Topics of discussion included, personalities in the Bible (Mary vs. Martha, Peter vs. John, Doubting Thomas), why Jesus wept, and surprisingly, some preliminary end times discussion.
1Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
3Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.
4When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. John 11: 1-4
We are first introduced to Mary and Martha in Luke 10. Martha is a busy body, while Mary sits at Jesus‘ feet to hear Jesus.
Just to clarify, Mary of Bethany is NOT Mary Magdalene. Bethany is in Judaea (near Jerusalem) while Magdala is in the Galilee. Jesus gets the news of Lazarus’ sickness while in Peraea (beyond the Jordan). Note the parallel between Lazarus’ sickness and the man born blind in John 9, these are so the Son of God may be glorified.
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6 When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was. John 11:6
Note that Jesus waits 2 days. We see the same thing in John 4:40 (staying with the Samaritans) and Luke 10:35 (Good Samaritan (Jesus) gives the innkeeper (believers), two days wages, to take care of the injured man (our neighbours))
40 So when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. John 4:40
35 On the next day he took out two denarii (two days’ wages) and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I return.’ Luke 10:35 Amplified Bible
We know of Peter’s “a day is like a thousand years”, but do you know of Hosea 6: 1-2? of how He will return after the 2nd day?
8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8
1 Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. Hosea 6: 1-3
As I’ve said before, ALL numbers are important in the Bible and have meaning. When you see 2 days, as in the examples above, just think of it as a type and shadow for 2000 years.
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v9 – “Mine time is not yet come”. He has been given a set amount of time determined by the Father, and needs to complete His work
v10 – Jesus is the light of the world. If we walk by Him, we stumbleth not (ie. succeed). Those that walk in darkness without Him, stumbleth (ie. fail)
v11 – Jesus sees death as temporary, something one can be woken up out of. The disciples take it literally and so in v14 Jesus clarifies,
v15 – Ever notice how God always waits for the last minute to make a miracle happen? He could certainly answer prayers immediately, before things get really bad, and save you all the worry and angst, but when you’re so down and out, and know that only He can save you, when that miracle finally comes, that’s what increases your belief (pisteuo = trust) the most.
v 16 – Didymus = twin. Church tradition held that Thomas looked very similar to Jesus. Note Doubting Thomas’ sarcasm here as the reluctant hero… “Well, let’s go also, that we may die with him”
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20Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. John 11:20
In John’s Gospel, Martha is very similar to Peter (busybody, impulsive, cut the servant’s ear), while Mary is similar to John (waiting at Jesus feet, the disciple whom Jesus loved). God loves all sorts of personality types but I believe there’s a special place being still, and waiting on the Lord.
28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. John 11:28
10 But whenever you are invited, go and take the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are dining at the table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14: 10-11 NASB
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25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:25-26
Jesus‘ 5th of 7 I AM statements in John’s gospel. Ted asked about the notion of “soul sleep” and whether believers sleep before going to heaven? Stephen (in Acts) sees Jesus at the right hand of God, as he is being stoned to death, and to think he sleeps before going up to heaven would seem odd. However, there’s 1 Thess 4: 16-17 “And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” It’s quite the topic and definitely requires more Bible study, but one thing to keep in mind, is that time is different (or even nonexistent) outside our realm, so what might seem like tens to hundreds to thousands of years waiting for Jesus‘ return, may seem like an instant to those who’ve passed on.
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35 Jesus wept. John 11:35
There’s different theories as to why Jesus wept. I certainly don’t think it was for Lazarus (v36), as Jesus knew he was going to raise him up. The most prevailing theory, was it shows his humanity, being made a little lower than the angels, he is able to empathize with us. He feels for us, and goes through what we go through.
While this seems valid, and certainly reasonable, there appears to be more to it. Taking v15 and v42 as bookends for the passage, the whole intent here is “that they may believe”. Both Martha and Mary recite the same exact line, “if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died”, indicating unbelief. In v33, Jesus groans in the spirit, with the same Greek wording, used for a snorting horse, implying anger and indignation. The Greek word wept in v35, represents a quiet grief, very different than the Greek word for weeping Mary and the Jews are doing in v33, which is more like a wailing/loud cry. In v37-38, he groans again, when the Jews expess their unbelief. In v39-40, he rebukes Martha again for her unbelief. While not the majority opinion, I truly believe that Jesus wept in v35 because of their unbelief. These people, who were very close to Him, and had seen His miracles, still did not believe, and the same thing bothers Jesus to this day
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47Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
48If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
49And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
50Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
51And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
52And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
53Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. John 11: 49-53
The Thieves from John 10, who seek to steal the common people’s salvation, leading to their death (kill) and destruction (destroy). They know Yahusha (I AM Saves) is doing the works of God, but hide the Truth to preserve their position, Sounds very much like the Elite and World Leaders of today, not to mention a lotof the Religious leaders. We touched on how a pastor from Saskatchewan was offered $50,000 to promote the covid vaccine to his church. He refused, but imagine all the other pastors who kept quiet about this.
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55 And the Jews’ passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.
We are coming up to the 2nd Passover in
Jesus‘ ministry. As we go over the remaining chapters in John, please read up again on the 7 Hebrew feast days of Leviticus 23, as
Jesus will fulfill the 1st 3 in perfect order (and the 4th in Acts), and points to fulfilling the final 3 on His return (a quick hint, I believe it will be 2 days / 2000 years later
)
