Summary: It may seem odd to read this story without the dramatic conclusion in verses 38-44 where Jesus raises the dead man Lazarus back to life. Verse 44 is graphic: The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to [the mourners], "Unbind him, and let him go." Verses 45-57 indicate that people had mixed reactions to this frightening miracle: it led some to joyful belief in Jesus while it led others to conspire to have him executed. In our weekly lectionary, the story of the raising of Lazarus is a prelude to the events of Holy Week. It is another sign of the Lordship of Jesus, but it's also a revealing story about real people who grieve and cry and become angry because someone they dearly love has died. In all this, there are elements of hope, intimacy with God, and deep faith. When Martha and Mary sent for Jesus to help their sick brother, Jesus did not rush to Bethany to sit at his bedside. In fact, Jesus didn't show up at all while Lazarus was dying. By the time Jesus finally arrived, Lazarus' body had already been buried; and the customary 30-day period of mourning prescribed by Hebrew law was into its fifth day. Why did Jesus arrive late? Why did he allow his dear friends' emotions to be tried to the breaking point? The Gospel of John, the only place we find this story, does not give us a clear answer. What the text does tell us explicitly is that the first sister Jesus met when he finally approached the outskirts of Bethany was Martha. She ran out and greeted Jesus with all the grief and anger and love of a close friend in crisis. She also courageously added a statement of deep faith: "But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask of him." When Jesus told Martha that Lazarus would rise again, Martha responded with more statements of faith. Then Martha ran back and summoned her sister Mary, who had stayed home.
