Is Jesus A Perfect Revelation of God’s Nature? Part IV: God-Made-Flesh, Lazarus & Delays.
We have seen so far how Jesus is the absolute standard for discerning the character of God. He is God’s revelation to us. Whatever Christ wouldn’t do, the Father wouldn’t. But furthermore, the Father will ONLY do what Christ does — This is a very HUGE statement! This is because any character flaws in Christ can be said to be in God as well. He is the ABSOLUTE STANDARD! Hence the need for these series of articles aimed at clearing any ambiguities which may arise when studying the life of Jesus. This would include study of His words and deeds on the Earth to see if He REALLY did represent the Father well. He is the Father made flesh! The Father we CAN see.
So in this article, we continue in same thoughts. We examine Jesus’ response to the cry of the helpless. Did He ALWAYS rush to their aid? Or did He sometimes “let” them perish for a “greater good” or “higher purpose.” Did He sometimes ignore pain and suffering? We begin with the story of Lazarus (John 11:1-44). Reading this story on the surface makes it appear as though God let Lazarus die just so He could show Himself as the Resurrection and the Life when He eventually raised Him up again. Again, this is inconsistent with the perfect love nature of the Father — He will NEVER allow a “smaller evil” in order to bring about a “greater good.” He will NEVER! It’s just not in His nature to do so. Hence, we would need to look at this narrative CRITICALLY, employing the aids of Bible hermeneutics as we do in order to decipher what REALLY went down. Now, follow closely. Did Jesus delay at Jordan purposely so Lazarus could die?
An issue which arises whenever we read narratives such as this is that we think that EVERYTHING happened in a single day. We fall into this trap most of the time. For example, Acts 8:3 is simply a summary of Saul’s persecution of the Church. This could have happened for months (notice that in between Philip even had ministry done at Samaria) yet it is summarized into just one verse. That’s the problem with narratives, the time frame is not usually clearly stated. They are summaries, after all.
Do you know that Lazarus was already dead when the messengers reached Jesus in verse 3?
John 11:3 (NKJV)
3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
How do we know this?
Verses 17&39 give us a little insight
John 11:17 (NKJV)
17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb FOUR DAYS.
John 11:39 (NKJV)
39 Jesus said “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead FOUR DAYS.”
Let’s follow the narrative now…
Lazarus was sick in Bethany.
John 11:1-3 (NKJV) 1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
Mary and Martha (his sisters) had sent messengers to Jesus with the news.
John 11:2-3 (NKJV)
2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.
Jesus’ response:
John 11:4 (NKJV)
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
Now, this has been misconstrued to mean that God put the sickness on Lazarus to show His glory. That’s strange thinking! God doesn’t put sickness on folks. He is THE Healer. “Glory” as used in the text above (John 11:4) is translated from the Greek word “doxa” which means “essence, substance, weight, what you are made of.” So Lazarus’ sickness was not of God but BECAUSE of His sickness, God’s essence would be discovered; God’s ONLY role in the midst of sickness is to heal it. He is NEVER a causative factor. He will NEVER do evil or inflict with it!
James 1:13 (NKJV) 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
The phrase “cannot be tempted” as used here is just one word in the Greek. It is the word “apeirastos.” It means “inexperienced, untried, lacking the very capacity to conceive or do.” So a better translated is: For God is untried with evil. He doesn’t have prior experience of doing evil. Hence, He can’t inflict with it!
Now back to the narrative. Notice that Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus very much that He risked getting stoned for them (John 11:5-13). It is therefore incongruent to say He deliberately let Lazarus die. You wouldn’t let those you love die if you had the power to save them, and neither would I!
Observe that Jesus already knew that Lazarus was dead.
John 11:4 (NKJV)
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
“Unto” here is translated from the Greek word “pros” which means “ending in the destination of.” Hence, Lazarus’ sickness wouldn’t end FINALLY in death; he, though dead, would be raised again. Jesus tarried only so they may believe.
John 11:15-21 (NKJV)
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.” This is VERY key. Follow closely. John 11:17-21 (NKJV) 17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.
Now, notice again that Lazarus was already dead four days when Jesus arrived. Here’s a little historical criticism of the text to help you:
Bethany (where Lazarus lived) was a day’s journey from where Jesus was staying at the time in Perea, east of the Jordan River (John 10:40). Scholars agree that it would take a day for the messengers Mary and Martha sent to Jesus to travel to Jesus with the news of Lazarus’ illness. Then it would take Jesus a day to travel to Bethany.
So the summation goes thus:
The messengers to Jesus (1 day) He tarries two days (2 days) He travels to Bethany and arrives on the fourth day (1 day) All together, 4 days. On arriving at Bethany, He finds out that Lazarus had been dead FOUR DAYS. So when did Lazarus die? The same day the messengers set out to meet Jesus, before they arrived! Do you see that? Even if Jesus had left on the same day, it would have taken Him another day to arrive at Bethany, He would have still meet Lazarus dead! His tarrying at Jordan didn’t change anything concerning Lazarus’ death! The arithmetic is easy, which is why many commentaries agree that Lazarus died JUST AFTER the messengers left Bethany but BEFORE they reached Jesus. The four days is the clue.
Jesus knew supernaturally that Lazarus was ALREADY dead by the time the messengers got to Him (the word of knowledge is to know facts concerning the past and present supernaturally). He didn’t tarry so Lazarus could die — he was ALREADY dead! So why did Jesus wait two days before going? That they may believe ! (vs. 15)
Now, believe what? In studying the historical criticism of this text, you will discover that there was a popular belief amongst the Jews in that day and age that the spirits of the dead hovered around their corpses for three days for possible resurrection, after which death was considered irrevocable (perhaps why they doubted the resurrection of Jesus). Jesus wanted to prove to them that He was TRULY the Resurrection and the Life and fault their superstitions, turning their attention to the miraculous power of God working in and through Him.
Now, hear Jesus:
John 11:23-27 (NKJV)
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrectionand the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
He is the Resurrection (the author of it) and the Life (source of real life). Jesus is not just the author of the Resurrection but real life is found IN HIM! When Jesus appears, Life appears! Now, Mary came to meet Jesus and wept at His feet (John 11:28-32)
Observe Jesus’ response:
John 11:33 (NKJV)
33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned (embrimaomai — to snort with strong indignation, displeasure) in the spirit and was troubled (tarassó — affected with great pain or sorrow).
This is God’s response to death EVERY TIME! It is NEVER God’s wish or plan for men, both good and evil, to die. How do we know this? We see it in God-Made-Flesh, Christ Jesus.
John 11:34-36 (NKJV)
34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
In Christ we see a God who weeps at the sight of deaths with love and compassion in His heart. How can He weep at what He Himself creates? This shows us CLEARLY that death is an enemy of God, not a weapon He uses.
1 Corinthians 15:26 (NKJV)
26 The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.
The word “enemy” as used here is translated from the Greek word ” echthros.” It refers to one who is hostile to and opposes another. So death is seen as being hostile to and opposed to God’s plans in the Earth. Whenever there is death, God’s will is not present! His will is life ALWAYS. Now, finally God’s essence is seen in the narrative.
John 11:38-44 (NKJV)
38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know thatYou always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice,“Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
His glory is revealed (made evident) in life! God ALWAYS hears prayers for life! So, we see the Father perfectly revealed in the Son. They did see the glory of God that day, CLEARLY revealed in the face of Jesus. The Father won’t kill but give life where there is death.
© Josh Banks Ministries. 2020.
