The Torah Network

2 yrs

BIBLE STUDY LESSON 12

SERIES S --- THE SON OF YHVH

LAZARUS IS RAISED FROM THE DEAD

From John 11:1-44

A very serious illness came upon Lazarus of Bethany, brother of Martha and Mary. who had poured expensive perfume on Yeshua’ feet and wiped them with her hair. Immediately the two sisters sent a message to Yeshua. [Your friend Lazarus is sick,] they said. Yeshua loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus, but He lingered two days after receiving the message, explaining to His disciples, [This sickness will not cause Lazarus to die, but will bring glory to Me and to My Father.] At last Yeshua told His disciples, [It is time now to go to Bethany, in Judea.] [But the Jewish leaders tried to stone You only a short time ago,] the disciples argued. [Will You return so soon?] [Each day has twelve hours of daylight,] Yeshua replied. [During the daylight, people walk without stumbling, but at night people do stumble, for they have no light in them.] Then Yeshua told His disciples, [Our friend Lazarus has gone to sleep and I must go to Bethany to wake him.] The disciples thought Yeshua meant that Lazarus was sleeping comfortably which would help him get well. [If he is sleeping well, then he should soon recover,] they remarked. Then Yeshua told them the true meaning of what He had said. [Lazarus is dead!] He announced. [But I did not want to be there, for what is about to happen will help you believe in Me, so let us go to him.] Thomas, sometimes called [the Twin,] sadly told the other disciples, [We will go to Bethany and die with Lazarus.] But by the time they arrived in Bethany, they learned that Lazarus had been buried for four days. Bethany was only about two miles from Jerusalem, so many of the Jewish leaders had come there to comfort Mary and Martha. When Martha learned that Yeshua was approaching Bethany, she ran to meet Him, but Mary remained at home. [Adonai, Lazarus would not have died if You had been here,] she said to Yeshua when she met Him. [But even now I know that YHVH will do whatever You ask.] [Your brother will rise from the dead,] Yeshua told Martha. [Yes, on the Resurrection Day, he will rise,] she responded. [I am the Resurrection and the Life,] Yeshua told Martha. [Every living person who believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?] [Yes, Adonai, I believe that You are the Moshiach, YHVH’s Son, Who is to come into the world,] said Martha. Then she went home and whispered to Mary that Yeshua was coming and had asked to see her. Mary left the house quickly and ran to meet Yeshua. The Jewish leaders who had been at the house to comfort her thought that Mary was running to the tomb to mourn, so they followed her. But Mary ran straight for Yeshua and fell at His feet. [Adonai, if only You had been here, Lazarus would not have died,] she said. Yeshua looked about and saw sorrow everywhere. Mary was weeping and the Jewish leaders were weeping, and this troubled Him much. [Where have you buried him?] Yeshua asked. [Come and see,] they answered. Then Yeshua wept. [See how much Yeshua loved him,] the Jewish leaders remarked. [But why couldn’t a Man who opened the eyes of the blind keep Lazarus from dying?] As Yeshua came to the tomb, a cave with a stone covering the opening, He was deeply moved. [Remove the stone!] He Commanded. Lazarus’ sister Martha was alarmed. [Adonai, he has been buried four days, so he has already started to smell,] she told Yeshua. [Did I not tell you that you would see the glory of YHVH if you would only believe?] Yeshua said. When they removed the stone, Yeshua looked up toward heaven and said, [Father thank You for hearing Me. I know You always hear Me, but I have said this for the sake of the people who stand here with Me, so that they may realize that You have sent Me.] Then Yeshua cried out with a loud voice, [Lazarus, come out of there!] Immediately Lazarus came from the tomb, still bound hand and foot with wrappings, and even his face was covered with a cloth wrapping. [Take off the wrappings and let him go!] Yeshua Commanded.

COMMENTARY

THE FAMILY OF MARY, MARTHA AND LAZARUS

Mary, Martha and Lazarus lived in the village of Bethany. only two miles east of Jerusalem on the Jericho Road. Yeshua knew the family well and often stayed in their home during His visits to Jerusalem for the Jewish feasts. The two sisters and their brother became His close friends and disciples. Even though they did not travel with Yeshua, they were recognized as His followers. Today, a church marks the traditional site of the tomb where Yeshua raised Lazarus from the dead.

MARTHA

Martha was the older of the two sisters. As the mistress of the house, she was in charge of all the household duties. She was in charge of the marketing, the preparation of family meals, and the spinning and weaving. The religious feasts were especially busy days for Martha. When Yeshua came to visit during the Feast of Tabernacles, she was occupied with all the details of preparing dinner for her special guest. Martha wanted everything to be perfect when Yeshua stayed in her house. As a sign of her love for Him, she had prepared an extra-special meal. While Martha was busy in the kitchen, her sister listened at Yeshua’ feet. Martha was irritated because Mary had left her to do all the work just when she needed her help the most. She complained to Yeshua about her sister’s idleness, but His answer surprised Martha. Instead of sending Mary to help in the kitchen, Yeshua spoke soothingly to Martha. Gently He reminded her that food for the soul was more important than food for the body.

MARY

Mary’s way of making Yeshua feel welcome was very different from her sister’s. Unlike Martha, Mary was not concerned with the details of serving dinner. She was so interested in listening to Yeshua that she forgot about helping in the kitchen. While Martha expressed her love for Moshiach through hospitality, Mary chose another way of showing her devotion to Adonai. During the last week of His life, Yeshua was again a guest in Bethany. He was seated with Lazarus and His twelve disciples at the dinner table when Mary disappeared from the room. When she returned, she brought with her an alabaster flask of perfumed oil. She anointed Yeshua’ feet with the costly perfume and wiped them with her hair. While some of the guests frowned on Mary’s impulsive act as a wasteful extravagance, Yeshua accepted it as a tribute of her love.

LAZARUS

Lazarus was the only brother of Mary and Martha. When he became dangerously ill, his sisters sent an urgent message to Yeshua asking Him to come quickly. They knew that Yeshua loved Lazarus as much as they did, and that He had the power to heal their brother. They were terribly grieved when Yeshua did not come in time and Lazarus died. With the help of their neighbours and friends, the sisters prepared Lazarus’ body for the grave. Carefully they wrapped him in strips of linen layered with spices and buried him in a cave sealed with a stone. Four days later, Yeshua arrived in Bethany. Although Yeshua wept with Mary and Martha, He knew that His friend had died so that the glory of YHVH might be displayed. When Yeshua Commanded, [Lazarus, come forth,] he appeared at the entrance to the tomb still bound in his grave clothes.

Comment

Discover Posts

Chris Deweese

The Straight + Narrow - As The Torah Scrolls: Numbers 30