Reference: Lazarus
American
1. A friend and disciple of Christ, brother of Martha and Mary, with whom he resided at Bethany near Jerusalem. Our Savior had a high regard for the family, and often visited them; and when Lazarus was dangerously ill, word was sent to Christ, "Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick." The Savior reached Bethany after he had lain four days in his grave, and restored him to life by a word, "Lazarus, come forth." This public and stupendous miracle drew so many to Christ, that his enemies sought to put both him and Lazarus to death, Joh 11; 12:1-11. The narrative displays Christ as a tender and compassionate friend, weeping for and with those he loved, and at the same time as the Prince of life, beginning his triumph over death and the grave. Happy are they who, in view of their own death, or that of friends, can know that they are safe in Him who says, "I am the resurrection and the life;" and, "because I live, ye shall live also."
2. The helpless beggar who lay at the rich man's gate in one of Christ's most solemn and instructive parables. The one, though poor and sorely afflicted, was a child of God. The other described as self-indulgent rather than vicious or criminal was living without God in the enjoyment of every earthly luxury. Their state in this life was greatly in contrast with their real character before God, which was revealed in the amazing changes of their condition at death, Lu 16:19-31. See ABRAHAM'S BOSOM. Our Savior plainly teaches us, in this parable, that both the friends and the foes of God know and begin to experience their doom immediately after death, and that it is in both cases unchangeable and eternal.
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There was a rich man, clad in purple and fine linen, who lived sumptuously every day. Outside his door lay a poor man called Lazarus; he was a mass of ulcers, read more. and fain to eat up the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. (The very dogs used to come and lick his ulcers.) Now it happened that the poor man died, and he was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man died too, and was buried. And as he was being tortured in Hades he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus in his bosom; so he called out, 'Father Abraham, take pity on me, send Lazarus to dip his fingertip in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in these flames.' But Abraham said, 'Remember, my son, you got all the bliss when you were alive, just as Lazarus got the ills of life; he is in comfort now, and you are in anguish. Besides all that, a great gulf yawns between us and you, to keep back those who want to cross from us to you and also those who want to pass from you to us.' Then he said, 'Well, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers; let him bear testimony to them, that they may not come to this place of torture as well.' 'They have got Moses and the prophets,' said Abraham, 'they can listen to them.' 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone only goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced, not even if one rose from the dead."
Easton
an abbreviation of Eleazar, whom God helps. (1.) The brother of Mary and Martha of Bethany. He was raised from the dead after he had lain four days in the tomb (Joh 11:1-44). This miracle so excited the wrath of the Jews that they sought to put both Jesus and Lazarus to death.
(2.) A beggar named in the parable recorded Lu 16:19-31.
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There was a rich man, clad in purple and fine linen, who lived sumptuously every day. Outside his door lay a poor man called Lazarus; he was a mass of ulcers, read more. and fain to eat up the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. (The very dogs used to come and lick his ulcers.) Now it happened that the poor man died, and he was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man died too, and was buried. And as he was being tortured in Hades he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus in his bosom; so he called out, 'Father Abraham, take pity on me, send Lazarus to dip his fingertip in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in these flames.' But Abraham said, 'Remember, my son, you got all the bliss when you were alive, just as Lazarus got the ills of life; he is in comfort now, and you are in anguish. Besides all that, a great gulf yawns between us and you, to keep back those who want to cross from us to you and also those who want to pass from you to us.' Then he said, 'Well, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers; let him bear testimony to them, that they may not come to this place of torture as well.' 'They have got Moses and the prophets,' said Abraham, 'they can listen to them.' 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone only goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced, not even if one rose from the dead."
Now there was a man ill, Lazarus of Bethany ??the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (The Mary whose brother Lazarus was ill was the Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair.) read more. so the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." When Jesus heard it, he said, "This illness is not to end in death; the end of it is the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby." [Relocated to follow vs 2] Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus; So, when he heard of the illness, he stayed where he was for two days; then, after that, he said to the disciples, "Let us go back to Judaea." "Rabbi," said the disciples, "the Jews were trying to stone you only the other day; are you going back there?" Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If one walks during the day he does not stumble, for he sees the light of this world: but if one walks during the night he does stumble, for the light is not in him." This he said, then added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; I am going to waken him." "Lord," said the disciples, "if he has fallen asleep, he will get better." Jesus, however, had been speaking of his death; but as they imagined he meant natural sleep, he then told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead; and for your sakes I am glad I was not there, that you may believe. Come now, let us go to him." Whereupon Thomas (called 'the Twin') said to his fellow-disciples, "Let us go too, let us die along with him!" Now when Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been buried for four days. [vss
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a number of Jews had gone to condole with Martha and Mary about their brother; Then Martha, hearing of the arrival of Jesus, went out to meet him, while Mary sat at home. read more. Said Martha to Jesus, "Had you been here, Lord, my brother would not have died. But now ??well, I know whatever you ask God for, he will grant you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." "I know," said Martha, "he will rise at the resurrection, on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am myself resurrection and life: he who believes in me will live, even if he dies, and no one who lives and believes in me will ever die. You believe that?" "Yes, Lord," she said, "I do believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world" ??28 and with these words she went off to call her sister Mary, telling her secretly, "The Teacher is here, and he is calling for you."
