
If you have never trusted in Jesus for your salvation, I encourage you to do so today. For just as he raised Lazarus from the dead, so too can he raise you from spiritual death into newness of life. All you need is faith in his name and repentance from your sins.