Jesus and the Gentile Visitors (12:20–36) - part 1 of 2

After our Lord entered Jerusalem He cleansed the temple a second time. He quoted Isaiah 56:7 and Jeremiah 7:11: “Is this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?” (Mark 11:17) Perhaps these Greeks heard this word and were heartened by it.

One of the major themes of John is that Jesus is the Savior of the world, not just the Redeemer of Israel. "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) “For God so loved the world” (John 3:16). The Samaritans correctly identified Him as “the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42). He gave His life for the world and He gives life to the world (John 6:33). He is the Light of the world (John 8:12). The universal thrust of John’s gospel is too obvious to be missed. Jesus will bring in the “other sheep” that are outside the Jewish fold (John 10:16; see also 11:51–52).

The Greek text indicates they were accustomed to coming and worshipping at the feast. They were not casual observers or one-time investigators. They were, to be sure, “God-fearers”, Gentiles who attended the Jewish synagogue and sought after truth but had not yet become proselytes. Gentiles saw Jesus as a young child (Matt. 2), and now Gentiles are coming to see Him before His death.

The men who were “always” asking Philip for the favor of an interview with Jesus were persistent in their requests. Philip told Andrew (who was always bringing people to Jesus), and Andrew passed the request on to the Lord. There were surely many who desired private interviews with the Lord, but they were afraid of the Pharisees (John 9:22). The Gentile visitors were from outside the country and either were unaware of the danger or feared no consequences.

We can be glad that these Greeks want to see Jesus. The Jews would say, “We want a sign!” (Matt. 12:38; 1 Cor. 1:22), but these men said, “We would see Jesus.” There is no record that Jesus did converse with these men, but the message that He gave in reply contains truths that all of us need.

The thrust of this message is the glory of God (John 12:23, 28). We should have expected Jesus to say, “The hour has come that the Son of man should be crucified.” Jesus, however, looked beyond the cross to the glory that would follow (Luke 24:26; Hebrews 12:2). The glory of God is a major theme in the remainder of John’s gospel (see John 13:31–32; 14:13; 17:1, 4–5, 22, 24).

Jesus used the word picture of a seed to show the profound spiritual truth that there can be no glory without suffering, no fruitful life without death, and no victory without surrender. A seed is weak and useless by itself, but when it is planted, it “dies” and bears fruit.

There is beauty and bounty when a seed “dies” and does its work. If you could talk to a seed, it would probably complain about being shoved into the cold, dark earth. But the only way it can do its thing is by being planted. The seeds are the children of God. They are small and insignificant, but they have life in them, God's life. But that life can never be fulfilled until we surrender ourselves to God and let Him “plant us.” We must die to self so that we may live unto God (Rom. 6; Gal. 2:20). To have a fruitful life, we must follow Jesus Christ in death, burial, and resurrection.

In these words Jesus challenges us today to devote our lives to Him. Notice the contrasts: fruitfulness or loneliness; losing your life or keeping your life; serving self or serving Christ; pleasing self or receiving the honor of God.

Jesus and the Pilgrims for Passover (12:12-19)

J​ohn moved the scene from the quiet dinner in Bethany to the noisy public parade in Jerusalem. All four gospels have recorded this event and their accounts should be compared. This event was the only “public demonstration” our Lord permitted while He was ministering on earth.

His object was to accomplish the Old Testament prophecy (Zech. 9:9). The result was growing hostility from religious leaders and, finally, the Savior's crucifixion. The crowd of that day consisted of three different groups: (1) the Passover visitors from outside Judea (John 12:12, 18); (2) the local people who had witnessed the raising of Lazarus (John 12:17); and (3) the religious leaders who were greatly concerned about what Jesus might do at the feast (John 12:19). The people at each of the different feasts were on tiptoe with expectation, wondering if Jesus would show up and, if He did, what He would do. It appeared that Jesus was actually trying to incite a revolution and make Himself king, but that was not what He had in mind.

What did this event mean for Jesus? One thing is that it was a part of His obedience to the Father’s will. Zechariah (Zech. 9:9) predicted that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem in this manner, and He fulfilled the prophecy. The city of Jerusalem is also called “Daughter of Zion” (Jer. 4:31; Lam. 2:4, 8, 10). In fact, Jesus was openly telling the people that He is the King of Israel (John 1:49), the long-awaited Messiah. No doubt many of the pilgrims hoped that now He would triumph over the Romans and liberate the nation of Israel.

