Lazarus in John chapter 11

Verses 38-45:

^.38Therefore Jesus again being grave in himself comes into the memorial-place, but it was a cave and a stone was-laid on it. ^.39Jesus says, "You must lift the stone." Martha, the sister of the (man) having completed² (his life), says to him, "Lord, already he has-odor for it is the fourth-day." ^.40Jesus says to her, "I said to you that if-ever you may believe you will see the glory of God, didn't I?" - (yes.)

^.41Therefore they lifted the stone; but Jesus lifted the eyes upwardly and said, "Father, I thank You because You heard me, ^.42but I had known that always You hear me; but because-of the crowd, the (crowd) standing-around², I said in order that they may believe that You apostled me."

^.43And having said these-things, with a great sound he cried-out, "Lazarus, come-this-way outside." ^.44The (man) having died² came-out, having been bound² the feet and the hands with wrappings and his sight had been bound-around with a handkerchief. Jesus says to them, "You must loosen him and leave him to go."

^.45Therefore many-people from the Judeans, the (Judeans) having come towards Mary and having gazed-upon which-things he did, believed into him.

Following-on logically, Jesus – again being grave in himself (a second, another, further time, once again being intense and deeply moved within himself with/by the holy spirit in him, as verse 33 above) – goes into the memorial-place, but during that past time it was a cave (cavern) and a stone was laid (caused to lie) upon it.

Jesus says, "It is imperative that you lift the stone (take it up from the entrance to the cave)." Jesus knew that Lazarus would not be able to walk through the stone after he was resurrected during this situation.

Martha – specifically the sister of the man who completed his life (whose life ended, Lazarus had died) and who continues being dead at that time – says to Jesus, "Lord (Master), by this time he has odor (he smells) for it is the fourth day since he died (refer also to verse 17 above)."

Jesus says to her...

·         "I said to you that

·         if it should happen at any time that you would believe (have faith, trust what I said to you)

·         you will see the glory of God (God's glory, importance, renown, splendor will be presented to be perceived with your eyes and known by you; refer to verses 4 and 23-26 above),

• didn't I?" Yes! The Greek construction of this question indicates that the expected answer is "yes."

Following-on from what Jesus said, Martha and Mary then gave permission for the removal of the stone and it was lifted (taken up) from the entrance to the cave.

Jesus lifted his eyes (took his eyes in an upward direction) and said...

·         "Father (addressing God with the word "Father" which emphasizes Jesus' sonship relationship with God),

·         I thank You (the verb "to thank" in the Greek comes from the same root word as the word "grace" plus the word "well" or "well-off"; Jesus is the recipient of grace in this situation and by the freedom of his will he is expressing well his gratitude to God his Father Who is the Giver of this grace, the unmerited or undeserved favor regarding this situation)

• because You heard me (You have already listened to me being the one from whom the sound of the voice comes when I talked to You regarding this situation; refer to verses 4-7 above),

·         but emphatically I had known (again there is emphasis by including a definite word for “I” – I myself had known during a past time with a result that is ended, I myself perceived, I saw to the end of perceiving and knowing with my mind)

• that constantly You hear me (at all times You are listening to me);

·         but contrary to my knowing this truth, it is on account of the crowd (the throng of people),

• emphatically the crowd who stood and continue standing around (those standing about me on the perimeter aloof from me, not joining me),

·         I said (say what I am saying out loud in this situation)

• for the purpose and result that
• they would believe (have faith, trust)
• that emphatically You apostled me (again there is emphasis by including a definite word for “You” – You Yourself sent me forth/away on this specific mission or assignment)."

After Jesus said these things, with a great sound he cried-out (with a large voice or uttered-tone, loudly - he made an outcry, clamor, scream, he intensely shouted, and in this context it was in controversy against the death of Lazarus and so that the crowd could hear him)...

·         "Lazarus (specifically addressing the dead man by name),

·         come-this-way outside (come here out from the cave, external to it)."

The man who already died went out from the cave, and he was still bound (tied, fastened) at his feet and at his hands with wrappings (the strips of cloth that were put on his dead body for burial, the coverings around the body). When he went out from the grave the wrappings were not binding both of his legs together tightly because then he would not have been able to walk out from the cave. Also, his sight had been bound around with a handkerchief (his appearance/face had been tied around by a napkin, a face-cloth).

Jesus says to them...

·         "You must loosen him (it is imperative that you loosen him, you must unbind, unfasten, untie him)

·         and leave him to go (in the sense of letting him go from your concern, dismiss him and thereby permit Lazarus to go without any argument, under cover, as animals go because they are under a yoke without going from side to side or intentionally stopping to do something else)."

Following-on logically from this event, a lot of people from among the Judeans – emphatically and specifically the Judeans who went towards Mary, and after they gazed upon (looked at with a purpose, purposefully saw) the things that Jesus did – believed into Jesus (they had faith-in, trusted into, directed-to, or regarding him whereby he was the object of their believing, trusting what he was saying and doing; refer to verses 15, 40 and 42 above).

Lazarus had been raised up (resurrected, caused to stand up) alive from being dead. He was brought back to life receiving the same body/soul that he had prior to his death (he did not receive a spiritual body).

Since that time, Lazarus has died again and he remains dead; but in the future he will receive eternal life with a spiritual body at the time of resurrection (refer to Revelation chapters 20 – 22).

In verse 41 above, Jesus addressed the only true God as “Father” – he knew who he was (God’s son) and he knew who God was (his Father). A 'father' is literally one who has begotten a child with/by his own seed/sperm, and so the son/daughter has originated from his father's seed, and this fact cannot be changed. The father is strong and he protects, feeds, etc, his family. God gave Jesus the permission and authority to use the name of "Father" when talking to/with Him and when referring to God while speaking with others. Refer to Matthew 1:18-25, 3:13-17; John 5:19 and 43, 10:29 and 30, 17:6, 11, 12 and 26.

In verse 42 above, it is interesting to note that the verb “I said” is in the aorist tense in the Greek texts, which is why it may be translated as a past event; however, this tense can refer to any time past, present, or future emphasizing that once this event is accomplished. Jesus said something specific in this situation – it is done, finished, it will not need to be done a second time!

Jesus spoke out loud so that others could hear him and have the opportunity to believe what he said; also refer to verse 45 above.

[Reference: John 5:36, 6:57, 7:29, 8:42, 10:36; Hebrews 2:14.]