Why resurrect Lazarus yet allow others to die, and does this choice raise questions of fairness (John 11:4)? Context and Setting of John 11:4 John 11 recounts the illness, death, and resurrection of Lazarus. When word of Lazarus’s sickness reached Jesus, He responded, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). Although Jesus did not immediately travel to Bethany, He eventually approached Lazarus’s tomb after Lazarus had been dead four days. By speaking a simple command, Jesus restored his friend to life. Many wonder why Jesus intervened so dramatically in this instance yet did not eliminate all suffering or raise every person who had died. Such questions naturally lead to issues of fairness, justice, and the broader purposes of God. 1. Purpose of Lazarus’s Resurrection A Demonstration of Divine Authority Lazarus’s resurrection served as a clear demonstration of the power and authority of Jesus, affirming His identity as the Messiah. Throughout the Gospels, the miracles highlight Him as Lord over nature, sickness, demonic oppression, and even death. In John 11:25, He declares, “I am the resurrection and the life,” emphasizing that resurrection is not merely an event but found in His personhood. A Sign Pointing to the Greater Resurrection By raising Lazarus, Jesus offered a foretaste of the ultimate resurrection promised to all who believe (cf. 1 Corinthians 15:20–22). This miracle underscored the reality that eternal life is found in Christ alone (John 14:6). Scholars who have examined the reliability of the Gospel of John through manuscript evidence (e.g., P52, the John Rylands Fragment from early in the second century) point to its authenticity in preserving eyewitness testimony that underscores the historical reality of Christ’s miracles. Glorification of the Son John 11:4 specifies that Lazarus’s sickness existed “for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” The immediate concern of the text is not merely Lazarus’s well-being but the revelation of the divine nature of Christ, confirming His role as Savior. Historical commentators have noted that testimonies about Lazarus’s resurrection spread rapidly in the region, leading many to believe in Jesus (John 11:45). 2. God’s Sovereign Purposes and Human Mortality The Universality of Death While Lazarus’s resurrection stands out, Scripture teaches that humanity exists under mortality due to sin (Romans 5:12). Suffering and physical death remain part of the current fallen world. Thus, Jesus did not heal or resurrect everyone on every occasion. Biblical accounts, alongside firsthand historical references (such as the Christian apologist Quadratus writing to Emperor Hadrian in the early second century), confirm that many who witnessed or heard of such miracles recognized them as part of God’s plan, not an ongoing elimination of all infirmities here and now. The Timing of Miracles Miracles serve specific divine purposes, often to validate a messenger or to illustrate deeper spiritual truths. In the narrative of Lazarus, the timing allowed Jesus to show that His power extends beyond even a four-day-old death. Elsewhere, as recorded in other Gospel accounts, miracles frequently occurred at critical junctures in Jesus’s ministry. This strategic timing demonstrates that miracles are not random acts but purposeful signs aligned with God’s redemptive plan. Temporary vs. Eternal Lazarus’s physical resurrection was still temporary, as he would eventually die again (John 12:10–11 implies continued human mortality). Such miracles point beyond themselves to the eternal life that begins with faith in Christ. The greater promise is spiritual resurrection and eventual bodily resurrection at the end of the age (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). 3. Fairness, Justice, and Divine Wisdom Scriptural Perspective on Fairness A common question arises: “Why show mercy to one yet not to all?” Scripture consistently affirms the principle that God, in His wisdom, acts with both justice and mercy (Psalm 89:14). Romans 9:14 asks, “What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Certainly not!” God’s ways, while sometimes inscrutable, are ultimately both just and gracious (Isaiah 55:8–9). Future Hope for Believers The temporary separation caused by physical death does not negate the hope of resurrection. Lazarus’s raising is a single episode showing Christ’s authority over death. All who die in Christ will be raised imperishable (1 Corinthians 15:42–44). The difference lies in timing, not in God’s fairness or lack thereof. Refining of Faith The narrative of Lazarus, particularly the anguish of Mary and Martha, highlights how God sometimes allows suffering to refine faith and reveal His glory in deeper ways. John 11:15 records Jesus saying, “I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe.” Although it sounds perplexing, the subsequent miracle expanded the disciples’ understanding of Jesus’s divine power. 4. Lessons and Applications God’s Glory Displayed through Specific Events Acts of divine intervention, such as Lazarus’s resurrection, are historical demonstrations of God’s power. Archaeological evidence of early Christian worship sites near Bethany and textual consistency across early manuscripts affirm that these events were central to the faith of the early believers. They believed in a God of miracles, demonstrated in time and space. Assurance amid Unanswered Questions The Lazarus account encourages those who grieve by showing that the Messiah personally enters sorrow before displaying His might (John 11:33–36). Even when solutions seem delayed, the outcome—whether a miraculous intervention or a hope of eternal life—ultimately rests in God’s perfect plan. Call to Trust and Worship Choosing to trust God’s wisdom amid perceived “unfairness” aligns hearts with His sovereignty. Scripture teaches that God orchestrates events for His glory and our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). Believers thus focus on the eternal perspective, recognizing that the final resurrection promise will address all remaining issues of sorrow and death. 5. Conclusion Jesus’s decision to resurrect Lazarus, while allowing others to die physically, served to reveal His authority as Messiah and to foreshadow the final resurrection. Though momentarily perplexing, this act was neither arbitrary nor unjust; it provided a powerful testament to God’s plan for salvation and eternal life. Such miracles point beyond present suffering to the promised day when death itself will be vanquished (Revelation 21:4). The fairness question finds resolution in trusting the consistent character and ultimate purposes of God, who acts in love and righteousness. John 11:4 stands as a vivid reminder that every divine intervention points to the greater truth: Jesus is indeed the resurrection and the life, and all who place their faith in Him await the fullness of life eternal. |
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