What did this demonstration mean for the Romans? No record is made of the Roman viewpoint, but it is certain that they watched very closely that day. During the annual Passover feast, some Jewish nationalists commonly tried to stir up the people, and they may have thought this parade was that kind of affair. I suspect some of the Roman soldiers smiled at the “triumphal entry” because it was not like their own “Roman triumph” celebrations in the city of Rome.

If a Roman general defeated the enemy on foreign soil, killed at least five thousand of them, and added new territory to the empire, he was entitled to a “Roman triumph” on his return to the city. It was the Roman equivalent of the American “ticker-tape parade,” only with a lot more pomp. The victor would be allowed to display the trophies he had taken and the leaders of the enemy he had captured. The parade ended in the arena, where some of the captives entertained the people by fighting wild animals. Our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem was not at all a “Roman triumph.”

What did the “triumphal entry” mean for the Israelites? The pilgrims welcomed Jesus warmly, and they spread their garments before Him and waved the palm branches as signs of peace and victory (Rev. 7:9). They quoted Psalm 118:26, which is a Messianic Psalm, and they proclaimed Him the “King of Israel.” But while they were doing this, Jesus was weeping (Luke 19:37-44)!

The name "Jerusalem" means “city of peace” or “foundation of peace.” The people were hoping Jesus would provide them the peace they needed. But He wept because He saw what was before the nation—war, suffering, destruction, and a scattered people. The angels announced “peace on earth” at His birth (Luke 2:13–14), but in His ministry Jesus announced “war on earth” (Luke 12:51ff.). It is significant that the crowds shouted “peace in heaven” (Luke 19:38), for that is the only place where there is peace today!

The nation had missed its opportunities; their leaders did not know the time of God’s visitation!” They were ignorant of their own Scriptures. The next time Israel sees the King, the scene will be radically different (Rev. 19:11ff.)! In glory He shall come, not in humility. The hosts of heaven shall follow Him. It will be a scene of triumph as He comes to vanquish His foes and set up His kingdom.

There is a recurring theme in Scripture that there can be no glory without there first being suffering. Jesus knew that before He could enter into His glory, He would have to die on the cross (Luke 24:26). The Jewish teachers were unclear about the Messiah's sufferings and the glorious kingdom foretold by the prophets. Some teachers thought there were two Messiahs, one who would suffer and one who would reign. Even the Lord’s disciples were not sure what was happening (see John 11:16).

What was the Jewish leaders’ attitude toward the “Triumphal Entry” of the Lord? The Pharisees, seeing the vast crowd gathering and paying homage to Him, felt quite sure that Jesus had won the day. They were looking for some general insurrection in the Passover season. Perhaps Jesus would perform a remarkable miracle and win the minds and hearts of the restless people that way. How little they understood the Master’s mind and heart! What they didn't know was that Jesus was forcing their hand to get the Sanhedrin to act during the feast. When the Passover lambs were being slaughtered, the Lamb of God had to lay down His life.

Now, “Behold, the world is gone after Him” (John 12:19) was an exaggeration and a prediction. In the next section we meet some visitors from outside Israel.

​Jesus and the Gentiles (John 12:1-11)
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​Even though the Jewish leaders wanted to arrest and kill Him (John 11:53, 57), our Lord still went back to Bethany, which was only two miles from where His enemies were. Why?  So that He could have some peace and quiet with His close friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Martha was busy serving, and Mary was worshipping at Jesus' feet, just like they were. (See Luke 10:38–42.)

Matthew 26:6–13 and Mark 14:3–9 also tell the story of Mary anointing her Lord. But don't get it mixed up with the story in Luke 7:36–50, where a woman who used to be a prostitute anointed Jesus in Simon the Pharisee's house. Mary was a good woman, and she anointed Jesus in Simon's house (Mark 14:3). The event in Luke 7 happened in Galilee, but the one we are now looking at happened in Judea. It shouldn't surprise us that there are two "Simons" involved, since Simon was a common name back then.

Putting all three stories together shows that Mary anointed both His head and His feet. She did it out of pure love because she knew her Lord was about to suffer and die. She knew what Jesus was going to do because she sat at His feet and listened to Him talk. Mary of Bethany was not one of the women who went to the tomb to anoint Jesus' body (Mark 16:1), which is important.

