Death, that You may Believe
John 11
Three people in this chapter of John’s book strike
me. These people come from different parts of Judea, but they each see Jesus. Thomas, called Didymus,
Martha, and Caiaphas each meet Jesus. Often what we perceive when we read this
chapter is the story about Jesus bringing Lazarus back to life. They are what
this passage is about, right? Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. In this study
today, I read about three other people.
Jesus had been in Judea, but the Jews threatened Him.
The priests incited the people to stone Him, so He and His disciples left Judea. Interesting how Jesus’ own people,
the Jews, chased Him away, but the study is not about this. At the beginning of
this chapter, we read of Martha, one of His close friends, sending a messenger
to Jesus to say her brother, Lazarus, is deathly ill. Jesus did not act to
prevent His death but understood how to make this a teaching moment for the glory
of God. He waited and continued to teach His disciples. A
little while later, He told the disciples Lazarus had gone to sleep; he had
died. The disciples at first did not understand Jesus meant Lazarus died; they assumed
he had literally fallen asleep. They did not understand why Jesus needed to put
Himself in danger’s way again to wake a man, even if he was a friend. After
Jesus explained to them that He meant Lazarus had died, Jesus told the disciples
He was glad that He did not heal Lazarus, so they
could believe more about
Him. What did Thomas’ say? "Let us also go, that we may die with him,"
says Thomas (vs. 16 NASB). Does this sound like Peter in Chapter 13:37? Thomas,
who doubted, declared he was ready to die with Christ if it meant he
could walk with, learn from, and be counted with Jesus. Jesus had just
explained He is the Light and that with Him the disciples do not stumble. Thomas
was ready to follow Jesus even if he would die. Thomas accepted Jesus is the
Christ, the promised Messiah.
Look further in the story. When Martha learned Jesus was coming, she ran to meet Him and confronted
Him saying Lazarus was dead. In essence, we understand her allegation that
Jesus let her brother die. She said, "Lord, if you had been here, my
brother would not have died” (vs. 21 NASB). Martha did not stop there, though; her
friendship and faith proved
greater than that. Martha said she realized that whatever Jesus asked of God, He would give
to Jesus. She accepted Lazarus would rise again in the resurrection
on the last day (vs. 24). Martha showed her knowledge of prophecy and her
belief that Jesus
is the Christ by this
statement. Jesus told her Lazarus would rise again. He explained to her more clearly
that He is the resurrection and the Life and anyone
who trusted in Him would not die (vs.25-26). Martha believed Jesus is the
Christ, the promised Messiah. Jesus confronted her about her beliefs.
Finally, look farther in the chapter. After what
Jesus did, the Pharisees received reports and feared He would gain even more
followers (vs. 46-47).
The Pharisees and the chief priests sought a way to get rid of Jesus so they could
return to the religion they understood, following the Law. These men did not want Jesus to usurp their role
as the leaders of the Jews. They couched their fears in political talk; the
Romans would come if they could not make this “uprising” by Jesus among the Jews
disappear (vs. 48). How often do we try to find an excuse not to let Jesus
teach and lead us? The Pharisees and priests were unhappy with what Jesus was
saying and doing. They thought of ways to stop Him. Caiaphas, the High Priest, interjected into their conversation, “You know
nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you
that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should
perish" (vs. 49b-50, NASB). The priests probably thought Caiaphas meant it
would be better to kill Jesus than let the unrest He was causing bring the
wrath of the Romans upon them. The Romans slaughtered Jews in the past for such
“unrest.” Caiaphas “did not say this of his own accord”; he spoke under the
influence of the Spirit of God (vs. 51 NASB).
He prophesied of Jesus’ death for the nation and for the scattered children of
God (vs. 51b-52). Caiaphas said Jesus was the one
sacrifice needed for everyone.
Caiaphas’ prophecy stated Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah who has come
to bring the world back to God. His statement was not what the Pharisees and
Chief Priests wanted to receive. From that day on, they looked for a way to kill
Jesus (vs. 53). The Pharisees and Chief Priests wondered if Jesus was the
Christ, but feared trusting and believing in Him. They assumed the prophecies spoke
of a warrior king to be the Messiah.
For each of these persons, Martha, Thomas, and Caiaphas,
Jesus was known as
the Christ, the Messiah sent by God, or they had good reason to discern for themselves
by His works and His teachings that He was the Messiah. Thomas learned while walking
with Jesus that he could trust Jesus and became
willing to die for Him. Thomas wanted to accept
and trust Jesus fully. Later, Thomas said he would believe if he could touch
the scars in Jesus’ hands and side. Martha understood Jesus could heal her brother,
but when Jesus waited until Lazarus died, Martha feared she would not see Lazarus
alive again until resurrection day. Martha grieved her loss. She grasped that
Christ brought life after death in the resurrection. She did not understand Jesus
brought Life now to whoever walked with Him. God glorified Jesus for Martha and
the others to see when Jesus brought Lazarus back to life at that time. People understood
that Jesus is not
only the Son of God, the Messiah, who
takes away the sins of the
world, but that He has power over life and death now. The Pharisees and priests
came to understand gradually, but chose not to accept and receive the Messiah. These
men decided to dispose of Him because of their fear of change, of losing power,
and of the Romans. The Pharisees and chief priests feared these things more
than eternal separation from God. They heard several times Jesus is the Christ,
the Messiah, but hardened their hearts even after hearing directly from God
through Caiaphas. Now, more than in the past, they determined to kill Jesus
because of their fears and because they wanted to walk in their own ways. These
men did not want a God who told them what to do and who usurped their authority
on earth. They just wanted a God to forgive them like the
Jewish sacrificial system provided, which did not require true repentance but only
a sacrifice. They wanted a simple task-oriented way to get into heaven.
What are the issues here? Thomas was a determined
believer. He wanted to accept and trust Jesus is the Son of
God and was
willing to die to be able to believe. Even in his unbelief, Thomas wanted to believe. Martha was a faithful
and learning believer. She trusted what she heard
and experienced about Jesus. Martha was not afraid
to learn more. Jesus taught her something new. He taught her that He has power
over life and death now not just on resurrection day. The Pharisees and priests
were learned unbelievers. They understood God would send a
Messiah and that He would
be victorious in their world. These Jewish leaders did not want to consider that
Jesus is the Messiah because He came from a humble home. Their pride and fear
got in the way of them accepting Jesus as the Messiah. The Pharisees and chief priests
did not want to believe Jesus would rule over them. Death is the issue. Thomas believed
to death but not to life after death. Martha believed to resurrection but not resurrection
now. The Pharisees and priests believed in a future Messiah but not for now. God
gave a prophecy through Caiaphas explaining the Person of Jesus to the Jewish
leaders. The Pharisees and priests could not say they had not heard of this prophecy.
The delivery of this prophecy to the nations showed everyone that Jesus is the
Messiah promised of God.
What is our part? We
have to decide whether to accept the
prophecies of Caiaphas and others. We have to decide whether we will trust now
based on what we have been informed of and learned. We have to decide for ourselves
whether this Jesus is the
Messiah prophesied
and spoken of from the beginning of the world. Do you accept and trust Jesus is
the Son of God, the Messiah who brings healing and forgiveness
to everyone and brings eternal life with Him in His
kingdom? You get to choose who you will be, believer or Pharisee.
Jesus died and rose from the grave as the sacrifice for our sin.
He died…and arose from the grave as the Risen Lord. Do you believe?
