Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out.’  

The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth.  (John 11:43-44)

Lazarus is a name taken via the Latin Lazar, derived from the Hebrew ‘Eleazer’, which means ‘God helped’.

Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha.  The family were clearly very good friends, possible even relations of Jesus.  They lived in Bethany, now called El-Azariya (‘place’ of Lazarus), situated on the south eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, and thus a short walk from Jerusalem.

The Bible says little about Lazarus, other than he was the subject of Jesus’ miracle, the most spectacular of all, reviving the dead.  In fact, Jesus brought three people back from the dead.

Luke’s gospel cites two such miracles, the first is the widow’s son in which Jesus encounters the funeral procession at a village called Nain.  Luke explains this was an act of compassion, as the woman has lost her only son, which meant as widow, she had none to protect and care for her.  

(Jesus) came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, ‘young man, I say to you, arise.’ And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. (Luke 7:14-15)

But Jesus does not need to be near a corpse to demonstrate his power over death, but does so in order that all see it is his agency that revives the dead.  A man named Jairus besought Jesus to come with him, as his only daughter was dying.  Jesus is briefly delayed, but fatally so:

While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler’s house came and said, ‘your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher anymore.’  (Luke 8:49)

Nevertheless, Jesus continues to the house of mourning.

And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, ‘do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.’ 

And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, ‘child, arise.’ 

And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. (Luke 8:52-55)

The raising of Lazarus is different to the above because, Jesus does not go to the recently deceased but to a body that is already rotten, moreover, he ensures it will be so.  Even after he received notice that Lazarus was gravely ill:

… the sisters sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ 

But when Jesus heard it, he said, ‘this illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’  (John 11:3-4)

Jesus does leave for Bethany, but only after telling his disciples that Lazarus has indeed died.  

In the middle east, and by Jewish custom, the deceased were interred speedily within the first day.  When he reaches Martha and Mary, their brother has been entombed four days.

 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, ‘take away the stone.’ 

Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, by this time there will be an odour, for he has been dead four days.’ (Ibid 11: 38-39)

Jesus reminded her of what he had said to her earlier.

Jesus said to her, ‘did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?’ (Ibid 11:40)

Stranding outside the tomb, the stone rolled back, Jesus completes the miracle with a prayer of gratitude:

‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.’

When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out.’

The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘unbind him, and let him go.’  

(Ibid 11:41-44)

The timing of this event in respect of Jesus’ own death is crucial as this happens, indeed it the prelude to the cross and his resurrection.  When the news of the raising of Lazarus is the final straw for the Jewish Authorities:

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him,but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Council and said, ‘what are we to do? For this man performs many signs.  If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.’  (Ibid 11:45-48)

They determined to put an end to Jesus and ‘from that day on they made plans to put him to death’ (Ibid 11:53)

The three revival miracles were done to show Jesus for who he is, and thus to glorify God.  Yet not all were moved to believe. Faith was inspired in some, but not all.  

Luke records a parable in which, uniquely, a character is named.  This is an utterly destitute man, Joban in his doleful state.  His name is also Lazarus.

There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side (actually, ‘bosom’).  The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side (also, bosom).  (Luke 16:19-23)

The parable makes is given to emphasise and drive home Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God; that earthly circumstance is not evidence of one’s standing with God, or that those with earthly riches are at peril if they are indifferent to the plight of others; that the law of Moses stands eternal, specifically that wealth must be shared with those in need (Leviticus 26:35); other eternal truths are also demonstrated; that Hades (Sheol) is not a neutral place, but one of judgment and torment and that there is a divide in the afterlife that is irrevocable and unbridgeable.   

But the reason the poor man is named Lazarus – or even named at all – is revealed in a pathetic discussion between the rich man and Abraham conducted across the heavenly void.  Accepting that he cannot be released from hell, he pleads with Abraham to send Lazarus as a messenger to the living:

‘I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house -for I have five brothers – so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 

But Abraham said, ‘they have Moses and the Prophets (the Hebrew Scriptures); let them hear them.’ 

And he said, ‘no, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 

 He said to him, ‘if they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’  (Luke 16:27-31)

Of course, Jesus would raise ‘a’ Lazarus from the dead, and that as prelude another miracle where the stone is rolled away and the tomb emptied – and, of course, many would not believe.  

In the world, seeing is believing, but regarding spiritual sight focussing on the eternal realm, believing is seeing.  Jesus raises Lazarus and is in turn raised from the dead, not merely brought back to life, but to be the first resurrection of a new creation. Thus Lazarus, ‘Eleazer’ one whom ‘God helps’, represent all who believe Jesus. As he says to Martha:

Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’

She said to him, ‘yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.’ (John 11:25-27)