So, on hearing this, Mary rose hurriedly and went to him. & 31] Now as Bethany is not far from Jerusalem, only about two miles away,
Jesus had not entered the village yet, he was still at the spot where Martha had met him. and when the Jews who were condoling with her inside the house noticed her rise hurriedly and go out, they followed her, as they imagined she was going to wail at the tomb. read more. But when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she dropped at his feet, crying, "Had you been here, Lord, my brother would not have died." Now when Jesus saw her wailing and saw the Jews who accompanied her wailing, he chafed in spirit and was disquieted. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. They answered, "Come and see, sir." Jesus burst into tears. Whereupon the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" ??37 though some of them asked, "Could he not have prevented him from dying, when he could open a blind man's eyes?"
This made Jesus chafe afresh, so he went to the tomb; it was a cave with a boulder to close it. Jesus said, "Remove the boulder." "Lord," said Martha, the dead man's sister, "he will be stinking by this time; he has been dead four days." read more. "Did I not tell you," said Jesus, "if you will only believe, you shall see the glory of God?" Then they removed the boulder, and Jesus, lifting his eyes to heaven, said, "Father, I thank thee for listening to me. (I knew thou wouldst always listen to me, but I spoke on account of the crowd around, that they might believe thou hast sent me.)" So saying, he exclaimed with a loud cry, "Lazarus, come out!" Out came the dead man, his feet and hands swathed in bandages, and his face tied up with a towel. Jesus said, "Untie him, and let him move."
Fausets
LAZARUS or ELEAZAR ("God helps".)
1. Of Bethany; brother of Mary and Martha (Joh 11:1). (See BETHANY.) The sisters were the better known, from whence they are put prominently forward here, and in Lu 10:38, etc., are alone named. Lazarus was "of (apo, 'belonging to at that time') Bethany, from (ek, implying his original settlement) the village of Mary and Martha" (still it is likely the same village is meant in both Luke 10 and John 11, namely, Bethany). Curiously, Ganneau found close to Bethany a tomb, probably of the first century, containing the names all together of Simon, Martha, and Lazarus. Lazarus' subordinate position at their feast in Christ's honour (Joh 12:2) makes it likely he was the youngest. Moreover, the house is called that of Simon the leper (Mt 26:6; Mr 14:3); who was probably therefore their father, but either by death or leprosy no longer with them, though possibly he too, as a leper healed by Jesus, was then one of that happy family.
Their friends from Jerusalem (Joh 11:19), according to John's use of "the Jews," were of the ruling elders and Pharisees. The feast; the costly ointment, the family funeral cave (compare Isa 22:16; 2Ki 23:6; Jer 26:23), all bespeak good social position. The sisters' warm attachment to Lazarus was strengthened by their common love to Jesus who loved all three (Joh 11:5). Lazarus had won the disciples' love too, for Jesus calls him "our friend" (Joh 11:11). At the time of Lazarus' sickness and the sisters' call, Jesus was in Peraea beyond Jordan, on His way to Jerusalem, two days' journey from Bethany. He delayed two days to give time for that death which He foresaw, and from which He was about to raise Lazarus. On proposing to go to Judea, His disciples remonstrated on the ground that He would be going into the very danger from which He had just escaped (Joh 10:39-40; 11:8-10).
He replied that while His appointed day yet lasted He was safe, and that He was going to awaken Lazarus out of sleep. He was "glad" that He had not been on the spot before, that Lazarus' death and rising might awaken the disciples out of the deadness of unbelief. The sisters grieved at His seeming neglect. God sees cause for joy where even His people see only cause for grief. Four days had elapsed after the call when He arrived. Martha went and met Him, while Mary sat in the house, in beautiful harmony with the character of each respectively, described in Lu 10:40-42. Martha's faith had now become stronger; so she says, "Lord, I know that even now whatsoever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee (more buoyant in spirit than Mary, and cherishing even now a vague hope of her brother's restoration) ... Yea, Lord, I believe that Thou art the Christ the Son of God ... the Resurrection and the Life." Upon Martha telling Mary of Jesus' arrival and "call" for her, either expressed or implied ("secretly," through fear of Jewish informers, see Joh 11:28,46), the latter also came "quickly" to Him.
The Jews her friends, not having heard Martha's communication, supposed Mary was gone to the tomb to weep, but found her as of old "at Jesus' feet." Her words were fewer, but her action more impassioned, than those of her sister. So the whole company, Jesus, His disciples, the sisters, and their sympathizers, were met at the grave. At the sight of their weeping, Jesus "groaned in spirit," and troubled Himself, but checked His emotion which would otherwise have choked utterance. "Where have ye laid him?" Sympathy with their sorrow, which He was instantly to relieve, at last found vent in tears: "Jesus wept" (compare Lu 19:41; Heb 4:15). "Behold. how He loved him," the Jews, His adversaries, were constrained to exclaim. Their unbelief, "could not this man which opened the eyes of the blind (John 9, they allude not to the raising of Jairus' daughter and the widow of Nain's son, which took place in Galilee, but to the miracle which made such a stir in Jerusalem; they never thought of His raising the dead) have caused that even this man should not have died?" made Him "groan again."
