Do the Word

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25–26)

In the beginning, when God created the world, he made light first and then life. But when human beings sinned, they lost first life and then light: They were swallowed up by death and then descended into darkness. When Christ came, he came as the light of the world to give life to the world.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

As modern Christians, we tend to think of words like “light,” “life,” “glory,” and “grace,” as metaphors which carry generally good news. But scripture has very specific meanings for these words.

We can see this when we read the story of Lazarus being raised from the dead in John 11.

At the beginning of John 11, Jesus was on the other side of the Jordan from Jerusalem (see John 10:40). When Jesus heard that Lazarus of Bethany was ill and had reason to return to the region of Jerusalem to potentially heal him before he died, that meant he would be returning to the place where twice there had been attempts to stone him. If he was to return to Bethany, near Jerusalem, it would likely end in his death.

But Jesus said in John 11:4, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

This trip back to Jerusalem would end not only in the deaths of Lazarus and Jesus, but also the resuscitation of Lazarus and the resurrection of Jesus. Lazarus’ death and return to life would serve as a sign of Jesus’ death and resurrection. This is why Jesus waited two days for Lazarus to die before going to Bethany.

When Martha met Jesus, she complained that if Jesus had come earlier, her brother Lazarus would not have died. When Jesus told her that her brother will rise again, she affirmed her belief in the resurrection of the dead on the last day. But Jesus interjected:

“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25–26)

Because Jesus was completely victorious over death, every person who has ever died, whether good or evil, will be raised from the dead. The good will go on to eternal life and the evil to eternal punishment. Martha knows about this resurrection.

But, here, Jesus tells Martha about two things she does not know regarding life and resurrection.

First, Jesus tells her that he himself is resurrection and life. Second, Jesus also tells Martha that we share in Jesus’ life when we believe in him. This makes us alive in Christ even when we are dead. Because Lazarus believed in Christ, he was present with Christ and sharing his life even as his body was in the grave.

It isn’t that we “go to heaven when we die”. Instead, from the moment we believe in Christ and are baptized into his death and life, we are already alive in him and are with him, wherever he is. At the present time, that place is heaven, where Ephesians says we are presently seated with him. But the present heaven is not the eternal dwelling place of Christ, and it is not ours, either. Our eternal dwelling place is with Christ, wherever he is.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)

For we live by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

We don’t discern whether Christ is present to us based on whether we can experience him through the senses of this body. Even though we are with Christ, we can’t feel it because we live by faith, not by sight.

When we die, the senses of the body will shut down, and we will, happily, see Christ face to face. But heaven is not our eternal resting place. When Jesus returns to judge the earth on the last day, we who have believed and been baptized into him will come with him. And we will be resurrected bodily.

This resurrected body is not just our old body brought back to life. It is a new body of which our old body is just a seed. In our old bodies, our life is inherited from our parents. But, in our new bodies, we will share directly in the life of Christ through the Holy Spirit.

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. (1 Corinthians 15:42–44)

The raising of Lazarus gives us a picture of what this resurrection will look like.

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (John 11:43–44)

At that time, Lazarus was not resurrected. He was restored to life in his old body. But imagine what Lazarus could testify. He could testify that Christ was with him even in death. But scripture does not record Lazarus’ testimony.

We know from scripture that there are certain testimonies which the Lord does not permit to be shared.

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. (2 Corinthians 12:2–4)

And when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write; but I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down.” (Revelation 10:4)

This is why we should not watch Youtube videos or read books about people’s retelling of their experiences after death. Even the apostles were not permitted to share what happened to them after they died.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll, and if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. (Revelation 22:18–19)

Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many signs.” (John 11:47)

John 11 doesn’t end with everybody celebrating Lazarus resurrection and praising Jesus. Instead, it ends with the Sanhedrin meeting and passing a resolution that Jesus should be put to death.

This was not just a plot of a conspiracy. This was a legal decision described by John with legal terms. We see similar decisions and terms used in the Sanhedrin’s processing of the Apostles.

The process was as follows. First, the Sanhedrin meets. Second, they review the evidence. Third, they decide (in the absence of the criminal, whom they cannot yet catch) whether to put the criminal to death.

But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him. (John 11:57)

This is exactly the report that Judas made.

It isn’t that the Sanhedrin made a legal decision to put Jesus to death in the final hours before he went to the cross. They had already made a resolution to do so in John 11. What Jesus’ appearance before the Sanhedrin gave him an opportunity to do was to defend himself, which he opted not to do.

This means that when Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, he already had a warrant for his arrest. It also means that when Jesus came to resurrect Lazarus, he did it as the Good Shepherd, laying down his life for his sheep.

Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the people of Judea. Instead he withdrew to a region near the wilderness, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples. When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover. They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple courts they asked one another, “What do you think? Isn’t he coming to the festival at all?” (John 11:54–56)