Mary was, in a way, showing her love for Jesus before it was too late. She was "giving the roses" while he was still alive, not bringing them to the funeral! Her act of love and worship was public, spontaneous, selfless, extravagant, personal, and not at all shy. Jesus said it was "a good work" (Matt. 26:10; Mark 14:6) and praised and defended her.

A common worker would have had to work for a year to buy that ointment. Mary, like David, would not give God something that didn't cost her anything (2 Sam. 24:24). Her beautiful act of worship made the house where they were eating smell good, and the blessing of her deed has spread all over the world (Matt. 26:13; Mark 14:9). Mary had no idea that her love for Christ would be a blessing to Christians all over the world for hundreds of years to come!

Mary became a slave when she knelt at Jesus' feet. She undid her hair (something Jewish women didn't do in public), which showed how humble she was and how much she loved Him (see 1 Cor. 11:15). She was, of course, misunderstood and criticized, but that's what usually happens when someone devotes their best to the Lord.

Judas was the first to say something bad, and sadly, the other disciples followed suit. They didn't know that Judas was a devil (John 6:70), and they liked him because he cared about the poor. He was the treasurer, and he would want to share with those who were less fortunate, especially during Passover (see John 13:21–30). The disciples thought Judas was a faithful follower of the Lord until the very end.

The first words of Judas, found in any of the four gospels, appear in John 12:4. Matthew 27:4 has his last words. Judas was a thief who often stole money from the money box he carried. Originally, the Greek word that was translated as "bag" meant a small case that held mouthpieces for wind instruments. Then it meant any small box, but especially a box for money. This word is used in the Greek version of the Old Testament in 2 Chron. 24:8–10 refers to King Joash's money chest. Judas had undoubtedly already decided to leave Jesus, and he sought to maximize his perceived disadvantage. He might have thought that Jesus would defeat Rome and set up the kingdom. In that case, Judas would have been the kingdom's treasurer!

Mary's actions were a blessing for both Jesus and her own life. She was also a blessing to the home, filling it with sweet smells (see Phil. 4:18), and today, she is a blessing to the church all over the world. The one thing she did for the people of Bethany still sends out "ripples of blessing."

But Judas was different. We name our daughters "Mary," but no one would name their son "Judas." His name is even in the dictionary as a word that means treachery. Proverbs 10:7 could refer to the differences between Mary and Judas: "The memory of the just is blessed, but the name of the wicked shall rot." Ecclesiastes 7:1 says, "A good name is better than precious ointment," and Mary had both.

Matthew 26:14 makes it sound like Judas went to the priests right after this rebuke and offered to provide Jesus to them. However, it's likely that the things that happened in Matthew 21–25 happened first. There is no doubt that the Lord's rebuke of Judas at Bethany had a big impact on his choice to betray Jesus. Furthermore, the fact that Jesus once again openly said He would die would make Judas want to run away while he still could.

When we look at this event, we can see some "representative people" who are good examples for us. Martha is a symbol of work because she served the meal she had made for the Lord. This was just as much a "fragrant offering" as Mary's ointment (see Heb. 13:16). Mary is a symbol of worship, and Lazarus is a symbol of witness (John 11:9–11). People went to Bethany just to see the man who had come back to life!

We don't have any written words from Lazarus in the New Testament, but his miraculous life was a strong witness for Jesus Christ. John the Baptist, on the other hand, didn't do any miracles, but his words brought people to Jesus (look at John 10:40–42.) We should "walk in newness of life" (Rom. 6:4) today because we have been "raised from the dead" (Eph. 2:1–10; Col. 3:1ff.). In fact, the Christian life should be a beautiful mix of worship, work, and witness.

But Lazarus was a walking miracle, which put him in danger: the Jewish leaders wanted to kill both him and Jesus! Our Lord was right to call them children of the devil because they were murderers (John 8:42–44). They kicked the healed blind man out of the synagogue instead of letting him testify about Christ every Sabbath. They also tried to put Lazarus back in the tomb because he was bringing people to faith in Christ. You have to get rid of the evidence if you won't accept it!

This quiet evening of fellowship, even though the disciples were mean to Mary, must have given the Savior's heart extra strength and encouragement as He faced the challenges of the last week before the cross. We ought to scrutinize our own hearts and households to determine if our worship, labor, and testimony are pleasing to Him.

