Jesus – the Resurrection and the Life
John 11:1-43
Lazarus in Bethany was ill (1). This illness was for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it (4). Jesus stayed where he was two more days (6). After Lazarus was dead (14), Jesus departed to Bethany (16).
When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had already been in the tomb for 4 days (17). Lazarus’s sister Martha said to Jesus.
“Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” (21, 22)
Jesus said to her,
“Your brother will rise again.” (23)
Martha answered,
“I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” (24)
See v25-26.
25 Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’
Jesus didn’t say “I raise the dead and give life.” But He said “I am the resurrection and the life.”
They all are actually and literally embodied in Jesus [1]. When he is absent, resurrection and life are absent; when he is present, resurrection and life are present [1].
Jesus is the Resurrection (25b)
“The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;” (25b) explains why Jesus is the resurrection. Here, ‘will live’ means ‘will experience resurrection’. ‘even though they die’ means physical death. Believers will die sometimes physically. What Happens to Believers When They Die?
The spirit and soul, which are eternal, are united with Christ at the moment of the believer's death (2 Corinthians 5:8). The body of the believer, which is mortal flesh, perishes, or "sleeps" until the day it is transformed and reunited to the believer at the final resurrection. (1 Corinthians 15:43; Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:51) [2]
Jesus is the Life (26a)
“and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” (26a) explains why Jesus is the life.
‘will never die’ may be replaced with ‘will live eternally’. Life and death in v26a are both spiritual[3]. 26a means “Whoever is spiritually alive by believing in me and lives by faith in me will never die spiritually.”
What is response of Martha? Martha confessed her faith in v27.
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
This confession of faith was also made by Peter. See Matthew 16:15-16.
15 ‘But what about you?’ he asked. ‘Who do you say I am?’
16 Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’
What Martha or Peter confessed was revealed not by flesh and blood but by the Father in heaven (Matthew 16:17). John 6:45 also says
45 It is written in the Prophets: “They will all be taught by God.” Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.
Now they went to the tomb, which was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance (38). Jesus asked them to take away the stone (39a). To this, Martha answered in v39b.
“But, Lord, by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”
In v27, Martha confessed her faith in Jesus as Peter did and most Christians would. But just before the power of Resurrection would be revealed in reality, she showed objection. Even though we have faith, we should take lesson from Martha so that we may not disobey when the miracle is about to happen.
Jesus said to her in v40.
“Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”
After they took away the stone (41a), Jesus looked up and said,
“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.” (41b, 42)
When Jesus had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” (43)
What is the result of His command? See v44.
The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”
Let us read key verses v25 and v26.
25 Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?’
Praise God for Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life!
I pray that we may be free from any darkness of death and live by faith in Jesus who is the resurrection and the life! Amen.
One Word: Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life
References:
[1] Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The interpretation of St. John’s gospel (p. 800). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House
[2] Fairchild, Mary. What Does the Bible Say About Death, Eternal Life and Heaven? What Happens to Believers When They Die?: http://christianity.about.com/
[3] Newman, B. M., & Nida, E. A. (1993). A handbook on the Gospel of John (p. 367). New York: United Bible Societies.
