This miracle of raising Lazarus is significant in many ways, one of which is the fact that it ushered Jesus into the height of His fame which eventually led to His death.
(1) We know that God loves the world (3:16); then why would John record that the sisters said, “Lord, the one you love is sick”? How does this point to the special relationship that Jesus had with this family? (See 11:5 as well.)
(2) Jesus pointed out that Lazarus’ sickness was for God’s glory. Is the sickness of believers always for God’s glory? Why or why not?
(3) Jesus purposely tarried for two more days before going to Bethany. What might this delay teach us when our prayers appear not to be answered right away?
(4) The disciples knew that Lazarus was sick. Why then did they object to going back to Judea where Bethany was?
(5) We have learned from 9:5 when Jesus healed the blind man that it was part of His “work” which He must do while on earth, because He said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
a. What in essence was Jesus’ answer (in vv. 9-10) to the objection raised by the disciples?
b. What does the raising of Lazarus from the dead have to do with His answer?
(6) Based on what Jesus said in v. 11 and v. 14, what might the disciples understand about what would happen to Lazarus?
(7) What did Thomas say before they followed Jesus to Judea? Was he responding to Lazarus’ death or to their objection in v.8? Why did he say that?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Jesus’ delay was obviously intentional and He would eventually raise Lazarus from the dead.
a. Can you imagine what Martha and Mary had gone through during those four days of delay?
b. Apart from grieving, what might they think of Jesus’ inaction?
c. Did Jesus lack compassion? Why or why not?
(2) V. 21 appears to be a complaint, but what about v. 22?
a. Did she expect Jesus to raise Lazarus from the dead?
b. Had Jesus raised anyone from the dead so far? (See Mk. 5:22-43; Lk. 7:11-17)
c. If she did expect Jesus to raise Lazarus from the dead, how and why did she respond to Jesus’s promise that “Your brother will rise again”?
d. How will you define her faith?
(3) Was Mary any better? (v. 32)
(4) What does Jesus mean by, “I am the resurrection and the life”?
(5) What then is the meaning of “he who believes in me will live”?
What, in particular, is the meaning of “will live”?
(6) What is meant by “will never die”? (See 3:16)
a. Does it necessarily mean that the believer, like Lazarus, will be resurrected physically in this life?
b. Did Lazarus eventually die physically again?
(7) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) How many times does John mention that Jesus was “moved”?
(2) Look at the context each time John said Jesus was moved: What caused Him to be moved each time?
(3) Why did Jesus weep?
(4) What insight have you gained about the humanness of Jesus?
(5) What did the Jews learn about Jesus from His weeping?
(6) Why then did Jesus feel troubled? (v. 33)
(7) What caused the Jews who were present to be puzzled? (v. 37)
(8) From Martha’s response to the moving of the stone, what does it tell us about Martha’s understanding of the words (or promise) of Jesus?
(9) V. 40 likely refers to the words that Jesus said to the messenger back in v. 4:
a. Was Jesus a bit too harsh on Martha, the grieving sister?
b. What might we learn from this mild rebuke?
(10) Jesus obviously could have raised Lazarus without mentioning the Father:
a. What did Jesus give as the reason for thanking the Father openly?
b. In saying that the Father “has heard Him”, what was Jesus trying to point out?
(11) How did Jesus choose to raise Lazarus?
(12) What might be the significance of His action or method?
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Based on the way that Jesus raised Lazarus, what might those who “put their faith in Him” learn about Jesus?
(2) Why did the Pharisees see the need to call such an “emergency meeting”? (See Note below)
(3) In as much as the Pharisees appeared to put the freedom of worshipping God as a top priority, how did they treat Jesus and why?
(4) Is there a message for us today?
(5) What was Caiaphas’ conclusion of the matter?
(6) How did John interpret his “prophecy”?
(7) What can we learn from John’s perspective about God’s plan in general?
(8) What was the result of the words spoken by Caiaphas?
(9) Why does the Bible tie Caiaphas’ prophecy to his role as the “high priest”?
(10) We are about to enter into the last week of Jesus’ life on earth, and the last Passover He observed. Try to describe the atmosphere in Jerusalem — the people, the religious leaders, the disciples and Jesus respectively.
(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
The Pharisees represented a political establishment that tried to gain favor with the local Roman authority in order to secure peace and the ongoing maintenance of their religious freedom. “Our place” in v. 48 is normally interpreted as referring to the temple.
Now Jesus returned to Bethany, the town fairly close to Jerusalem and where Lazarus was raised. It may be helpful if you can also read the same account from Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9 to deepen your understanding of the incident. All commentators basically agree that the perfume was very expensive and cost about a year’s wages. A woman would definitely cherish such a collection and Jesus remarked in the other gospels that her story should be told and memorialized wherever the gospel is preached.
(1) What was her motive in anointing Jesus with such expensive perfume?
(2) Why did she choose such an occasion?
(3) If “it was intended to be saved for His burial”, why did she pour it out now? What difference did it make to do it now versus doing it later at His burial?
(4) The other gospels indicate that Judas was not alone in his opinion. Honestly, if this jar is worth say US$30,000 today, would you not share the same opinion? Why or why not?
(5) “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me” :
- Our relationship with Him
- Our priority in terms of ministry
(6) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) Why did the crowd want to see Lazarus also?
(2) Why did the chief priests want to kill Lazarus also? Did they not believe that Jesus did raise him from the dead?
(3) Read Zechariah 9:9. Should it not be clear to the disciples that what happened was the fulfillment of this O.T. prophecy? Why didn’t they?
(4) The disciples were slow in their understanding, but can you picture someone riding on a donkey and proclaiming himself as king? Would you believe that he was a king?
(5) Read Psalm 118:25-26. If you were one of the disciples, and saw the crowd’s enthusiasm and the crowning of Jesus with palm branches (just as the people had greeted Simon Maccabee upon his successful insurrection in BC 168), what might you expect would happen next?
(6) What did the Pharisees expect to happen next?
(7) John was the only evangelist who tells us about the visit by the Greeks. Why did he bother to add this little insert into the gospel? What might be the message or implication?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
(1) What was Jesus referring to with the dying of a kernel of wheat?
(2) What will the death of this kernel of wheat produce?
(3) Why did Jesus tie the visit of the Greeks (representing the “nations” beyond Israel) to “His hour” — the death of this kernel of wheat? (perhaps Acts 1:8 might shed light on this issue)
(4) Now Jesus applies His death to us as well:
a. Why will loving of our life mean losing it?
b. Why will hating our life in this world allow us to keep it for eternal life?
(5) With these words, how does Jesus reveal the essence of following Him?
(6) Why was Jesus’ heart troubled? And how did He deal with His troubled heart?
(7) Why did the Father choose to respond to His Son’s prayer at this point, and so openly?
(8) Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine.” How could it not be for His benefit?
(9) Jesus is talking about His death on the cross:
a. What would it do to Satan?
b. How then is it a time of “judgment”?
c. What will be the consequence of His death on the cross?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?