JESUS AND THE CRISIS

John 12 tells us about the second big crisis in our Lord's ministry, as seen by John the apostle. The first crisis happened was when a lot of His followers (disciples) stopped following Him (John 6:66), even though He is "the way" (John 14:6). John tells us in this chapter that many people would not believe in Him (John 12:37ff.), even though He is "the truth." The third crisis will happen in John 19, when the leaders crucify Him, even though He is "the life."

John began his book by saying that Jesus "came unto his own [world], and His own [people] received Him not" (John 1:11). In the first twelve chapters, John gave us proof after proof that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. The leaders of the country saw all of this evidence for themselves, but they still didn't believe Him. His people rejected Jesus, so He left with His beloved disciples (John 13:1).
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In John 12, we see how the Lord Jesus Christ interacts with four different groups of people. We can learn from this part of the Bible. In tomorrow's Bible study, we will look at the first group: Jesus and His friends (John 12:1-11).

The Jews (11:41–57)

From then on, the focus was on the faith of those who had come to comfort Martha and Mary. Jesus stopped to pray (John 11:41; see also 6:11) and thanked the Father for hearing the prayer. When did He pray? It was probably when He got the news that His friend was sick (John 11:4). Then the Father told Him what to do, and Jesus did what the Father wanted. He prayed now for the people who didn't believe in God so they would know that God had sent Him.

One writer said that if Jesus hadn't called Lazarus by name when He shouted, He would have emptied the whole cemetery! Jesus called Lazarus and brought him back to life. Lazarus couldn't walk to the tomb door because he was tied up, so God's power must have moved him. Even the most hostile observer could not deny that it was a miracle.

Lazarus's story is a good example of what happens to a sinner who puts their faith in the Savior (Eph. 2:1–10). Lazarus was dead, and so are all sinners. He was dead and decayed because death and decay are inseparable. Everyone who is lost is spiritually dead, but some are more "decayed" than others. No one can be "more dead" than someone else.

God brought Lazarus back to life, and everyone who believes in Christ has been given new life and taken out of the graveyard of sin (see John 5:24).

Lazarus was freed from the graveclothes (see Col. 3:1ff.) and given a new chance to live. You see him sitting at the table with Christ (John 12:2), and all believers are "seated with Christ" in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6), where they enjoy spiritual food and fellowship. Lazarus had changed so much that many people wanted to see him. God used his "living witness" to bring people to salvation (John 12:9–11). There are no written words of Lazarus in the Gospels, but his daily life is enough to show people that Jesus is the Son of God. Because he was a positive witness, the religious leaders wanted to kill Lazarus and get rid of the evidence.

Like the other miracles, people had different reactions. Some people did believe, and on "Palm Sunday" they told others about the miracle Jesus had done (John 12:17–18). But some people went right away to the religious leaders and told them what had happened in Bethany. These "informers" were so close to the kingdom, but there is no proof that they believed. If the heart does not submit to truth, then the grace of God cannot effect salvation. These people could have had a spiritual rebirth in their lives!

The Jewish council, or Sanhedrin, had to get together and talk about what to do with Jesus. They weren't looking for the truth; they were investigating how to protect their own selfish interests. If He got too many followers, the Romans might notice Him, which would be detrimental for the Jewish cause.

Caiaphas, the high priest, was a Sadducee, not a Pharisee (Acts 23:6–10). However, the two groups could always work together to fight a common enemy. Caiaphas spoke a divine prophecy without knowing it: Jesus would die for the nation so that the nation would not die. "For the transgression of My people was He stricken" (Isa. 53:8). John added his inspired explanation to his vision of a worldwide family of God: Jesus would die not only for the Jews but also for all of God's children who would be gathered together in one heavenly family. (See John 4:42 and 10:16.)

It was decided that day that Jesus had to die (see Matt. 12:14; Luke 19:47; John 5:18; 7:1, 19–20, 25). The leaders thought they were in charge, but God was really in charge and carrying out His plan (Acts 2:23). They had planned to wait until after the Passover, but God had other plans.

Jesus went to Ephraim, which is about fifteen miles north of Jerusalem, and stayed there in peace with His disciples. Pilgrims were worried that Jesus, who was in danger, might not go to Jerusalem for Passover. He was now on the "wanted" list because the council had told everyone that anyone who knew where Jesus was had to tell the police.

