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 certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and feasted splendidly every day. And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores; read more. and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table: yea, the dogs also came and licked his sores. And the beggar died and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died and was buried: And in hell lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember, that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And besides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulph fixed; so that they who would pass from us to you, cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent. And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded tho' 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 certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and feasted splendidly every day. And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores; read more. and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table: yea, the dogs also came and licked his sores. And the beggar died and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died and was buried: And in hell lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember, that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And besides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulph fixed; so that they who would pass from us to you, cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent. And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded tho' one rose from the dead.
Now one Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha, was sick. (It was that Mary, who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick) Therefore his sisters sent to him, read more. saying, Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick. Jesus hearing it, said, This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. So after he had heard that he was sick, he abode still two days in the place where he was. Then after this he saith to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again. The disciples say to him, Master, the Jews but now sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if any man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. Thus he spake, and after that he saith to them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go to awake him. Then the disciples said, Lord, if he sleep, he will recover. Jesus spake of his death, but they thought he had spoken of the natural rest in sleep. Then said Jesus to them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sake I was not there, that ye may believe: but let us go to him. Then said Thomas, called Didymus, to his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. When Jesus came, he found he had been now four days in the tomb. (Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off.) And many of the Jews were come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him; but Mary sat in the house. Then said Martha to Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know even now, that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith to her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith to him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, tho' he die, yet shall he live; And whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this? She saith to him, Yea, Lord, I believe thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world. Having said this, she went and privately called Mary her sister, saying, The master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard it, she arose quickly and came to him. Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews then who were with her in the house and comforted her, seeing Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, She is going to the tomb, to weep there. When Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned deeply, and troubled himself, And said, Where have ye laid him? They say to him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold, how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this person, who opened the eyes of the blind, have even caused that this man should not have died? Jesus again groaning in himself, cometh to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus saith, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the deceased, saith to him, Lord, by this time he stinketh; for he hath been buried four days. Jesus saith to her, Said I not to thee, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from where the dead lay. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank thee, that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but I spake this, because of the people who stand by, that they may believe thou hast sent me. And having spoken thus, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that had been dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapt about with a napkin. Jesus saith to them, Loose him, and let him go.
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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Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break thro' and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth consume, and where thieves do not break thro' nor steal. read more. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into the outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
And she said, True, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table.
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came to him a woman;
And he being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, of spikenard, very costly; and shaking the box, she poured it on his head.
and the young men laid hold on him. And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.
And having bought fine linen, he took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre, which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone to the door of the sepulchre.
Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance; and say not within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father; for I say to you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
And one of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him. And going into the Pharisee's house, he sat down to table. And behold a woman in the city, who had been a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at table in the Pharisee's house, read more. brought an alabaster box of ointment, And standing at his feet behind him weeping, watered his feet with a shower of tears, and wiped them, with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. But the Pharisee who had invited him, seeing it, spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known, who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him; for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said to him, Simon, I have somewhat to say to thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
And as they went, he entered into a certain village, and a certain woman, named Martha, received him into her house.
who also sitting at the feet of Jesus, heard his discourse. But Martha was incumbered with much serving; and coming to him she said, Lord, dost thou not care, that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore help me. But Jesus answering said to her, Martha, Martha! Thou art careful and hurried about many things: read more. But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken from her.
And he said to them, Ye are they who justify yourselves before men: but God knoweth your hearts: And that which is highly esteemed among men, is an abomination before God.
There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and feasted splendidly every day. And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores; read more. and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table: yea, the dogs also came and licked his sores. And the beggar died and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died and was buried: And in hell lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember, that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And besides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulph fixed; so that they who would pass from us to you, cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:
Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
For I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
For I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent. And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded tho' one rose from the dead.
And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded tho' one rose from the dead.
And as he drew near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and cometh not into condemnation, but is passed from death to life. Verily, verily I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live.
Therefore they sought again to seize him; but he escaped out of their hand. And he went away again beyond Jordan, to the place where John baptized at first, and there he abode.
Now one Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha, was sick.
Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. So after he had heard that he was sick,
Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. So after he had heard that he was sick,
The disciples say to him, Master, the Jews but now sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. read more. But if any man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. Thus he spake, and after that he saith to them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go to awake him.
And many of the Jews were come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
But I know even now, that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Having said this, she went and privately called Mary her sister, saying, The master is come, and calleth for thee.
And he that had been dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapt about with a napkin. Jesus saith to them, Loose him, and let him go. Many therefore of the Jews who were come to Mary, and had seen the things, which Jesus had done, believed on him. read more. But some of them went to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.
But some of them went to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. Then the chief priests and elders assembled a council and said, What do we? read more. For this man doth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans will come and subvert both our place and nation. And one of them, Caiaphas, being the high priest that year, said to them, Ye know nothing, Nor consider, it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. He spake not this of himself, but being high-priest that year, he prophesied, that Jesus should die for the nation: And not for that nation only, but that he might also gather into one all the children of God that were scattered abroad. Therefore from that day, they consulted together to put him to death.
There they made him a supper, and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them who sat at table with him.
