4/30/2024 0 Comments All saints day and lazarusBetter to get rid of Jesus sooner rather than later.ġ) Lazarus’ name means, “God is my help.” He is Mary and Martha’s brother, a follower of Jesus, and a friend whom Jesus loved ( John 11:3). And Jesus, having just narrowly escaped death by stoning, has fled the region - but Mary and Martha send word to him that Lazarus is gravely ill. All Saints Day (Year B): John 11:32-44 (or, for more context, John 11:1-45 )ġ) This passage for All Saints’ Day is part of the larger story of Lazarus’ death and resurrection ( John 11:1-45), and that larger story is worth reading - both for context and for its beautiful language (including Martha’s confession that Jesus is “the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world” ( John 11:27)).Ģ) John’s Gospel is organized around seven astounding “signs” that reveal Jesus’ identity and mission. The turning of water into wine is the first of these signs, and this week’s reading, the raising of Lazarus, is the seventh. John’s name for these events - “signs” - clarifies their purpose: they’re supposed to catch our attention (even catch our breath!), drawing us toward life with and in God. Like road signs, these events point beyond themselves to bigger, deeper realities.ģ) In the previous chapter, Jesus has just declared himself “the good shepherd,” who “lays down his life for the sheep” so “they may have life, and have it abundantly” ( John 10:10-11). And now he makes good on that declaration, risking his life to save Lazarus’ - and setting in motion the backlash that will lead to the cross.Ĥ) Indeed, immediately following this episode, the religious authorities decide Jesus must be “put to death” ( John 11:53). Their reasoning goes like this: Signs such as raising the dead will inspire the masses to believe in him, and the Roman occupiers, fearing an insurrection, will crack down on all of us, destroying our temple and nation. Which begs the question: Why would the authorities think this particular sign, the raising of Lazarus, would tip the scales in the eyes of the people?ĥ) Ezekiel gives us a clue (you might consider also reading Ezekiel 37:1-14 this week). According to the prophet, God says, “You shall know that I am the LORD when I open your graves” ( Ezekiel 37:13). Ezekiel probably wrote from exile in Babylon, and Ezekiel 37:1-14 is likely an allegorical picture - with military overtones, since “the valley” appears to be a battlefield - of God reinvigorating “the house of Israel” ( Ezekiel 37:2,11). With passages like this in mind, then, many in Jesus’ day would have been ready to interpret the raising of Lazarus - an “opening of a grave” - as a signal that God is about to vindicate Israel, vanquish the Roman occupation, and restore the nation “on your own soil” ( Ezekiel 37:14). This interpretation could provoke a popular uprising, or at the very least a credible rumor of one - and the Roman response would likely be brutal.
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