Take away the stone. Martha, retaining still remainders of unbelief (she believed in Lazarus' future resurrection, but she hardly dared to believe what she herself had hinted at in Joh 11:22, that Christ will raise him now), objected on the ground of the body's presumed decomposition by this time. He tells her to "believe, so she shall see the glory of God." With a preparatory thanksgiving to the Father for the already felt answer to His prayer, He said, "Lazarus, come forth," and he came forth bound hand and foot, the graveclothes and napkin about his face. "Loose him, and let him go"; contrast Jesus' resurrection, the graveclothes and the napkin folded separately, because, unlike Lazarus, He was to die no more (Joh 20:6-7). The same miracle which converted some Jews to belief furnished others only with materials for informing the Pharisees against Him. It brought the plots of the rulers and Caiaphas to a crisis (Joh 11:45-53).
The very sign which the Pharisees desired in the parable of Lazarus (Lu 16:27-30) is now granted in the person of one of the same name, but only stimulates them to their crowning sin, to kill Jesus, nay even to kill Lazarus too (Joh 12:10). The same sun that develops the fragrant violet strengthens the poison of the deadly nightshade. This is the crucial miracle of the truth of the Gospels. Spinosa said if this were true he would tear his system in pieces and embrace Christianity. As the Lord's Judaean ministry was not the subject of the first three evangelists, but the Galilean, they omit the raising of Lazarus. The Jews' consultation to kill Lazarus, and his own probable shrinking from publicity after such a mysterious experience, perhaps further influenced them in their omission of the miracle. By John's time of writing the brother and sisters were dead, and no reason for reserve any longer existed.
Tradition says that Lazarus' first question on coming back was whether he should die again; on learning he must, he never smiled again. Such an impression was made by this miracle that many Jews flocked to Bethany to see both Jesus and Lazarus. The eye witnesses bore record, and the people who heard of it from them met Him on His way to Jerusalem, and formed part of His retinue in His triumphal entry with the palmbearing multitude (Joh 12:12,17-18). E. H. Plumptre (Smith's Dictionary) identifies Simon the leper with Simon the Pharisee (Lu 7:36-40); Martha had the Pharisees' belief in the resurrection (Joh 11:24); Mary's gift of the ointment was after the example of the sinful woman in Simon's house; the leprosy came on subsequently.
Also he identifies Lazarus with the rich young ruler (Matthew 19; Mark 10; Luke 18); Jesus' words to him, "one thing thou lackest," answer to His words to Martha. "one thing is needful"; "Jesus beholding loved him" (Mark) is said also of Lazarus (Joh 11:5); Jesus' love at last wrought out his conversion, possible to God though not to man; a sharp Palestine fever is sent to discipline him; his death and rising through Jesus' power is accompanied by his spiritual resurrection (Joh 5:24-25). Judas and the eleven expected, that the feast in Joh 12:2 was the farewell feast of Lazarus, renouncing his former life and obeying Christ's command, "sell that thou hast, and give to the poor"; hence, Judas' bitter objection, "why was not this ointment sold for 300 pence and given to the poor?"
On the night of Christ's betrayal Lazarus, whose Bethany home was near and was Christ's lodging on the previous night, in the hasty night alarm rushed eagerly with "the linen cloth (the term applied to graveclothes always, the same which he had on when the Lord raised him from the grave (Joh 11:44), sindon) cast about his naked body" (Mr 14:51-52; 15:46), and was seized by the high priest's servants as a second victim (Joh 12:10), whereas they let the other disciples escape.
2. Lazarus in the parable, Lu 16:19-31. The one unknown on earth has a name with God; the rich man, well known as a great man among men, has no name with God (Re 3:1). The historic Lazarus (John 11-12) belonged to the richer classes. Yet it is not a rich Lazarus, but Lazar
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Store up no treasures for yourselves on earth, where moth and rust corrode, where thieves break in and steal: store up treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrode, where thieves do not break in and steal. read more. For where your treasure lies, your heart will lie there too.
Many, I tell you, will come from east and west and take their places beside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Realm of heaven, while the sons of the Realm will pass outside, into the darkness; there men will wail and gnash their teeth."
"No, sir," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."
Now when he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, lying at table, a woman came up with an alabaster flask of pure nard perfume, which had cost a great sum; the flask she broke and poured the perfume over his head.
one young man did follow him, with only a linen sheet thrown round his body, but when the [young] men seized him he fled away naked, leaving the sheet behind him.
He, after buying a linen sheet, took him down and swathed him in the linen, laying him in a tomb which had been cut out of the rock and rolling a boulder up against the opening of the tomb.
Now, produce fruits that answer to your repentance, instead of beginning to say to yourselves, 'We have a father in Abraham.' I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones!
