The narrator of the Gospel of John begins chapter eleven with Jesus on the other side of the Jordan River near Bethabara, where John first began to baptize (John 10:40). Jesus fled here, because the Jewish authorities at Jerusalem sought his life, because they accused him of blasphemy (John 10:33, 39). The Gospel narrator resumed his record of Jesus’ ministry by saying: “A certain man was sick, named Lazarus…” (John 11:1). The Hebrew for Lazarus is Eleazar, and the name means whom God helps. This is interesting, because in previous studies I discovered that Lazarus wasn’t really the given name of the brother of Martha and Mary. His name really was Joseph, who later became known as Barnabas in Acts, and he, not the Apostle John, according to my studies,[1] is the real author of this Gospel narrative.
It is interesting, at least to me, that only the Gospel of John mentions a man named Lazarus, and then only in this and the next chapter. The name may have been chosen by the narrator because of its relationship to the idea of resurrection in the Gospel of Luke. Luke wrote his narrative decades before the fourth Gospel narrative was written, and he mentions a beggar named Lazarus in a myth the Sadducees used in an effort to debunk the doctrine of the resurrection[2] in (Luke 16:19-31). Jesus repeated the myth, but added his own conclusion to it, to show the error of the Jewish authorities in not believing the word of God. Nevertheless, as I mentioned above, I don’t believe Lazarus is the real name for the brother of Mary and Martha. In any case, he lay sick at Bethany and his sisters, Mary and Martha, sent for Jesus in hope that he would arrive in time to heal him (John 11:1-3).
Of course, the whole idea of sending for Jesus and telling him that Lazarus was very sick was for him to immediately stop whatever he was doing and hurry to Bethany to heal his friend (John 11:4; cp. verses – 21 and 32), for the text says he loved Lazarus and his two sisters. They were his friends (John 11:5).
If one didn’t know the outcome of the events that was to transpire in this chapter, and considering the urgency of the situation at Bethany, and knowing how Jesus felt about his friends there, it would be difficult to understand Jesus’ delay of two days (John 11:6-7), before leaving Bethabara for Bethany. The only hint that Jesus knew what he was doing, despite how it might have appeared to those who knew him, is his saying: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby” (John 11:5).
In other words, God would be glorified in how these events concluded, as would Jesus’ reputation as the Messiah (Son of God in the text). So, Jesus had a plan, but no one knew of that plan, until the events involving Lazarus’ illness were fulfilled. It seems that Jesus had already prayed to the Father for this very matter or for something like it to occur. This seems probable, because, after Jesus arrived at Lazarus’ gravesite, he thanked God that he had heard his prayer! In other words, Jesus had already prayed sometime previous to his arrival in Bethany. His prayer (or plan discussed with God in prayer) may have included Lazarus, specifically, or something else that would produce like results. Jesus longed for those who were willing to receive him as the Messiah to also believe he was sent by God, and in doing so believe the Gospel about God’s (spiritual) Kingdom. Therefore, Jesus asked the Father to glorify him (Jesus; cp. John 8:56) so that he (Jesus) could glorify the Father (cp. John 17:1). So, what Jesus was about to do in raising Lazarus from the dead was something he already knew would occur, and it didn’t need more prayer. Nevertheless, Jesus spoke aloud to the Father, so those present would believe he was sent by God (John 11:41-42).
[1] See my earlier studies: The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved, Identifying the Rich Young Ruler and Barnabas, Whom Jesus Loved!
[2] See my studies in the Gospel of Luke: Luke and Egyptian Folklore; Is Experience Better Evidence for Truth; Who Is the Rich Man; and The Rich Man and Lazarus.——–
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