JOHN: Lazarus

            We already touched on the man, now let’s look at his burial. There was nothing special about it; however, it would be of some intrinsic value to know how it was done.

                  First of all, Lazarus body would have had to be buried quickly due to the climate in that desert area. The high heat would have caused the body to begin to decompose causing an unclean situation. Therefore, “the body was normally washed, wrapped loosely in linen cloth, and carried to the burial place on a wooden stretcher. Burial could take place in a natural cave or an artificially-made one, referred to as a ‘sepulcher’ ^{(a burial vault)}.  

Natural caves were widened and provided niches or shelves where the bodies could be laid to rest. The mouth of the tomb was sealed either with a disc-shaped stone that ran in an inclined groove in front of the cave or a boulder that fell or was pushed into the access hole beneath it. Either way, the stone was extremely difficult to move once it was in place. Burial caves were painted white as a warning to the living that the dead were there. A living person could not always worship God after having had contact with the dead.” ^[1] All but royalty were buried outside the village or town. 

There was a very specific reason why Jesus stayed where he was for two extra days after he had gotten the news of Lazarus’ death. Lazarus and his two sisters Mary and Martha were close friends of Jesus. When Jesus arrived at the grave site he was told that Lazarus had already been dead for 4 days. Why on earth would Jesus delay?

It is interesting to note that once we turn our lives over to the Lordship of Christ, there is no way of knowing what He will do with us. It’s not that we are in a dictatorial ^[2] relationship with God, not at all. We have been given a free will to do as we please. Jesus delayed on purpose to bring glory to the Father, and he even says that’s his reason in John 11:4-6. Jesus knew raising Lazarus from the dead would make a dramatic statement to all present as to who He was and why He was here. Jesus was the perfect way to draw people to God because He was, in fact, God. The signs and miracles that Jesus performed spoke loudly to a people who had waited a long time for their Messiah to come. The people were hungry for something to place their hope in. Jesus was that something.

Lazarus knew Jesus voice, a testament to the amount of time they must have spent together. When Jesus called for Lazarus, he came from his grave and there is no record of a foul stench of death on him. Lazarus was a vehicle used by God to reveal His tremendous power. Even death itself obeys God. 

Up next is a look at the High Priest Caiaphas. Until then, walk with the King and be a blessing.

 

In His Name & for His Glory,

Richard Keller

Bread of Life Ministries

Bible resource: The Life Application Study Bible.

^[1] The New Manners & Customs of Bible Times; Dr. Ralph Gower is currently the minister of Cornerstone Baptist Church, Ainsdale, in the northwest of England.

^[2] “Tending to tell others what to do in a presumptuous manner; dictator-like.” ... American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.