WINDSOR FULL GOSPEL MISSION CHURCH, SMALL GROUP BIBLE DISCUSSION
John 11:17-45, (B) March 7, 2004
I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me . . .
1. What is the significance of the fourth day after death? (v.17)
The Jews believed that the soul of a deceased person might come back to his or her own body within 3 days after death. If the soul had not returned by the fourth day, they gave up hope for resurrection and mourned deeply for the passing of their loved ones.
2. Why did many Jews come to visit Lazarus¡¯ family after the funeral instead of before or at the funeral? (v.19)
Because of the hot weather in the Palestine land, the burial usually takes place on the same day or the day after a person¡¯s death. Moreover, the ancient means of communication could not spread the news of Lazarus¡¯ death fast enough. By the time people received the notification, the burial had already taken place.
3. How different were the two sisters in characters? (v.20, Luke 10:38-42)
In this special family of brother and sisters, Martha was older, and often had to take care of Mary. Thus, Martha often actively took action in response to any situation. On the other hand, Mary was the baby of the family and got well taken care of over the years. Mary was more quiet and passive. She was often occupied with her own thoughts, and deeply involved in meditation. There are several examples in the bible illustration this contrast in Mary and Martha¡¯s characters. In John 11:20, when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Him, but Mary stayed at home. In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus stayed at the home of Martha and Mary. Martha was busy preparing food and lodging for Jesus, while Mary sat at Jesus¡¯ feet listening to His ministry.
4. What did Martha mean when she said to Jesus ¡°if you had been here, my brother would not have died¡±?
Martha blamed Jesus for her bother¡¯s death. She felt disappointed and resentful towards Jesus for the fact that He delayed two more days after He received the news of her brother¡¯s illness. She believed that Jesus could heal, and He had performed numerous miracles upon Jews and gentiles alike. However, He did not extend His healing hands to Lazarus despite of the special loving relationship between them.
5. Why did Jesus come to Martha and Mary after Lazarus¡¯ death?
Jesus had loved Lazarus and his sisters very much, so He wanted to give an extraordinary gift for Lazarus¡¯ family. He had planned to raise Lazarus from death, so the family would gain the faith of life after death.
6. What kind of faith did Martha have in regards to resurrection? (v.24)
Martha based her faith on what she had learned from the doctrines and religious teachings. She believed in end-time resurrection, which was only head knowledge and possessed no power. The death of her brother gave her the opportunity to practice her faith, and experience the power of resurrection.
7. How did Jesus correct Martha¡¯s faith of resurrection? (v.25)
Martha needed to develop Jesus-centered resurrection faith. Jesus is the only life and resurrection. As long you believe in Him, your spirit will not separate from God and suffer eternal condemnation. His power of resurrection can raise you from death at anytime from anywhere.
8. Why was Jesus troubled and deeply moved in spirit in verse 33?
Death is the most difficult problem that all human have to face one day. Jesus was saddened by the inevitable reality of death, which separates the dead from the living. Death had never been part of God¡¯s design, but the work of Satan and our sins has brought us death. Jesus was angry at the Devil¡¯s work and our sins. Jesus empathized with the crowd for their pain of losing someone they had loved, but He was also deeply troubled by their lack of faith in Him.
9. Why did Jesus weep? (v.35, Roman 12:15)
Although Jesus knew that He would soon raise Lazarus from death, He felt the compassion towards others who were in mourning. He was deeply touched by their tears. ¡°Rejoice with those who rejoice, mourn with those who mourn¡± (Roman 12:15). Jesus shared His grief with the crowd through His weeping heart, and comforted them with His silent tears.
10. How did Jesus respond to Martha and Mary differently?
As we discussed early, Martha was strong in spirit and quick in action. Jesus gently challenged Martha for her faith in resurrection. On the other hand, Mary was gentle in spirit and soft in heart. Jesus wept with Mary to comfort her. Although there were no words exchanged between them, but they shared an intimate communication from one heart to the other.
