The Encounter:
Jesus is informed of Lazarus’s sickness and later goes to Bethany. He speaks with Martha and Mary, directing attention to belief in Him and to God’s glory (John 11:4–7, 20–27, 32–37).
The Divine Intervention:
At the tomb, Jesus orders the stone removed. He prays to the Father, stating that He speaks for the sake of the crowd’s belief, and then calls Lazarus to come out (John 11:39–43).
The Immediate Result:
Lazarus comes out, still bound in grave clothes, and Jesus instructs them to unbind him. Many who witnessed it believe in Jesus, while others report the event to the Pharisees, contributing to opposition against Him (John 11:44–46).
This sign reveals Jesus’ divine authority over death and His identity as the giver of life. In the context of the miracle, Jesus declares Himself to be “the resurrection and the life,” showing that life is found in Him and that His works are aimed at revealing God’s glory and producing faith (John 11:4, 25–26, 40–42).
John’s note that Lazarus had been dead four days underscores the impossibility from a human standpoint. In first-century Jewish practice, burial typically occurred quickly, and a sealed tomb and grave clothes highlighted the finality of death—making Lazarus’s return unmistakably a divine act (John 11:17, 38–39, 44).
"Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,” — John 11:25
Answer the questions below. When you choose an option, you will see the result and an explanation.
1. How long had Lazarus been in the tomb by the time Jesus arrived in Bethany?
2. What did Jesus instruct to be done at Lazarus’s tomb before calling Lazarus out?