Jesus Receives an Urgent Message from Bethany 

Near the completion of the Perean Tour, late Sunday night, February 26, 30 CE, a runner from Bethany arrived at Philadelphia with a message from Martha and Mary informing Jesus that Lazarus had become seriously ill. The first thought of Jesus was to drop everything and comfort his dear friends. But he stood silent as if accessing information outside of and beyond himself. Looking up, he addressed the messenger and his apostles, stating, “This sickness is really not to the death. Doubt not that it may be used to glorify God and exalt the Son.”

Jesus’ words seem a bit confusing. Lazarus’ sickness was not to the death, yet Lazarus died. Simply stated, his sickness ended in death, yet Jesus adds "not" because his sickness would not end in death. We naturally only think of physical death, but there are other types of death, including spiritual death. When a person completely rejects spiritual growth and is deemed spiritually bankrupt by higher beings, their indwelling spirit is released, marking a final spiritual death even if their body continues to function.

Rather than act on his human impulse to immediately go to the home of Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus, all of whom he deeply loved, Jesus’ divine mind formulated another plan. Although Jesus did not expect there to be much hope to win over the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem, he still loved his people and formulated one unquestionable proof of who he was: he would raise a dead person. He asked for his Father’s consent.

Jesus knew that Lazarus died Sunday afternoon. Jesus waited a few days to travel to Bethany. The Jews believed that after four days, the person was unquestionably dead, as decay was well advanced. In a region with a warm climate, people were buried immediately. In the case of one who was comatose, by the third day, they would have revived. The Jews believed that on the fourth day, the spirit or soul would depart from the body.

On Wednesday morning, Jesus announced that they would go back into Judea, which the apostles vehemently opposed. James said on behalf of the apostles, “Master, you were in Jerusalem a few weeks back, and the leaders sought your death, while the people were minded to stone you. At that time you gave these men their chance to receive the truth, and we will not permit you to go again into Judea.” Jesus replied that he did not fear to enter Judea and said, "I would do one more mighty work for these Jews; I would give them one more chance to believe, even on their own terms – conditions of outward glory and the visible manifestation of the power of the Father and the love of the Son. Besides, do you not realize that our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, and I would go to awake him out of this sleep!”

One of the apostles remarked that if Lazarus had fallen asleep, he would surely recover. Although “fallen asleep” was a familiar expression of death, Jesus this time simply stated, “Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes, even if the others are not thereby saved, that I was not there, to the end that you shall now have new cause to believe in me; and by that which you will witness, you should all be strengthened in preparation for that day when I shall take leave of you and go to the Father.” Thomas told the others, “We have told the Master our fears, but he is determined to go to Bethany. I am satisfied it means the end; they will surely kill him, but if that is the Master’s choice, then let us acquit ourselves like men of courage; let us go also that we may die with him.” In situations demanding intentional and enduring bravery, Thomas consistently served as the cornerstone of the twelve apostles.

A few days later, on Thursday, March 2, 30 CE, Jesus resurrected Lazarus from the dead.