Jesus raises Lazarus

Lynn McChlery March 26, 2026 1 0

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John 11: 38-44 (NIV-UK)

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 ‘Take away the stone,’ he said.

‘But, Lord,’ said Martha, the sister of the dead man, ‘by this time there is a bad odour, for he has been there four days.’

40 Then Jesus said, ‘Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth round his face.

Jesus said to them, ‘Take off the grave clothes and let him go.’

In John’s Gospel, this incident is the climax of Jesus’ ministry. It’s well worth re-living it in our praying imaginations, savouring the drama, seeing people’s facial expressions, hearing Jesus’ shout, experiencing the horror and shock as well as the joy and wonder. This incident underpins Jesus’ greatest “I am” saying – “I am the resurrection and the life” – with living proof.

And, like a pencil sketch in preparation for a masterpiece, it prefigures Jesus’ own death and resurrection. We recognise the loud shout from the cross, everyone’s assumption that death is the end, the sealed tomb, a stone rolled away, graveclothes, mourning women. Yet the similarities make the differences more notable.

What happened to Lazarus’ body? It’s fascinating that on the opening of the tomb, Jesus’ immediate prayer is “Father, you have heard me.” What has the Father heard? Tom Wright suggests that in the two days of waiting, Jesus has been praying that Lazarus’ corpse will not decay. When there is no stench from the open tomb, Jesus knows his prayer has been answered. There is no need to pray for Lazarus’ return to life: Jesus simply calls him to come out. Yet this is a resuscitation, not a resurrection. Lazarus’ body, unlike Jesus’ resurrected body, is ordinary flesh and will die again.

And what happens to the graveclothes? John highlights that Jesus’ graveclothes were left behind, neatly folded. For Lazarus, the graveclothes came with him. All of us who find new life in Jesus are liberated from the things that smell of death: old beliefs, attitudes and habits. Yet casting these off for Lazarus (and for us) is a process in which we need to help each other. Like Lazarus, I and anyone can experience new life – even people I think are spiritually dead and beyond hope.

Prayer:

Lord, show me where the heavy stones are in my life. What situations do I think can’t be resolved, who do I think is beyond hope? Help me to hear you say, “roll away the stone.” Show me an ordinary thing I can do in faith today, that opens the way for the extraordinary thing that only you can do. Amen.