One of the Pharisees asked him to dinner, and entering the house of the Pharisee he reclined at table. Now there was a woman in the town who was a sinner, and when she found out that Jesus was at table in the house of the Pharisee, she brought an alabaster flask of perfume read more. and stood behind him at his feet in tears; her tears began to wet his feet, so she wiped them with the hair of her head, pressed kisses on them, and anointed them with the perfume. When his host the Pharisee noticed this, he said to himself, "If he was a prophet he would know what sort of a woman this is who is touching him; for she is a sinner." Then Jesus addressed him. "Simon," he said, "I have something to say to you." "Speak, teacher," he said.
In the course of their journey he entered a certain village, and a woman called Martha welcomed him to her house.
Now Martha was so busy attending to them that she grew worried; she came up and said, "Lord, is it all one to you that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Come, tell her to lend me a hand." The Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, read more. Mary has chosen the best dish, and she is not to be dragged away from it."
So he told them, "You are the people who get men to think you are good, but God knows what your hearts are! What is lofty in the view of man is loathsome in the eyes of God.
There was a rich man, clad in purple and fine linen, who lived sumptuously every day. Outside his door lay a poor man called Lazarus; he was a mass of ulcers, read more. and fain to eat up the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. (The very dogs used to come and lick his ulcers.) Now it happened that the poor man died, and he was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man died too, and was buried. And as he was being tortured in Hades he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus in his bosom; so he called out, 'Father Abraham, take pity on me, send Lazarus to dip his fingertip in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in these flames.' But Abraham said, 'Remember, my son, you got all the bliss when you were alive, just as Lazarus got the ills of life; he is in comfort now, and you are in anguish. Besides all that, a great gulf yawns between us and you, to keep back those who want to cross from us to you and also those who want to pass from you to us.' Then he said, 'Well, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house,
Then he said, 'Well, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house,
Then he said, 'Well, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers; let him bear testimony to them, that they may not come to this place of torture as well.'
for I have five brothers; let him bear testimony to them, that they may not come to this place of torture as well.'
for I have five brothers; let him bear testimony to them, that they may not come to this place of torture as well.' 'They have got Moses and the prophets,' said Abraham, 'they can listen to them.'
'They have got Moses and the prophets,' said Abraham, 'they can listen to them.'
'They have got Moses and the prophets,' said Abraham, 'they can listen to them.' 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone only goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone only goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone only goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone only goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced, not even if one rose from the dead."
He said to him, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced, not even if one rose from the dead."
And when he saw the city, as he approached, he wept over it,
Truly, truly I tell you, he who listens to my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life; he will incur no sentence of judgment, he has already passed from death across to life. Truly, truly I tell you, the time is coming, it has come already, when the dead will listen to the voice of the Son of God, and those who listen will live;
Once more they tried to arrest him, but he escaped their hands and went across the Jordan, back to the spot where John had baptized at first. There he stayed;
Now there was a man ill, Lazarus of Bethany ??the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
[Relocated to follow vs 2] Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus;
[Relocated to follow vs 2] Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus;
"Rabbi," said the disciples, "the Jews were trying to stone you only the other day; are you going back there?" Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If one walks during the day he does not stumble, for he sees the light of this world: read more. but if one walks during the night he does stumble, for the light is not in him." This he said, then added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; I am going to waken him."
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a number of Jews had gone to condole with Martha and Mary about their brother;
"I know," said Martha, "he will rise at the resurrection, on the last day."
Out came the dead man, his feet and hands swathed in bandages, and his face tied up with a towel. Jesus said, "Untie him, and let him move." Now a number of the Jews who had come to visit Mary and who witnessed what he had done, believed in him. read more. But some of them went off to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done;
But some of them went off to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done; whereupon the high priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. "Whatever is to be done?" they said. "The fellow is performing a number of Signs. read more. If we let him alone, like this, everybody will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and suppress our holy Place and our nation." But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, "You know nothing about it ??50 you do not understand it is in your own interests that one man should die for the People, instead of the whole nation being destroyed."
(He did not say this simply of his own accord; he was high priest that year, and his words were a prophecy that Jesus was to die for the nation, and not merely for the nation but to gather into one the scattered children of God.) read more. So from that day their plan was to kill him.
They gave a supper for him there; Martha waited on him, and Lazarus was among those who reclined at table beside him.
They gave a supper for him there; Martha waited on him, and Lazarus was among those who reclined at table beside him.
So the high priests planned to kill Lazarus as well,
So the high priests planned to kill Lazarus as well,
So the high priests planned to kill Lazarus as well, since it was owing to him that a number of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus. read more. Next day the great mass of people who had come up for the festival heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem,
Now the people who were with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead, testified to it; and that was why the crowd went out to meet him, because they heard he had performed this Sign.
The disciple just leant back on the breast of Jesus and said, "Lord, who is it?"
His disciples said, "Now, you are talking plainly at last, not speaking in figures.
Then Simon Peter came after him, and went inside the tomb; he noticed not only that the bandages were lying on the ground but that the napkin which had been round his head was folded up by itself, instead of lying beside the other bandages.
But he did not give him any inheritance in it, not even a foot of the land. All be did was to promise that he would give it as a possession to him and to his offspring after him (he at the time being childless).
[Move to the beginning of vs 23] Why should you consider it incredible that God raises the dead,
for ours is no high priest who is incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every respect like ourselves, yet without sinning.
