John Chapter 11
By Pastor Chris
In order to get a better understanding of what is happening in John chapter 11 as Jesus enters Bethany to see his deceased friend Lazarus it is important to note what had been happening in the days after Lazarus had died.
1. Burial took place on the day of death – the Jews buried their dead as quickly as possible. If death occurred at the end of the day or during the night, burial would then take place on the following day.
2. Following death, the body is washed and wrapped – the Jewish historian Josephus states that in the process of preparing the body for burial, corpses were usually perfumed with various kinds of spices.
3. Day of burial was the first of a seven day mourning period – Josephus clearly states this when he references the death, burial and funeral of King Herod the Great, who died in 4 B.C.
4. Mourning normally took place at the tomb’s entrance or within the tomb itself – archaeologists sometimes find a portion of the floor carved out more deeply, allowing mourners to pray standing upright according to Jewish custom. Having to standing close to/inside the tomb was the main reason why the corpse was perfumed. One can only imagine what things smelled like by the sixth and seventh mourning days!
5. Jews believed that the soul of the deceased lingered near the corpse for three days – this interesting belief plays a big part in the dramatic story of the raising of Lazarus. The text comments that Lazarus had been dead “three days,” indicating that all hope is now lost and his spirit had now departed. Resuscitation, it was assumed, was no longer possible.
(Resource for this is “Jesus, The Final Days” by Biblical scholars Craig A. Evans and N.T. Wright.)
Lazarus has died and Jesus enters Bethany to find his friends and their family mourning. For four days they have been mourning the loss of Lazarus and with the fourth day they had lost all hope for even a miracle. Jesus sees all of this and his reaction is one that I think we can all find some comfort in: He weeps.
He does not tell them everything will be okay.
He does not call them doubters and chastise them for not having faith.
He does not fix everything immediately so they will cease to be sad.
He does not do any of this.
Instead he is moved by the loss his friends are feeling and enters into their suffering by weeping with them. Our maker loves us so much that when we grieve … He joins us in our suffering and grief.