11. Why was Jesus again troubled and deeply moved in spirit in verse 38?
When He arrived at Lazarus¡¯ tomb, Jesus was once again saddened by the cruelty of death. Moreover, Jesus¡¯ heart was deeply troubled for the religious Jews who were surrounding Him. As stated in Hebrews 11:6, it is impossible to please God without faith. The Jews were supposed to be God¡¯s people and obey the Holy Laws, but they had such hardened disbelief in Him. They questioned His identity as the Messiah and His ability to heal. They thought that Lazarus¡¯ sickness was too difficult for Jesus to heal, so He purposely came late to act as a mourning guest.
12. Which part of Lazarus¡¯ body decayed the most on the fourth day after his death? (v.39)
The organs that have the highest demand for oxygen would decay the most after death.
13. How did Jesus pray in order to raise Lazarus from death? (v.41, 42, Mark 11:24, Philippians 4:6)
Before He raised Lazarus from death, Jesus first thanked God Father in His prayer for answering His request. He knew that God had always heard His prayers and believed in His heart that He would receive whatever he asked for in prayers. (Mark 11:24) believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. From Jesus, we learn not to be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with (advanced) thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)
14. Why did Jesus raise Lazarus from death? (v.42)
Jesus raised Lazarus from death for the benefit of people so that they would believe that Jesus had sent by God, and He is the Messiah. Before His own death, Jesus also wanted to give those who He had loved a precious present, the hope and faith of resurrection.
15. How long did it take for the decayed tissues of Lazarus body to regenerate into living tissues?
The transformation of Lazarus¡¯ decayed body tissues into living ones again happened instantaneously. No matter how long our bodies are decomposition, all organs will be regenerated in a flash. When Jesus comes again in air, we will rise right away full of vitality.
16. What had Jesus used to raise Lazarus from death? (John 6:63)
Jesus used a loud voice to command Lazarus to rise up from death and come out of his tomb. Jesus was the flesh of God¡¯s Word (John 1; 14). ¡°In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with god, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made.¡± (John 1:1-3) Word of God has the power of creation. Jesus had also told us in John 6:63 that His words are spirit that gives life.
17. What are the similarities and differences between common medical resuscitation and Lazarus¡¯ miracle?
The similarity between common medical resuscitation and Lazarus¡¯ resurrection is that those who have been brought back to life would be physically dead eventually in their later years. However, common medical resuscitation is very differences from Lazarus¡¯ resurrection in many other ways. The hearts of those who undergo common medical resuscitation only stop beating for a very short period of time (few seconds or few minutes). Their tissues have not yet been dead and started to decay. In Lazarus¡¯s case, he had been dead for three days before his miraculous resurrection. His tissues were completely dead and started to decay.
18. What are the similarities and differences between the resurrection of believers at the second coming of Christ in air and Lazarus rising from death to life again?
The similarity in both cases is that Lazarus and all believers became alive again with a newly regenerated body after being completely dead. However, most believers might have died a lot longer than Lazarus did. Those believers¡¯ body would be much further along the decomposition stages, and become completely skeletonized. The more crucial difference between the two is that Lazarus was raised from death temporarily. He would die again in later years because he was still living in the same physical body. However, after the believers were resurrected at the second coming of Jesus, their mortal bodies will be transformed into immortal spiritual bodies.
19. What faith did Martha and Mary have at the time of their death in the later years?
After witnessing firsthand of their brother¡¯s resurrection, they had more than just the intellectual faith that they had learned from religious doctrines. They had experienced Jesus-centered resurrection faith, which turned into the living hope that they would surely be raised from death at the second coming of Jesus in air.
20. What was the best gift that Jesus had given to Lazarus¡¯ family?
The best gift that Jesus had given them was the opportunity to experience Jesus-centered resurrection faith. As they faced with the death of their loved ones or their own mortality, they would no longer despair. Instead, they would have the peace and comfort knowing for certain that they would wake up one day from their death.
