seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 11:1 Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”
11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
Good morning! This is a really familiar set of verses. Lazarus, Mary and Martha were all longtime friends of Jesus. Bethany was a dangerous place for Jesus. The Pharisees were hot on His trail. If He went to Bethany, everyone would know it, and He would have to deal with those life sucking Pharisees yet again. Lazarus was a longtime friend though. He cured the Centurian's son from far away, why not Lazarus?
Now, I learned a couple things while reading this time. I used the commentary and an article from "Got Questions".
Apparently, from what I gathered; Jesus knew how much time He had left on earth. He also knew He had certain feats He had to deal with before His Crucifixion. That's why He said, "There are twelve hours of daylight". That didn't mean He would skulk around under cover of night.... it meant He had to let this feat happen over time. Lazarus had to endure death. Mary and Martha had to endure a severe loss. Jesus had to deal with their grief as well as the physical death of their brother. He had to let this miracle develop. Jesus had a certain time on earth and while He was here, He had to perform different miracles.
This one was a biggie! Jesus had to conquer death. It had to be a stinky death.
Jesus had to go to Bethany for this healing. It could not look like Jesus was diagnosing an illness that would go away on its own. Jesus had to let His friend Lazarus get stinky dead.
Now the disciples wanted no part of Bethany. They knew they were hunted men there. They knew the Pharisees would be right on them if they went there. I think I've seen that scenario on way too many westerns to miss it. It's as if the gang couldn't go into town because the Marshal and his posse were looking for them.
And that brings me to the verse I have never noticed until this morning. Look at verse 16. There he is... Doubting Thomas.... and as I learned this morning, Thomas had more to fear from the Pharisees in Bethany than any of the other disciples. See, Thomas was known as "Didymus". Didymus means twin. No, there wasn't a brother who looked just like Thomas, it was Thomas who looked like someone else.
Thomas looked like Jesus!!!!! That's why he really didn't want to go to Bethany. He could have been mistaken for Jesus and murdered! But, as you will see, Thomas was not really happy about going. Jesus must not have wanted to go either.... but He didn't say so.
So, now Jesus [and Thomas] and His disciples were on to Bethany. They were going to save their friend. If this was a western, they would be going to break Lazarus out of jail.... but this was a lot more serious. Lazarus was dead. Jesus had to raise Lasarus, just as He would have to raise Himself soon.
Jesus had to go.... Didymus had to go with Him...
Lazarus had to get stinky...
