Answers to God's Mysteries
By Cicily Sunny
(Continued)

Jesus and Lazarus

Lazarus was the son of Theophilus, the closest friend of Jesus and the richest man in the town of Bethany. He owned almost the whole Bethany. His parents died of the disgrace brought to the family by his sister Mary, who became the most devout disciple of Jesus later. Jesus used his buildings a lot for his evangelization and for accommodating his disciples during journey. He allowed his closest friend to suffer terribly for a long time beyond hope and used him to glorify God while he cured the diseases of multitudes of people. Jesus had told Martha and Mary already to bury him if he dies and to inform him soon. Also, he told them not to worry much about it and stay in hope because the glory of God had to be revealed through him. When they did not see Jesus for four days, Martha almost lost hope while Mary was full of hope. The suffering and death of Lazarus and the absence of Jesus brought the maximum criticism on Jesus. But when he was raised to life, it brought on him the maximum glory and jealousy of the Pharisees and Priests. As Lazarus was rich, the news about him spread very fast. Immediately after that, his enemies started making plots for killing him.

Before raising Lazarus, Jesus had already raised a girl who had already died and a man who had been dead for one day. Then his enemies said, "You have not recomposed a decomposed body." That was the reason for raising Lazarus after four days. On their way to Bethany on the fourth day of his death, Jesus said to his apostles, "In fact God only can make a man from dust and remake a healthy living body from rot. Well, I will do that….I was close to them with my spirit and I could hear their wailing and I counted their tears. Poor sisters! I am now eager to bring a just man back to the earth, a brother to the embrace of his sisters, a disciple back to my disciples." (V. 5, Ch. 545, P. 46). 

Peter comments to the other disciples, "Then if Israel does not become converted, not even Yahweh among lightning will be able to convert her." After the vision of Lazarus, Jesus explains to the author the reason for the miracle, "I could have intervened in time to prevent Lazarus' death. But I did not want to do that. I knew that his resurrection would be a double-edged weapon, because it would convert the righteous-minded Judeans and would make the non-righteous-minded ones even more rancorous. The latter, because of this final blow of my power, would sentence me to death. But I had come for that and it was now time that that should be accomplished. I could have gone at once, but I needed to convince the most stubborn incredulous people by means of a resurrection from advanced rottenness. And also my apostles, destined to spread my faith in the world, needed a faith supported by miracles of the first magnitude." (V. 5, Ch. 546, P. 62). 

In the intimate conversation between Jesus and Lazarus later on, Lazarus says, "I had understood that there was some great purpose, certainly a good one, in letting me die. I thought it was to spare me the sight of their persecution against you. And, you know whether I am telling the truth, I was glad to die so that I would not see it. It embitters me. It upsets me." (V. 5, Ch. 548, P. 78).

Next Topic: Jesus as King of Kings

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