There they made him a supper, and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them who sat at table with him.
But the chief priests consulted, how to kill Lazarus also.
But the chief priests consulted, how to kill Lazarus also.
But the chief priests consulted, how to kill Lazarus also. Because, on his account, many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus. read more. The next day, a great multitude who were come to the feast, having heard,
And the people who were with him, when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, bare witness. For this cause also the multitude went to meet him, because they heard, he had done this miracle.
He then, leaning on the breast of Jesus, saith to him, Lord, who is it?
His disciples say to him, Lo now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no parable.
Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but folded up in a place by itself.
And he gave him no inheritance in it, no, not to set his foot on; yet he promised to give it him for a possession, even to his seed after him, when he had no child.
What? Is it judged by you an incredible thing, that God should raise the dead?
let us hold fast our profession, For we have not an high-priest who cannot sympathize with our infirmities, but who was in all points tempted like as we are: yet without sin.
All these died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and embraced them, and confest that they were strangers and sojourners on the earth.
And to the angel of the church at Sardis write, These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars, I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, but art 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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And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.
And Jesus going thence, retired to the coast of Tyre and Sidon. And behold a woman of Canaan, of those coasts, came and cried to him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David: my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. read more. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us. But he answering said, I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answering said, It is not right, to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. And she said, True, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table. And Jesus answering said to her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee as thou wilt. And her daughter was healed from that hour.
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came to him a woman; having an alabaster box of very costly ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at table. read more. But his disciples seeing it, had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. Jesus knowing it, said to them, Why trouble ye the woman? She hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. For in pouring this ointment on my body, she hath done it for my burial. Verily I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, this also which she hath done shall be spoken for a memorial of her.
And he arose and went thence into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. And entring into an house, he would have had no man know it; but he could not be hid. For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, read more. having heard of him, came and fell at his feet, (The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation) and besought him to cast the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said to her, Let the children first be satisfied; for it is not right to take the childrens bread and cast it to the dogs. She answered and said to him, True, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. And he said to her, For this saying, go: the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And going to her house, she found the devil gone out and her daughter lying on the bed.
And he being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, of spikenard, very costly; and shaking the box, she poured it on his head. But there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? read more. For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence and given to the poor. And they murmured at her. But Jesus said, Let her alone: why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor always with you, and when ye will, ye may do them good; but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: she hath before-hand embalmed my body for the burial. Verily I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, what she hath done shall be spoken of also, for a memorial of her.
And I say to you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.
There was a certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and feasted splendidly every day. And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores; read more. and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table: yea, the dogs also came and licked his sores. And the beggar died and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died and was buried: And in hell lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember, that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And besides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulph fixed; so that they who would pass from us to you, cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent. And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded tho' one rose from the dead.
These things were done in Bethabara, beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
So he came again to Cana of Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum. When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to him, and besought him, to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. read more. Jesus said to him, Unless ye see signs and wonders, ye will in no wise believe. The nobleman saith to him, Sir, come down, ere my child die. Jesus saith to him, Go: thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus spake to him, and he went. And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, Thy son liveth. Then he asked of them the hour when he amended. And they said to him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him. So the father knew, it was at the same hour, in which Jesus had said to him, Thy son liveth. And himself believed, and his whole house. This second miracle again Jesus wrought, being come out of Judea into Galilee.
Then the Jews again took up stones to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father;
Therefore they sought again to seize him; but he escaped out of their hand. And he went away again beyond Jordan, to the place where John baptized at first, and there he abode.
Now one Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha, was sick. (It was that Mary, who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick) Therefore his sisters sent to him, read more. saying, Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick.
saying, Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick. Jesus hearing it, said, This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby. read more. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. So after he had heard that he was sick, he abode still two days in the place where he was. Then after this he saith to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again. The disciples say to him, Master, the Jews but now sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if any man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. Thus he spake, and after that he saith to them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go to awake him.
Thus he spake, and after that he saith to them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go to awake him. Then the disciples said, Lord, if he sleep, he will recover. read more. Jesus spake of his death, but they thought he had spoken of the natural rest in sleep. Then said Jesus to them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sake I was not there, that ye may believe: but let us go to him. Then said Thomas, called Didymus, to his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. When Jesus came, he found he had been now four days in the tomb. (Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off.) And many of the Jews were come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
And many of the Jews were come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him; but Mary sat in the house. read more. Then said Martha to Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know even now, that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith to her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith to him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, tho' he die, yet shall he live; And whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this? She saith to him, Yea, Lord, I believe thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world. Having said this, she went and privately called Mary her sister, saying, The master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard it, she arose quickly and came to him. Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews then who were with her in the house and comforted her, seeing Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, She is going to the tomb, to weep there. When Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned deeply, and troubled himself, And said, Where have ye laid him? They say to him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold, how he loved him! And some of them said,
Then said the Jews, Behold, how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this person, who opened the eyes of the blind, have even caused that this man should not have died? read more. Jesus again groaning in himself, cometh to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus saith, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the deceased, saith to him, Lord, by this time he stinketh; for he hath been buried four days.