John 11 shows that Jesus Christ is God and that the human heart is completely evil. The rich man in Hades said, "If someone came back from the dead, they would repent" (Luke 16:30). The authorities wanted to kill Lazarus after he came back to life. Miracles do show God's power, but they can't show God's grace on their own.

The stage was set for the most dramatic event in history, when man would do his worst and God would do his best.

Jesus may have changed the idea of resurrection from the future to the present. Martha was thinking about the future and how she would see Lazarus again when he came back to life. Her friends were looking back and saying, "He could have stopped Lazarus from dying" (John 11:37). But Jesus wanted them to focus on the present: God's power to raise the dead is available now, no matter where He is (Rom. 6:4; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 3:10).

Jesus said that people who believe in Him will one day rise from the dead (John 11:25). Then He quickly told them the extra truth that some believers would never die (and it is a double negative, "never never die!"—see John 11:26). How can this be? The answer is in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 18. When Jesus Christ comes back in the air to take His people home, the people who are alive at that time will never die. They will be changed and taken up to meet Him in the air!

Martha didn't think twice about saying she had faith. She called Jesus by three different names: Lord, Christ (Messiah), and Son of God. The phrase "I believe" is in the perfect tense, which means that faith is firm and settled. "I have believed and I will keep believing!"

The Lord took care of Martha's faith; now He had to help Mary. What did Martha mean by "secretly" when she called Mary? They might have been scared because they knew that the Jewish leaders were looking for Jesus to arrest Him. Her friends thought she was going to the tomb to cry when she got up to meet Jesus. They followed her because they wanted to cry with her. They must have been shocked when they met Jesus!

The gospel mentions Mary three times, and each time she is at Jesus' feet (Luke 10:39; John 11:32; 12:3). She sat at His feet and listened to His word; she fell at His feet and cried out her sadness; and she came to His feet to praise and worship Him. Mary's only recorded words in the Gospels are in John 11:32, the same as Martha's in John 11:21.

Mary didn't say much because she was so sad that she started to cry. Her friends started to cry too, which is what Jewish people do. The word means "a loud crying, a lamentation." Our Lord's answer was to groan inside and "be moved with anger." What made Him angry? At the destruction that sin has caused in the world He made. Death is an enemy, and Satan uses the fear of death as a terrible weapon (Heb. 2:14–18). It's no surprise that Jesus was angry!

His question in John 11:34 shows how mysterious it is that our Lord became a man. Jesus knew that Lazarus had died (John 11:11), but He still had to ask where he was buried. Our Lord never used His divine powers when ordinary human means would do.

The verse "Jesus wept" is the shortest and most profound in the English Bible. His weeping was silent (the Greek word is not used anywhere else in the New Testament) and not the loud crying of the mourners. But why did He cry? He knew that He would bring Lazarus back to life (John 11:11). The fact that our Lord cried shows that He was human and Savior at the same time. He has been a part of everything we've been through and understands how we feel. Being the perfect God is actually Man, Jesus went through these things in a more profound way than we do. His tears also assure us of His sympathy; He is indeed “a man of sorrows and acquainted with sadness" (Isa. 53:3). He is our merciful and faithful High Priest today, and we can go to the throne of grace to get all the help we need (Heb. 4:14–16).

His tears show us how sad sin is and how beautiful heaven is. Jesus may have been crying for Lazarus and with the sisters because He knew He was calling His friend back to a sinful world where he would have to die again. Jesus had come down from heaven, so He knew what Lazarus was leaving behind.

The people watching saw His tears as proof of His love. But a few of them asked, "If Jesus loved Lazarus so much, why didn't He stop him from dying?" They might have thought, "Jesus is crying because He couldn't do anything." These are tears of deep sadness. In other words, no one there really thought a miracle would happen! Because of this, no one could say that Jesus "planned" this event or was working with the two sisters and their friends. The disciples didn't even think Jesus could bring Lazarus back to life!

Martha was the only one who said she believed (John 11:27), but she failed at the last minute. "Open the tomb?" He smells bad by now! Jesus softly reminded her of the message He had sent her at least three days earlier (John 11:4) and told her to believe it. Faith that is real depends on God's promises, which lets God's power flow. Martha gave in, and the stone was moved.

