Resurrection of Lazarus 

Late on Sunday night, February 26, 30 CE, Jesus was in Philadelphia when he received news that his dear friend Lazarus was critically ill. Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha, sent a message stating, "Lord, he whom you love is very sick." Initially silent and lost in thought, Jesus eventually refocused and instructed the messenger to deliver a response: "This sickness is really not to the death. Doubt not that it may be used to glorify God and exalt the Son." The apostles listened attentively to Jesus' words.

Although Jesus felt compelled to immediately help Lazarus due to his compassion and love for his friend, he contemplated a remarkable notion. He wanted to offer the rulers in Jerusalem a final opportunity to embrace him and his teachings. Jesus conceived a plan that, if aligned with the Father's will, would prove to these leaders that he possessed authority over life and death, extending beyond his reputation as a mere wonder-worker. This plan represented the most extraordinary and unprecedented demonstration of power during his time on earth.

Jesus knew that Lazarus would pass away shortly after the messenger departed for Bethany that Sunday night. He understood that it took about four days for everyone to agree that a person had truly died, as sometimes individuals were mistaken for dead when they were actually in a coma. While some had seemingly revived after two or three days, no one had ever returned after four days due to the onset of physical decay. Based on this reasoning, Jesus and his apostles remained in Philadelphia for two additional days instead of immediately heading to Bethany.

On Wednesday morning, in spite of the apostles’ objections that it was too dangerous, Jesus announced that they were all going to go into Judea, to Bethany. He said to the apostles: "As long as my day lasts, I fear not to enter Judea. 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!"

The apostles thought that he meant, literally, that Lazarus was asleep. But Jesus quickly explained: "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."

Jesus arrived at Bethany on Thursday around noon and was met by Martha, Lazarus’ sister. Lazarus had now been dead since late Sunday night. She was glad to see him, but very upset that it had taken him so long to get there. She lamented to Jesus that if he had only been there sooner, her brother would not have died. But he said to Martha: "Only have faith, Martha, and your brother shall rise again." "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live. In truth, whosoever lives and believes in me shall never really die. Martha, do you believe this?" And Martha said that she did believe.

Around 2:30 on Thursday afternoon, March 2, 30 CE, Jesus stood by Lazarus' tomb and commanded, "Take away the stone." In response to his order, the gathered celestial beings, led by the angel Gabriel, prepared to carry out their Master's instructions. Bringing a human being back to life in their physical body is an intricate undertaking, requiring a significant number of these celestial beings and a much greater coordination of universal resources compared to the resurrection of a mortal in the customary manner after death.

But Martha and Mary were quite concerned about how long Lazarus had been in the tomb. Martha said to Jesus: "Must we roll away the stone? My brother has now been dead for four days, so that by this time the decay of the body has begun." Jesus replied: "Did I not tell you at the first that this sickness was not to the death? Have I not come to fulfill my promise? And after I came to you, did I not say that, if you would only believe, you should see the glory of God? Wherefore do you doubt? How long before you will believe and obey?" So, the stone was rolled away by the apostles and some of the neighbors.

According to Jewish belief, it was thought that a person's soul might remain near the body for a span of two or three days. They also held a belief in an "angel of death" who carried a sword containing a bitter gall, and by the conclusion of the third day, this gall would dissolve the body, prompting the soul to depart permanently. These beliefs influenced the perceptions of those who witnessed the forthcoming event, confirming to them that this was indeed a miraculous instance of raising the dead back to life; moreover, that this resurrection was truly caused by Jesus, who identified himself as "the resurrection and the life."

Jesus stood and prayed: "Father, I am thankful that you heard and granted my request. I know that you always hear me, but because of those who stand here with me, I thus speak with you, that they may believe that you have sent me into the world, and that they may know that you are working with me in that which we are about to do." And when he had prayed, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"

Upon receiving the command from their sovereign, the celestial beings present in the surroundings sprang into action. In a mere twelve seconds, Lazarus started to stir, sitting up at the edge of the stone where he had been placed. Though still enveloped in burial wrappings, Lazarus was clearly alive. Jesus said, "Unbind him and set him free." This sight startled and frightened most of the onlookers, causing them to flee.

Lazarus was confused as to why he was there in the garden. Martha explained to him what had happened since his sickness and death. She told him that he had died on Sunday and here he was alive on Thursday. But Lazarus did not remember any of it. Lazarus went over to Jesus and kneeled at his feet, but Jesus lifted him by the hand and said: "My son, what has happened to you will also be experienced by all who believe this gospel except that they shall be resurrected in a more glorious form. You shall be a living witness of the truth which I spoke – I am the resurrection and the life. But let us all now go into the house and partake of nourishment for these physical bodies."

Unfortunately, this astounding miracle of resurrection from the dead did not have the desired effect on Jesus’ enemies. While most believed, these enemies only hardened their hearts against Jesus.