(These all died in faith without obtaining the promises; they only saw them far away and hailed them, owning they were 'strangers and exiles upon earth.'
Then to the angel of the church at Sardis write thus: ??These are the words of him who holds the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: I know your doings, you have the name of being alive, but you are dead.
Hastings
A common Jewish name, a colloquial abbreviation of Eleazar.
1. The brother of Martha and Mary, the friend of Jesus (Joh 11:3,11,36, where 'love' and 'friend' represent the same root in Greek). The family lived at Bethany, a village within two miles of Jerusalem just over the brow of Olivet. Lazarus was the subject of the greatest miracle of the Gospel story (Joh 11:1-44). In the last year of His ministry Jesus sojourned at Jerusalem from the Feast of Tabernacles in October to that of the Dedication in December; and, on being driven out by the violence of the rulers (Joh 10:31,39), He retired to 'Bethany beyond Jordan' (Joh 10:40; cf. Joh 1:28 RV). A crowd followed Him thither, and in the midst of His beneficent activities of teaching and healing tidings reached Him that His friend had fallen sick. He might have responded immediately to the sisters' appeal either by hastening to their home and laying His hand on the sick man, or by sending forth His word of power and healing him across the intervening distance of some twenty miles (cf. Joh 4:46-54; Mt 15:21-28 = Mr 7:24-30). But He did neither; He remained where He was for two days, until Lazarus was dead. He desired not only to manifest His power to His friends, but to make a signal appeal to impenitent Jerusalem, by working a miracle which would attest His Messiahship beyond all question.
At length He set forth. If the messenger started in the morning, he would reach Jesus the same evening. Jesus stayed two days, and setting out early would arrive on the evening of the fourth day. Thus on His arrival Lazarus had been dead four days (Joh 11:39). In that sultry climate burial followed immediately on death, and it sometimes happened that a swoon was mistaken for death, and the buried man came to life again. The Jewish belief was that the soul hovered about the sepulchre for three days, fain to re-animate its clay. On the fourth day decomposition set in, and hope was then abandoned. Jesus arrived on the fourth day, and there was no doubt of the reality of Lazarus' death and of the ensuing miracle. It was not a recovery from a trance, but a veritable resurrection. He went to the rock-hewn sepulchre, and in presence of the sisters and a large company of mourners, including many of the rulers who had come from the adjacent capital to testify their esteem for the good Lazarus and their sympathy with Martha and Mary (Joh 11:19), summoned the dead man forth and restored him, alive and well, to his home. It was a startling miracle. It made a profound impression on the multitude, but it only exasperated the rulers. They convened a meeting of the Sanhedrin and determined to put Jesus to death (Joh 11:47-53).
He retired to Ephraim near the frontier of Samaria, and stayed there until the Passover drew near; then He set out for Jerusalem to keep the Feast and to die. Six days before it began (Joh 12:1), He reached Bethany, and despite the Sanhedrin's decree He received a great ovation. He was honoured with a banquet in the house of one of the leading men of the village, Simon, who had been a leper and had probably been healed by Jesus (Joh 12:2-11 = Mt 26:6-13 = Mr 14:3-9). Lazarus was one of the company. The news of His arrival at Bethany reached Jerusalem, and next day the multitude thronged out and escorted Him in triumph into the city. It was the raising of Lazarus that excited their enthusiasm (Joh 12:3,17-18).
After this Lazarus appears no more in the Gospel story. Surely he of all men should have stood by Jesus at His trial and crucifixion; and the explanation of his absence is probably that he had been forced to flee. Observing the popular enthusiasm, the infuriated rulers had determined to put him also to death (Joh 12:10-11). He would withdraw more for Jesus' sake than for his own. His presence only increased the Master's danger.
2. The beggar in our Lord's parable (Lu 16:19-31).
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Many, I tell you, will come from east and west and take their places beside Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Realm of heaven,
Going away from there Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And a woman of Canaan came out of these parts and wailed, "Have pity on me, Lord, O Son of David! My daughter is cruelly possessed by a daemon." read more. But he made no answer to her. Then his disciples came up and pressed him, saying, "Send her away, she is wailing behind us." He replied, "It was only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel that I was sent." But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, do help me." He replied, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." "No, sir," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." At that Jesus replied, "O woman, you have great faith; your prayer is granted as you wish." And from that hour her daughter was cured.
Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of expensive perfume which she poured over his head as he lay at table. read more. When the disciples saw this they were angry. "What is the use of this waste?" they said; "the perfume might have been sold for a good sum, and the poor might have got that." But Jesus was aware of what they said, and he replied, "Why are you annoying the woman? It is a beautiful thing she has done to me. The poor you always have beside you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this perfume on my body she has acted in view of my burial. I tell you truly, wherever this gospel is preached through all the world, men will speak of what she has done in memory of her."
Leaving there, he went away to the territory of Tyre and Sidon. He went into a house and wished no one to know of it, but he could not escape notice; a woman heard of him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, and she came in and fell at his feet read more. (the woman was a pagan, of Syrophoenician birth) begging him to cast the daemon out of her daughter. He said to her, "Let the children be satisfied first of all; it is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs." She answered him, "No, sir, but under the table the dogs do pick up the children's crumbs." He said to her, "Well, go your way; the daemon has left your daughter, since you have said that." So she went home and found the child lying in bed and the daemon gone from her.
