John 11 - Introduction

I Am The Resurrection and the Life: The Raising of Lazarus.

This chapter may be seen either as culminating what has gone before, as the seventh of the major signs which reveal Who Jesus is, or as beginning the Passion narrative into which it leads. Indeed it is probably intended to be both. Certainly one purpose of it from John's point of view was to illustrate the earlier statements made by Jesus to the effect that He is the One Who gives spiritual life to men and on the last day will physically raise the dead (see John 5:24). That far off event of the general resurrection is brought home emphatically by what happened here in the raising of Lazarus from the tomb (see especially John 5:28). It is a fitting cap on the ministry of Jesus.

So we may see what is to happen to Lazarus as both the climax of Jesus' ministry before His final days, and as a contribution to the finality of those days. In a sense we may see the first part of the Gospel as reaching a conclusion in the resurrection of a believer which is a clear picture of the coming resurrection which will take place at Jesus Christ's behest, illustrating the success of His ministry. While in the second part, which will close with the resurrection of Jesus Christ Himself as the firstfruits of that coming resurrection, all is concentrated on the preparation for His death and its carrying through, culminating in death's defeat as Jesus is revealed as the Lord of Glory. Alternately we could concentrates on seeing the Passion narrative as sandwiched between two depictions of the resurrection to life. Both emphases are true.

So in the first place we have in this chapter the seventh of the signs specifically brought out by John, closing off the seven signs and culminating the whole, and suggesting that now Jesus has been fully and perfectly revealed. (In contrast the seven ‘I am' sayings cover almost the whole Gospel, so we must not make too great a distinction between he two parts).

The previous signs have been -

· The turning of water into wine illustrating the new truth which He has brought into the world as something which is replacing the old well-loved ritual. (John 2:1).

· The healing at a distance of the court official's son, which reveals the fact that He can work at long range in response to faith and giving life to the dying (John 4:46).

· The healing of the disabled man, which reveals that He can heal a crippled Israel and restore it to wholeness (John 5:2).

· The miraculous feeding of the crowds which reveals the fact that He can feed the souls of men with the bread of life (John 6:1).

· The walking on the water which reveals the fact that He controls and rules over nature, and over all the tempests that beset men (John 6:16).

· The healing of the man blind from birth which reveals the fact that He has come in order to open men's eyes so that they may see. (John 9:1).

Furthermore, as we have seen, each has pointed to Jesus either as Messiah or true Son of God, or indeed as both. And now in this chapter we are to see a culminating sign which is directly related to His Messiahship and Sonship, and which emphasises the fact that He gives eternal life to all who believe in Him, revealing at the same time that He will be the One Who raises the dead in the last day. It is a fitting climax to the whole.

In this passage we also have the next ‘I am' saying. These ‘I am' passages are self-revelatory, and are spread between John 8:12 and John 15:1, thus coming late in His ministry. Their spread should prevent us from too sharply differentiating two sections in the Gospel. John saw his Gospel as one whole. In them Jesus declares :

· ‘I am the bread of life' Who gives life to men and satisfies the hunger and thirst of men's hearts (John 6:35).

· ‘I am the light of the world' so that those who follow Me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life (John 8:12).

· ‘I am the door, by me if any man enter in He will be saved' (John 10:9).

· ‘I am the good shepherd' Who leads His own sheep in and out and gives His life for the sheep (John 10:12).

· ‘I am the resurrection and the life' Who gives life to those who believe in Him, both in he present and in the future (John 11:25).

· ‘I am the way, the truth and the life' through Whom men come to the Father (John 14:6).

· ‘I am the true vine', the root and trunk of the true people of God, by union with Whom they become fruitful (John 15:1).

· And He has also declared that ‘before Abraham was, I am', revealing His eternal existence (John 8:58).

In all this He reveals His uniqueness as the Lord of glory. Note the emphasis in the sayings on life and salvation. He has come as the life-giver and the Saviour. Truly ‘no man ever spoke like this man'.

News Comes About Lazarus (John 11:1).

With this story John leads the way into the Passion narrative. We are given a foretaste of the resurrection. and in consequence of what happens the Sanhedrin semi-officially determine on His death (John 11:47), a verdict linked with the raising of Lazarus (John 11:46), while it is followed immediately by a description of Mary's anointing of Jesus in preparation for His death, also linked with Lazarus (John 12:1). At the same time He is putting the cap on the seven signs of Jesus' Messiahship and Sonship, thus finalising the impact of the life of Jesus during His ministry.