John 11:38-57

11:38-39 | Jesus would perform the miracle, but He wanted someone to take away the stone, demonstrating that human obedience often has a place in His supernatural work. In telling others about Jesus, the Christian may need to roll away the stone of ignorance, error, prejudice, or despair. But it is still God - not the effectiveness of a person’s witness - that “raises the dead.”

11:40 | Jesus assured Martha that everything would happen just as He promised - the way God intended - and that all would see the glory of God. Her role, and ours, would be to simply trust Him.

11:41-42 | Jesus prayed aloud for the benefit of the Jews who were watching: that they may believe that You sent Me. Belief was on the line, and Jesus wanted everyone to know that the resuscitation of Lazarus would clearly be the result of cooperation between God the Father in heaven and God the Son on earth.

11:43 | The Greek word for cried conveys that Jesus was shouting, for both Lazarus and the people to hear. His was the voice of divine authority. The Greek words for come forth are best translated, “Get out of there!”

11:45-46 | Even though it was an unlikely symbol of God’s glory, Jesus often referred to the cross as the means of His glorification. Jesus knew that this miracle regarding Lazarus would further incite His opponents against Him, leading to His persecution and crucifixion.

11:47-48 | In spite of this blessed event, the religious leaders could not take their eyes off of themselves to rejoice with Lazarus’ family or the community. Instead, they worried about how Jesus’ rising prominence would affect their power. Personal status and ambition can often blind people to truth, to God’s work, and to the need for gratitude.

11:49-52 | The high priest Caiaphas advised the religious leaders to have the romans kill one man, Jesus, instead of wiping out all the Jews. With these words, Caiaphas unknowingly (not on his own authority) prophesied that Jesus would die in the place of all sinners.