Now when he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, lying at table, a woman came up with an alabaster flask of pure nard perfume, which had cost a great sum; the flask she broke and poured the perfume over his head. This angered some of those present. "What was the use of wasting perfume like this? read more. This perfume might have been sold for over three hundred shillings, and the poor might have got that." So they upbraided her. But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why are you annoying her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you always have beside you, and you can be kind to them whenever you want; but you will not always have me. She has done all she could ??she has anticipated the perfuming of my body for burial. I tell you truly, wherever the gospel is preached all over the world, men will speak of what she has done in memory of her."
And I tell you, use mammon, dishonest as it is, to make friends for yourselves, so that when you die they may welcome you to the eternal abodes.
There was a rich man, clad in purple and fine linen, who lived sumptuously every day. Outside his door lay a poor man called Lazarus; he was a mass of ulcers, read more. and fain to eat up the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. (The very dogs used to come and lick his ulcers.) Now it happened that the poor man died, and he was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man died too, and was buried. And as he was being tortured in Hades he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus in his bosom; so he called out, 'Father Abraham, take pity on me, send Lazarus to dip his fingertip in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in these flames.' But Abraham said, 'Remember, my son, you got all the bliss when you were alive, just as Lazarus got the ills of life; he is in comfort now, and you are in anguish. Besides all that, a great gulf yawns between us and you, to keep back those who want to cross from us to you and also those who want to pass from you to us.' Then he said, 'Well, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers; let him bear testimony to them, that they may not come to this place of torture as well.' 'They have got Moses and the prophets,' said Abraham, 'they can listen to them.' 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone only goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced, not even if one rose from the dead."
This took place at Bethany on the opposite side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Once more he came to Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. There was a royal official, whose son was lying ill at Capernaum; when he heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judaea, he went to him and begged him to come down and cure his son, who was at the point of death. read more. Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders, you never will believe." The official said, "Come down, sir, before my boy is dead." Jesus told him, "Go yourself, your son is alive." The man believed what Jesus told him, and started on his journey. And on the road his servants met him with the news that his boy was alive. So he asked them at what hour he had begun to improve; they told him, "Yesterday at one o'clock the fever left him." Then the father realized that it had left him at the very time when Jesus had said to him, "Your son is alive"; and he became a believer with all his household. This was the second Sign which Jesus performed again after leaving Judaea for Galilee.
Once more they tried to arrest him, but he escaped their hands and went across the Jordan, back to the spot where John had baptized at first. There he stayed;
Now there was a man ill, Lazarus of Bethany ??the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (The Mary whose brother Lazarus was ill was the Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair.) read more. so the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill."
so the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." When Jesus heard it, he said, "This illness is not to end in death; the end of it is the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby." read more. [Relocated to follow vs 2] Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus; So, when he heard of the illness, he stayed where he was for two days; then, after that, he said to the disciples, "Let us go back to Judaea." "Rabbi," said the disciples, "the Jews were trying to stone you only the other day; are you going back there?" Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If one walks during the day he does not stumble, for he sees the light of this world: but if one walks during the night he does stumble, for the light is not in him." This he said, then added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; I am going to waken him."
This he said, then added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; I am going to waken him." "Lord," said the disciples, "if he has fallen asleep, he will get better." read more. Jesus, however, had been speaking of his death; but as they imagined he meant natural sleep, he then told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead; and for your sakes I am glad I was not there, that you may believe. Come now, let us go to him." Whereupon Thomas (called 'the Twin') said to his fellow-disciples, "Let us go too, let us die along with him!" Now when Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been buried for four days. [vss
& placed between vss
a number of Jews had gone to condole with Martha and Mary about their brother;
placed between vss
a number of Jews had gone to condole with Martha and Mary about their brother; Then Martha, hearing of the arrival of Jesus, went out to meet him, while Mary sat at home. read more. Said Martha to Jesus, "Had you been here, Lord, my brother would not have died. But now ??well, I know whatever you ask God for, he will grant you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." "I know," said Martha, "he will rise at the resurrection, on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am myself resurrection and life: he who believes in me will live, even if he dies, and no one who lives and believes in me will ever die. You believe that?" "Yes, Lord," she said, "I do believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world" ??28 and with these words she went off to call her sister Mary, telling her secretly, "The Teacher is here, and he is calling for you."
So, on hearing this, Mary rose hurriedly and went to him. & 31] Now as Bethany is not far from Jerusalem, only about two miles away,
Jesus had not entered the village yet, he was still at the spot where Martha had met him. and when the Jews who were condoling with her inside the house noticed her rise hurriedly and go out, they followed her, as they imagined she was going to wail at the tomb. read more. But when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she dropped at his feet, crying, "Had you been here, Lord, my brother would not have died." Now when Jesus saw her wailing and saw the Jews who accompanied her wailing, he chafed in spirit and was disquieted. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. They answered, "Come and see, sir." Jesus burst into tears. Whereupon the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" ??37 though some of them asked, "Could he not have prevented him from dying, when he could open a blind man's eyes?"
