Some things have already been said about the state of death (here). Has this changed significantly since the New Testament writings? Doesn’t the New Testament go beyond the “knowledge” of the Old Testament? The traditional view is that death is merely another form of life. Was that the view of the people in the New Testament? Did Jesus teach something completely different from the prophets? To trace these things in the Bible is quite essential also for understanding the resurrection.

The story about the death and resurrection of Lazarus is especially insightful. This story is important for several reasons. First and foremost, it shows how people saw it at the time. Death is compared to a sleep – the imagery is also consistent with the Old Testament. Then we read what Jesus has to say about it. He speaks of death as a sleep, and of the fact that He will awaken Lazarus from sleep. The theme is resurrection, and Lazarus is raised at the end.

The illness of Lazarus

“Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick and weak. When Jesus heard this, He said, “This infirmity is not unto death, but for the glorification of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
John 11:3-4

Lazarus died. The comparison with sleep and the reference to the resurrection:

“After that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus. sleeps but I go to make him Waking from Sleep.” Then the disciples replied to Him, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will be saved from death.” But Jesus had spoken of his death; Those, on the other hand, think that He is talking about the rest of sleep. Then Jesus told them frankly, “Lazarus died, and I rejoice for your sakes that I was not there, that you might learn to believe.”
John 11:11-15

“Now when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet Him; but Mary was sitting in the house. Martha then said to Jesus: Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died! But now I also know that God will give you everything you may ask of God. Jesus replied to her, ” Your brother will rise again!”
John 11:20-23

The prospect of the resurrection

Martha had a view for her brother, namely the resurrection. This was what was known to you from your Jewish environment in terms of teachings and from the Tenach itself.

“Then said Martha unto Him, I know that He shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
John 11:24

From this description it is clear that Martha has the same ideas about death as we have already read in the Old Testament. Jesus does not question this either. He does not put Martha off with “Lazarus is now in heaven”, but with “Your brother will rise!”.

Jesus does not deny death, but sees the resurrection as the way to new life.

I am the resurrection and the life

So much for the findings of the story so far. However, when Jesus speaks, something changes. He himself comes along in the story. He Himself is the resurrection and the life. This brings God’s power of salvation much closer. It is no longer “resurrection at the last day”, but “before you stands He who is the life and resurrection in person”.

“Jesus answered her: I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in Me will live [für den Äon] even if he dies. And everyone who lives [dann] and believes in Me will by no means die for the eon! Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26

Now this very text is quoted again and again as “proof” that one “lives” in death. But is this interpretation correct? He who believes in Me, it is said, will live even if he dies. Is this now to say that one lives “in death”? No. Crucially, Jesus says that He Himself is “the resurrection and the life”. Life does not exist apart from resurrection. First the resurrection – then life. This is how He describes it. Or in other words: Whoever dies now will live again one day through resurrection. And everyone who lives then will not die either. Do we believe this?

“She answered Him, “Yes, Lord, I have faith that You are the Christ [Messias], the Son of God who is coming into the world!”
John 11:27

With this word, Martha trusts that Jesus, as Messiah and as Son of God, can make these words of resurrection and life true. The resurrection is the hope for the dead. Only through resurrection comes life again. This is the expectation from the Old Testament, and it is confirmed again here. There is no talk of a “life in death” here.

The raising of Lazarus

“Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell at His feet and said to Him, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
John 11:32

Mary had this hope that Lazarus would not have died at all if only Jesus had been there. For Maria it is therefore clear that Lazarus is now really dead. No doubt. Nothing more could be done. Probably, like Martha, she would have had the prospect of resurrection. For the present, however, it was clear to her that Lazarus was different. They go to the grave.

“Then He asked, Where have you laid him? They answered Him, Lord, come and see. And Jesus wept.”
John 11:34-35

“Jesus wept” is the shortest verse in the Bible. While the verse division is not part of the original writings, it is a remarkable statement, full of compassion, intimate connection and humanity.

“Jesus commanded: Lift away the stone! Then Martha, the sister of the different one, said to Him, Lord, he already smells; for it is the fourth day.”
John 11:39

For four days now Lazarus has died. The corpse already smells. It would be unwise to open the grave because the decomposition of the body has already begun. These are all indications that people were very familiar with the process at death. Even if death is largely excluded from our society today, that was not the case back then. Everyone was familiar with death.

“Jesus answered her, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’ Then they lifted away the stone. Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You hear Me. I know well that Thou hearest Me always; but I say it for the sake of the multitude that standeth about, that they may believe that Thou hast sent Me.”
John 11:40-42

Jesus wants the crowd to recognize something in what is about to happen. The crowd is to recognize and believe that God sent Jesus. They are signs and wonders that should confirm the king and the coming kingdom. Remember the question of John the Baptist, who was in prison and sent his disciples to Jesus:

“When John heard of Christ’s work in prison, he sent his disciples; through them he had Him ask, ‘Are You the Coming One, or do we all hope for another?’ Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: The blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead awake, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. Blessed is he who takes no offense at Me.”
Mt 11:2-6 (cf. Isa 29:18-19, Isa 35:5, Isa 8:14-15).

Resurrection of the dead is a sign of the coming Messiah and the coming Kingdom (cf. Jn 11:47). He Himself is the resurrection and the life. In Him as Messiah, the coming Kingdom is also within reach.

“When He had said this, He cried out with a loud voice: Lazarus, come forth! Then the deceased came out, his feet and hands wrapped in graveclothes, and his face bound with a sweatcloth. Jesus said to them: Unbind him and let him go!”
John 11:43-44

One word is enough and Lazarus stands up. God speaks and it happens (Gen 1:3). It is the same with the son. Already Jesus has raised others from the dead, such as the daughter of Jairus (Mark 5:35-42) or the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-16). With the history of Lazarus, however, the most detailed description takes place. He is the Coming One, the Son of God. He is the resurrection and the life.

Lazarus

Lazarus was not raised to an indissoluble life. He was not “made alive” as Christ was as the firstfruits (1 Cor. 15:20-22). Lazarus was raised, so to speak, to this life we know. He rose from the dead to die again later.

Lazarus was in death longer than Jesus. Jesus was dead for 3 days and was raised on the third day. Lazarus was dead 4 days. This story is also a touchstone for our understanding of death. Wherever it is taught that one goes to heaven after dying, this is contradicted by the Bible. But imagine if Lazarus had experienced all this and had been in heaven. What wonderful “light stories” there would have been! Lazarus would be today the star of so many doctrines. The first sky walker – or so I can imagine the advertising slogans. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to hear about the afterlife “firsthand,” so to speak? This is still the way people think.

This text, however, speaks quite differently. This fine difference applies: Lazarus had reported nothing at all of the hereafter. At least, we do not find the slightest hint of such thoughts in the Bible. In the biblical context, this is also logical: He who is dead sleeps and does not notice anything until the resurrection. For Lazarus the light was switched off. He had died. As Martha has already mentioned, his hope lay only in the resurrection at the last of days. In Jesus, however, he experienced something extraordinary. He was raised by the Messiah as a sign of the coming Messianic age.

Questions

• Does John 11 turn the OT statements regarding death upside down?
• What did Lazarus report about his 4 days in death?
• What did Jesus comfort Martha with?
• Where is our expectation?