Mary and Martha (11:17–40)

Jesus cared about Mary and Martha's faith (John 11:26, 40) as well as His own followers'. Every instance of suffering and adversity should enhance our faith; however, this form of spiritual development is not automatic. We need to respond well to the work of the Word and the Spirit of God. John 11:4 says that Jesus had sent a promise to the two sisters. Now He would find out how they had received it.

Luke 10:38–42 shows that Mary and Martha were completely unique people. Martha was the one who did things and was busy, while Mary was the one who thought about things and sat at Jesus' feet to hear what He had to say. Jesus did not criticize Martha's work, but He did tell her that she was "torn apart" by too many things. She had to set priorities and focus her activities on things that God would like. We need to have a balanced life.

We would expect Martha to run out to meet Jesus while Mary stayed inside, crying with her friends. Mary repeated Martha's greeting later on. It is likely that the sisters said these words to each other a lot while they waited for Jesus to come (John 11:32). The statement may have shown disappointment, but it also demonstrated faith, since no one ever died in Jesus Christ's presence. "If" is a big word! How pointless it is to contemplate what could have happened if things had been different.

Martha quickly said that she believed in Jesus Christ (John 11:22), and Jesus answered her faith by promising that her brother would rise again. He was thinking about the present, but she thought His words meant the future resurrection on the last day (Dan. 12:2–3; John 5:28–29). In John's gospel, this passage is another example of people misunderstanding Jesus because they were not spiritually perceptive.

The fifth "I am" statement is what our Lord said. Jesus did not say that Martha was wrong about the resurrection in the future. The resurrection of the human body is a fundamental tenet of orthodox Judaism. But when our Lord said "I am," He entirely changed the doctrine of the resurrection, which gave Martha immense comfort. He first brought the idea of the resurrection out of the dark and into the light.

The Old Testament's revelation about death and resurrection is not clear or complete; it is, as it were, “in the shadows.” Some parts of Psalms and Ecclesiastes make it seem like death is the end and there is no hope after it. False teachers like to use these verses to back up their incorrect teachings, but they don't pay attention to (or misinterpret) the clear teachings in the New Testament. Jesus Christ, not David or Solomon, "brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2 Tim. 1:10).

Jesus clearly taught the resurrection of the human body through His teachings, miracles, and His own resurrection. He has emphasized that death is real, that there is life after death, and that God will one day raise the body.

He changed this teaching in a second way: He took it out of a book and put it into a person, Himself. "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25)! We thank God for the Bible's teachings (Martha only had the Old Testament), but we know Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, saves us, not a book. We don't have to be afraid of death's shadow when we know Him by faith.

When you're sick, you don't want a medical book or a formula; you want a doctor. When someone is suing you, you need a lawyer, not a law book. When you face your last enemy, death, you want the Savior, not a book of rules. Every doctrine becomes personal in Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:30). You have everything you need in life, death, time, and eternity when you belong to Him!

THE LAST MIRACLE—THE LAST ENEMY
The raising of Lazarus from the dead was not the last miracle our Lord did before the cross, but it was definitely the biggest and the one that got the most attention from both His friends and His enemies. John chose this miracle to be the seventh in the series written down in his book because it was the most important miracle that our Lord did on earth. He had raised others from the dead, but Lazarus had been dead for four days. The Jewish leaders couldn't deny or avoid the miracle.

If Jesus Christ cannot address death, then His other capabilities are rendered inconsequential. “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Cor. 15:19). Death is man's last enemy (1 Cor. 15:26), but Jesus Christ has completely and permanently defeated this terrible foe.

In John 11, faith is the main idea. The word "believe" appears at least eight times in this story. Another theme is "the glory of God" (John 11:4, 40). Jesus wanted to make three groups of people stronger in their faith by what He said and did.

​The Disciples and Death (11:1–16)

We sometimes think of the disciples as "super saints," but that wasn't the case. They often let their Lord down, and He was constantly trying to help them grow in faith. They would have to continue the ministry after He left them one day. If they didn't have a strong faith, their work would never be strong.

