When they come to the tomb, he says, “Take away the stone” (11:39). Of course, Jesus does more than share in the pain and sorrow of his friends. But it is clear that he is completely with them in their pain and loss, deeply moved and grieved.
He doesn’t explain to Mary and Martha and all those grieving why he didn’t come sooner and prevent Lazarus from dying. Jesus does not answer all the questions that we might wish he would answer. John does not recount a verbal response by Jesus to Mary, but tells us that “when Jesus saw Mary weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved” (11:33).Then, after asking where Lazarus is laid, Jesus himself begins to weep (11:34-35). Jesus pulls the hope of the future resurrection into the present, promising abundant, eternal life that begins here and now. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” (11:25-26). After Martha confirms her belief in the resurrection on the last day, Jesus responds with another promise: “I am the resurrection and the life. To Martha, he responds with a promise: “Your brother will rise again” (11:23). It is noteworthy that Jesus does not rebuke Martha or Mary or their friends for what they say. Some of the neighbors gathered also ask among themselves, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” (11:37).Īren’t these exactly the kinds of questions we ask, or would like to ask, when tragedy strikes? Where were you, Lord? How could you have let this happen? Couldn’t you have prevented all this horrible pain and heartache? Where were you, Jesus? Why did you take so long getting here? I thought you loved my brother.
Implied in this statement are some pointed questions, perhaps even accusations. We can understand the anguished cries of Martha and Mary to Jesus, who greet him separately but with the same words: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (11:21, 32). Jesus expresses confidence that Lazarus’ illness will not lead to death, but rather to the glory of God (11:4), yet by the time Jesus finally gets to Bethany, Lazarus is already dead and buried. “Though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, after having heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was” (11:5-6). Jesus’ response to their situation seems surprisingly nonchalant.
Lazarus has fallen gravely ill, and his sisters Mary and Martha send for Jesus, who is “across the Jordan” (10:40 11:1-3). Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, three adult siblings from Bethany, are friends and followers of Jesus. Situated just after the “good shepherd” discourse and just before Jesus’ anointing and final entry into Jerusalem, the story is pivotal to the plot of John’s gospel and lifts up central theological themes of the Gospel as well. This story is rich in literary and theological themes interwoven with what has gone before in John’s gospel and with what is to come.
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