Jesus saith, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the deceased, saith to him, Lord, by this time he stinketh; for he hath been buried four days. Jesus saith to her, Said I not to thee, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? read more. Then they took away the stone from where the dead lay. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank thee, that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but I spake this, because of the people who stand by, that they may believe thou hast sent me. And having spoken thus, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that had been dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapt about with a napkin. Jesus saith to them, Loose him, and let him go.
Then the chief priests and elders assembled a council and said, What do we? For this man doth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him, and the Romans will come and subvert both our place and nation. read more. And one of them, Caiaphas, being the high priest that year, said to them, Ye know nothing, Nor consider, it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. He spake not this of himself, but being high-priest that year, he prophesied, that Jesus should die for the nation: And not for that nation only, but that he might also gather into one all the children of God that were scattered abroad. Therefore from that day, they consulted together to put him to death.
Then Jesus, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper, and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them who sat at table with him. read more. Then Mary, taking a pound of ointment, of very costly spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Then Mary, taking a pound of ointment, of very costly spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was about to betray him, read more. faith, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the purse, and bare what was put therein. Then Jesus said, Let her alone; against the day of my burial hath she kept this. Ye have the poor always with you: but me ye have not always. Now much people of the Jews knew that he was there, and came not only for the sake of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted, how to kill Lazarus also.
But the chief priests consulted, how to kill Lazarus also. Because, on his account, many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
Because, on his account, many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.
And the people who were with him, when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, bare witness. For this cause also the multitude went to meet him, because they heard, he had done this miracle.
Now there was lying in the bosom of Jesus, one of the disciples whom Jesus loved.
Now there was lying in the bosom of Jesus, one of the disciples whom Jesus loved.
He shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured unmixt into the cup of his indignation, and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone, in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of 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 certain rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and feasted splendidly every day. And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate, full of sores; read more. and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table: yea, the dogs also came and licked his sores. And the beggar died and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died and was buried: And in hell lifting up his eyes, being in torments, he seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember, that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And besides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulph fixed; so that they who would pass from us to you, cannot, neither can they pass to us that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith to him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham; but if one go to them from the dead, they will repent. And he said to him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded tho' one rose from the dead.
Now one Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha, was sick. (It was that Mary, who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick) Therefore his sisters sent to him, read more. saying, Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick. Jesus hearing it, said, This sickness is not to death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. So after he had heard that he was sick, he abode still two days in the place where he was. Then after this he saith to his disciples, Let us go into Judea again. The disciples say to him, Master, the Jews but now sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if any man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because the light is not in him. Thus he spake, and after that he saith to them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go to awake him. Then the disciples said, Lord, if he sleep, he will recover. Jesus spake of his death, but they thought he had spoken of the natural rest in sleep. Then said Jesus to them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sake I was not there, that ye may believe: but let us go to him. Then said Thomas, called Didymus, to his fellow-disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. When Jesus came, he found he had been now four days in the tomb. (Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off.) And many of the Jews were come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him; but Mary sat in the house. Then said Martha to Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know even now, that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith to her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith to him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, tho' he die, yet shall he live; And whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall not die for ever. Believest thou this? She saith to him, Yea, Lord, I believe thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world. Having said this, she went and privately called Mary her sister, saying, The master is come, and calleth for thee. As soon as she heard it, she arose quickly and came to him. Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was at the place where Martha had met him. The Jews then who were with her in the house and comforted her, seeing Mary, that she rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, She is going to the tomb, to weep there. When Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews weeping who came with her, he groaned deeply, and troubled himself, And said, Where have ye laid him? They say to him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold, how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this person, who opened the eyes of the blind, have even caused that this man should not have died? Jesus again groaning in himself, cometh to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus saith, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the deceased, saith to him, Lord, by this time he stinketh; for he hath been buried four days. Jesus saith to her, Said I not to thee, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from where the dead lay. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank thee, that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but I spake this, because of the people who stand by, that they may believe thou hast sent me. And having spoken thus, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
Then Jesus, six days before the passover, came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, who had been dead, whom he had raised from the dead. There they made him a supper, and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them who sat at table with him. read more. Then Mary, taking a pound of ointment, of very costly spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was about to betray him, faith, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the purse, and bare what was put therein. Then Jesus said, Let her alone; against the day of my burial hath she kept this. Ye have the poor always with you: but me ye have not always. Now much people of the Jews knew that he was there, and came not only for the sake of Jesus, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted, how to kill Lazarus also. Because, on his account, many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus. The next day, a great multitude who were come to the feast, having heard, that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, Took branches of palm-trees, and went out to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel. And Jesus having got a young ass, rode thereon, as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Sion; behold thy king cometh, sitting on an asses colt. These things his disciples understood not at first; but when Jesus had been glorified, then they remembered, that these things were written of of him, and that they had done these things to him. And the people who were with him, when he called Lazarus out of the tomb, and raised him from the dead, bare witness.
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.
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Now one Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha, was sick.
Now one Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha, was sick.
Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. So after he had heard that he was sick,
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.
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Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. So after he had heard that he was sick,