Jesus was in Bethabara, which is about twenty miles from Bethany (John 1:28; 10:40). One day, a messenger came with the sad news that Lazarus, our Lord's dear friend, was sick. The man could have made the trip in one day if he had traveled quickly and without stopping. The next day, Jesus sent him back with the encouraging message from John 11:4. Jesus waited two more days before leaving for Bethany. By the time He and His disciples got there, Lazarus had been dead for four days. This means that the messenger left to tell Jesus about Lazarus's death on the same day!

The schedule of events would look like this, with one day for travel:
Day 1: The messenger comes to Jesus, and Lazarus dies.
Day 2: The messenger goes back to Bethany.
Day 3: Jesus waits another day before leaving.
Day 4: Jesus comes to Bethany.

The messenger would find Lazarus dead when he got home. What would his message mean to the sisters who were still sad about their brother's death? Jesus was telling them to trust what He said, even if things looked awful

The disciples were probably confused about a lot of things. First of all, if Jesus loved Lazarus so much, why did He let him become sick? Even more, why did He wait to go to the sisters? He could have healed Lazarus from afar, just like He did the nobleman's son (John 4:43–54). The record shows that Jesus loved this family very much (John 11:3, 5, 36), but His actions seem to go against this love.

God's love for His own is not a love that spoils them; it is a love that makes them better. We know He loves us, and our loving Him does not ensure immunity from life's challenges and sufferings. The Father loves His Son, but He let His Son drink the cup of sorrow and go through the shame and pain of the cross. We should never believe that love and pain can't go together. They do come together in Jesus Christ.

Jesus could have stopped Lazarus from getting sick or even healed him from where He was, but He didn't. He saw this sickness as an opportunity to honor the Father. It doesn't matter if we Christians are comfortable; what matters is that we honor God in everything we do.

The two sisters did not tell Jesus what to do in their "prayer" to Him. They just told Him that there was a need and reminded Him how much He loved Lazarus. They knew it was risky for Jesus to go back to Judea because the Jewish leaders wanted to kill Him. Maybe they thought that if He "spoke the word," their brother would get better.

The message from our Lord to the sisters did not say that their brother would not die. It only promised that death would not be the end, because the end would be God's glory. (Once again, Jesus called Himself "the Son of God.") He wanted them to believe in this promise. In fact, when Martha didn't want to open the tomb, He reminded her of this message (John 11:40).
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When we are faced with sickness, disappointment, delay, or even death, the only thing that can help us is the Word of God. We must have faith and not rely on what we see. The sisters thought their situation was hopeless, but they knew that Jesus was in charge of everything. There is a similar promise in Psalm 50:15: "And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me."

What about the delay of our Lord? He wasn't waiting for Lazarus to die because he was already dead. Jesus lived by God's schedule (John 11:9), and He was waiting for the Father to tell Him when to go to Bethany. The fact that the man had been dead for four days made the miracle more real and gave more people, including Jesus' own disciples (see John 11:15), a chance to believe.

When Jesus told His disciples that He was going back to Judea, they were scared because they knew it would be dangerous. Bethany is only about two miles away from Jerusalem. But Jesus was ready to die for His friends (John 15:13). He knew that going back to Judea and raising Lazarus from the dead would lead to His own arrest and death.

The Lord calmed their fears by telling them that He was on the Father's schedule and that nothing could hurt them. This is a significant theme in the gospel of John (John 2:4; 7:6, 8, 30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1). But the disciples didn't just get the schedule wrong; they also got the reason for the visit wrong. They thought that, if Lazarus was sleeping, he was getting better! It was yet another sign that they couldn't understand spiritual truth. "He's sleeping, so he must be getting better. Let's not go to Bethany!"

Then He told them clearly that Lazarus was dead. For the believer, death is like sleep. Look at Acts 7:60, 1 Cor. 15:51, and 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18. He didn't say He was glad that His friend had died, but He was also glad He hadn't been there. Now He could show His disciples how powerful He was. The outcome would bring glory to God and fortify their faith.

If Thomas's attitude was any sign, the disciples' faith needed to be stronger! In Aramaic, the name Thomas means "twin." In Greek, it means Didymus. We don't know who his twin was, but sometimes we all seem to be his twin when we reflect on our doubts and sadness! Thomas was the one who needed proof before he would believe that our Lord had risen from the dead (John 20:24–28).

Thomas was a man who had doubts, but we have to admit that he was also a devoted man: he was willing to risk his own life to follow Jesus into danger. We may not agree with his faith, but we can certainly praise his bravery and loyalty.