The raising of Lazarus in John 11:38–44 powerfully illustrates Jesus’ declaration that He is “the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25) because it demonstrates His authority over death and His ability to grant life. Here's how this miracle reveals Jesus in that role.
Lazarus had been dead for four days, which, in the cultural and biological understanding of the time, meant his body had already started to decompose. Despite this, Jesus commands Lazarus to rise from the dead. Only someone with power over life and death could perform such a miracle. Jesus shows that He can restore life even when death seems final.
The miracle of Lazarus points forward to Jesus’ own resurrection. Just as Jesus brought Lazarus back to life, He would rise from the dead after His own crucifixion. This miracle serves as a tangible demonstration of the resurrection power Jesus claims to have, validating His future promise of eternal life for believers.
By proclaiming, “I am the resurrection and the life,” Jesus is not just claiming that He can bring people back to life but that He is the very source of life itself. The raising of Lazarus shows that through Jesus, there is not only physical life but also the promise of eternal life.
Jesus tells Martha, Lazarus' sister, “Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). The miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection reinforces that those who believe in Jesus will not experience eternal death, as He can give them everlasting life.
The miracle not only shows Jesus' power over death but also serves as a sign of the eternal life He offers to all who believe in Him.
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