Whereupon the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" ??37 though some of them asked, "Could he not have prevented him from dying, when he could open a blind man's eyes?"
This made Jesus chafe afresh, so he went to the tomb; it was a cave with a boulder to close it. Jesus said, "Remove the boulder." "Lord," said Martha, the dead man's sister, "he will be stinking by this time; he has been dead four days."
Jesus said, "Remove the boulder." "Lord," said Martha, the dead man's sister, "he will be stinking by this time; he has been dead four days." "Did I not tell you," said Jesus, "if you will only believe, you shall see the glory of God?" read more. Then they removed the boulder, and Jesus, lifting his eyes to heaven, said, "Father, I thank thee for listening to me. (I knew thou wouldst always listen to me, but I spoke on account of the crowd around, that they might believe thou hast sent me.)" So saying, he exclaimed with a loud cry, "Lazarus, come out!" Out came the dead man, his feet and hands swathed in bandages, and his face tied up with a towel. Jesus said, "Untie him, and let him move."
whereupon the high priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. "Whatever is to be done?" they said. "The fellow is performing a number of Signs. If we let him alone, like this, everybody will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and suppress our holy Place and our nation." read more. But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said, "You know nothing about it ??50 you do not understand it is in your own interests that one man should die for the People, instead of the whole nation being destroyed."
(He did not say this simply of his own accord; he was high priest that year, and his words were a prophecy that Jesus was to die for the nation, and not merely for the nation but to gather into one the scattered children of God.) read more. So from that day their plan was to kill him.
Six days before the festival, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus stayed (whom Jesus had raised from the dead). They gave a supper for him there; Martha waited on him, and Lazarus was among those who reclined at table beside him. read more. Then Mary, taking a pound of expensive perfume, real nard, anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair, till the house was filled with the scent of the perfume.
Then Mary, taking a pound of expensive perfume, real nard, anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair, till the house was filled with the scent of the perfume. One of his disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was to betray him), said, read more. "Why was not this perfume sold for ten pounds, and the money given to the poor?" (Not that he cared for the poor; he said this because he was a thief, and because he carried the money-box and pilfered what was put in.) Then said Jesus, "Let her alone, let her keep what she has for the day of my burial. You have always the poor beside you, but you have not always me." Now the great mass of the Jews learned he was there, and they came not only on account of Jesus but to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. So the high priests planned to kill Lazarus as well,
So the high priests planned to kill Lazarus as well, since it was owing to him that a number of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
since it was owing to him that a number of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
Now the people who were with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead, testified to it; and that was why the crowd went out to meet him, because they heard he had performed this Sign.
As one of his disciples was reclining on his breast ??he was the favourite of Jesus ??24 Peter nodded to him, saying, "Tell us who he means."
As one of his disciples was reclining on his breast ??he was the favourite of Jesus ??24 Peter nodded to him, saying, "Tell us who he means."
he shall drink the wine of God's passion, poured out untempered in the cup of his anger, and shall be tortured with fire and brimstone before the holy angels and before the Lamb:
Morish
Laz'arus
1. Brother of Martha and Mary, and a resident at Bethany. Jesus loved them all, and He spoke of Lazarus as 'our friend.' Very little is recorded of him except the striking fact that he was raised from the dead by the Lord Jesus, which manifested the glory of God and glorified the Son of God. When his sisters made the Lord a supper at Bethany, Lazarus was one of those who sat with Him. He was a living witness of the power of the Son of God over death, and as such he was in danger of being killed by the Jews, on account of many believing on the Lord because of him. Joh 11:1-43; 12:1-17.
2. The poor man in the parable of Luke 16. His circumstances are related
See Verses Found in Dictionary
There was a rich man, clad in purple and fine linen, who lived sumptuously every day. Outside his door lay a poor man called Lazarus; he was a mass of ulcers, read more. and fain to eat up the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. (The very dogs used to come and lick his ulcers.) Now it happened that the poor man died, and he was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man died too, and was buried. And as he was being tortured in Hades he raised his eyes and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus in his bosom; so he called out, 'Father Abraham, take pity on me, send Lazarus to dip his fingertip in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in these flames.' But Abraham said, 'Remember, my son, you got all the bliss when you were alive, just as Lazarus got the ills of life; he is in comfort now, and you are in anguish. Besides all that, a great gulf yawns between us and you, to keep back those who want to cross from us to you and also those who want to pass from you to us.' Then he said, 'Well, father, I beg you to send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers; let him bear testimony to them, that they may not come to this place of torture as well.' 'They have got Moses and the prophets,' said Abraham, 'they can listen to them.' 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone only goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced, not even if one rose from the dead."
