11:1-16 The seventh sign

March 22, 2021

Read John 11:1-16

So we come to the final section in John 1-12. These chapters have revealed to us “the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father” (1:14; 17:5), a glory which was seen in the signs that Jesus did (2:11). The raising of Lazarus from the dead was the greatest demonstration of his glory, for it showed most clearly that Jesus is the one who gives life. It was a sign which led on too to his death and resurrection (11:53), the crowning events by which Jesus would supremely be glorified and his glory most fully revealed (12:23-24; 17:1).

As with the man who had been blind since birth, the final outcome of Lazarus’s illness would not be death but glory for God and for Jesus (4; 9:3). John emphasises that Jesus loved all three members of the family (3,5) so that his readers understand that there must have been a good reason why he did not hurry to go to them until the time was right (6; 2:4; 7:6). By not arriving until Lazarus had been dead four days already (11:17), Jesus emphasised his power over death.

The disciples knew that to return to the area around Jerusalem would be dangerous (7-8; 10:31), but Jesus reminded them that while it is daytime God’s work must be done (9; 9:4). In any case it was better to go with Jesus, the true light of the world, than to be in darkness without him (10). And now the time was right to go and raise Lazarus from “sleep” i.e. death (11-15; Mark 5:39; 1 Cor.15:6,51). So they went with him towards his death, not realising the full truth of Thomas’s words, for they too would be called to take up the cross and die in order to live (16; 12:25-26; Mark 8:34-35).