Lazarus
"The man raised from the dead by Jesus."
Biblical Profile
Lazarus of Bethany was simply described as someone Jesus loved—along with his sisters Mary and Martha. This family's home in the village near Jerusalem provided Jesus hospitality and friendship. Their relationship was intimate enough that the sisters felt comfortable sending an urgent message when Lazarus fell ill: "Lord, the one you love is sick."
Jesus' response puzzled everyone. He declared the sickness would not end in death but would glorify God, then deliberately stayed where He was two more days. By the time He proposed returning to Judea—dangerous territory where enemies had recently tried to stone Him—Lazarus had died. Jesus told His disciples plainly: "Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe."
When Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been in the tomb four days—long enough to eliminate any possibility of mistaken death or resuscitation. Martha met Jesus with a mixture of grief and faith: "If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask." Her confession that Jesus was "the Messiah, the Son of God" preceded one of Scripture's most deep declarations: "I am the resurrection and the life."
At the tomb, Jesus wept—the shortest verse in Scripture capturing the deepest human emotion. Then He commanded the stone removed over Martha's practical objection about the smell. His prayer thanked the Father for hearing Him, explicitly spoken for the crowd's benefit. Then the command: "Lazarus, come out!"
The dead man emerged, still wrapped in grave clothes. "Take off the grave clothes and let him go," Jesus instructed. The one who had been dead four days was fully alive—not resuscitated temporarily but restored completely.
The miracle's impact was enormous. Many Jews who witnessed it believed in Jesus. But the chief priests and Pharisees convened and plotted Jesus' death, reasoning that letting Him continue would result in everyone believing. Lazarus himself became a target—living evidence they couldn't deny, so they planned to kill him too.
Theological Significance
The raising of Lazarus is Jesus' greatest sign before His own resurrection, demonstrating power over death itself. The four-day delay emphasized the miracle's completeness—Jewish tradition held that the soul lingered near the body for three days, so Lazarus was indisputably dead. Jesus waited specifically to make the miracle undeniable.
Jesus' declaration "I am the resurrection and the life" makes the event's meaning explicit. Resurrection isn't merely something Jesus does; it's who He is. Belief in Him means death cannot hold believers—"whoever lives by believing in me will never die." Martha's affirmation of this truth before seeing the miracle demonstrates the faith Jesus seeks.
The narrative reveals Jesus' full humanity alongside His deity. He wept at the tomb, genuinely moved by grief despite knowing He would raise Lazarus. Divine power doesn't eliminate human emotion; Jesus felt the weight of death even as He prepared to defeat it.
Lazarus's emergence from the tomb prefigures all who will hear Christ's voice and rise. Jesus Himself declared: "A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out." Lazarus experienced this first, called by name from death to life. Every believer will follow when that same voice summons the dead on the last day.
Life Events
Falls Ill and Dies
Raised by Jesus (Day 4)
Supper at Bethany
Scripture References
FAQ
Who was Lazarus in the Bible?expand_more
Lazarus of Bethany was a close friend of Jesus and the brother of Martha and Mary. He is famous for being raised from the dead by Jesus four days after his burial.
What happened when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead?expand_more
Jesus went to Lazarus's tomb in Bethany, ordered the stone removed, and called out, 'Lazarus, come out!' Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, walked out of the tomb still wrapped in his burial cloths.
Why did the religious leaders want to kill Lazarus?expand_more
Following his resurrection, Lazarus became a living testimony to Jesus' power. So many people believed in Jesus because of him that the chief priests plotted to kill him to silence his witness.
What did Jesus mean by 'I am the resurrection and the life'?expand_more
Jesus spoke these words to Martha before raising Lazarus. He was teaching that He Himself is the source of all life and that those who believe in Him will experience eternal life that transcends physical death.
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