Now there was a man ill, Lazarus of Bethany ??the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (The Mary whose brother Lazarus was ill was the Mary who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair.) read more. so the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." When Jesus heard it, he said, "This illness is not to end in death; the end of it is the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby." [Relocated to follow vs 2] Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus; So, when he heard of the illness, he stayed where he was for two days; then, after that, he said to the disciples, "Let us go back to Judaea." "Rabbi," said the disciples, "the Jews were trying to stone you only the other day; are you going back there?" Jesus replied, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If one walks during the day he does not stumble, for he sees the light of this world: but if one walks during the night he does stumble, for the light is not in him." This he said, then added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; I am going to waken him." "Lord," said the disciples, "if he has fallen asleep, he will get better." Jesus, however, had been speaking of his death; but as they imagined he meant natural sleep, he then told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead; and for your sakes I am glad I was not there, that you may believe. Come now, let us go to him." Whereupon Thomas (called 'the Twin') said to his fellow-disciples, "Let us go too, let us die along with him!" Now when Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had been buried for four days. [vss
& placed between vss
a number of Jews had gone to condole with Martha and Mary about their brother; Then Martha, hearing of the arrival of Jesus, went out to meet him, while Mary sat at home. read more. Said Martha to Jesus, "Had you been here, Lord, my brother would not have died. But now ??well, I know whatever you ask God for, he will grant you." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." "I know," said Martha, "he will rise at the resurrection, on the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am myself resurrection and life: he who believes in me will live, even if he dies, and no one who lives and believes in me will ever die. You believe that?" "Yes, Lord," she said, "I do believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world" ??28 and with these words she went off to call her sister Mary, telling her secretly, "The Teacher is here, and he is calling for you."
So, on hearing this, Mary rose hurriedly and went to him. & 31] Now as Bethany is not far from Jerusalem, only about two miles away,
Jesus had not entered the village yet, he was still at the spot where Martha had met him. and when the Jews who were condoling with her inside the house noticed her rise hurriedly and go out, they followed her, as they imagined she was going to wail at the tomb. read more. But when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she dropped at his feet, crying, "Had you been here, Lord, my brother would not have died." Now when Jesus saw her wailing and saw the Jews who accompanied her wailing, he chafed in spirit and was disquieted. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. They answered, "Come and see, sir." Jesus burst into tears. Whereupon the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" ??37 though some of them asked, "Could he not have prevented him from dying, when he could open a blind man's eyes?"
This made Jesus chafe afresh, so he went to the tomb; it was a cave with a boulder to close it. Jesus said, "Remove the boulder." "Lord," said Martha, the dead man's sister, "he will be stinking by this time; he has been dead four days." read more. "Did I not tell you," said Jesus, "if you will only believe, you shall see the glory of God?" Then they removed the boulder, and Jesus, lifting his eyes to heaven, said, "Father, I thank thee for listening to me. (I knew thou wouldst always listen to me, but I spoke on account of the crowd around, that they might believe thou hast sent me.)" So saying, he exclaimed with a loud cry, "Lazarus, come out!"
Six days before the festival, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus stayed (whom Jesus had raised from the dead). They gave a supper for him there; Martha waited on him, and Lazarus was among those who reclined at table beside him. read more. Then Mary, taking a pound of expensive perfume, real nard, anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair, till the house was filled with the scent of the perfume. One of his disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was to betray him), said, "Why was not this perfume sold for ten pounds, and the money given to the poor?" (Not that he cared for the poor; he said this because he was a thief, and because he carried the money-box and pilfered what was put in.) Then said Jesus, "Let her alone, let her keep what she has for the day of my burial. You have always the poor beside you, but you have not always me." Now the great mass of the Jews learned he was there, and they came not only on account of Jesus but to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. So the high priests planned to kill Lazarus as well, since it was owing to him that a number of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus. Next day the great mass of people who had come up for the festival heard that Jesus was entering Jerusalem, and taking palm-branches they went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed be he who comes in the Lord's name, the king of Israel!" And Jesus came across a young ass and seated himself on it; as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion; here is your king coming, seated on an ass's colt. (His disciples did not understand this at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered this had been written of him and had happened to him.) Now the people who were with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead, testified to it;
Smith
Laz'arus
(whom God helps), another form of the Hebrew name Eleazar.
1. Lazarus of Bethany, the brother of Martha and Mary.
Joh 11:1
All that we know of him is derived from the Gospel of St. John, and that records little more than the facts of his death and resurrection. The language of
Joh 11:1
implies that the sisters were the better known. Lazarus is "of Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister Martha." From this and from the order of the three names in
Joh 11:5
we may reasonably infer that Lazarus was the youngest of the family. All the circumstances of John 11 and 12 point to wealth and social position above the average.
2. The name of a poor man in the well-known parable of
Lu 16:19-31
The name of Lazarus has been perpetuated in an institution of the Christian Church. The leper of the Middle Ages appears as a lazzaro. The use of lazaretto and lazarhouse for the leper hospitals then founded in all parts of western Christendom, no less than that of lazaroni for the mendicants of Italian towns, is an indication of the effect of the parable upon the mind of Europe in the Middle Ages, and thence upon its later speech.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Now there was a man ill, Lazarus of Bethany ??the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
Now there was a man ill, Lazarus of Bethany ??the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
[Relocated to follow vs 2] Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus;
Watsons
LAZARUS, brother to Martha and Mary. He dwelt at Bethany with his sisters, near Jerusalem; and the Lord Jesus did him the honour sometimes of lodging at his house when he visited the city. See the account of his resurrection related at large in Joh 11:5, &c.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
[Relocated to follow vs 2] Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus;