Raising Lazarus from the Dead The Giver of the Resurrected Life St. John tells us the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead which probably occurred on the Saturday preceding the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem. Thus this event took place a short while just before the last week of the life of Jesus on earth. The miracle is not recorded in the other three Gospels; and some explain that this is because Lazarus was still alive when these were written. The belief was that such reporting could have caused him many problems. As for St. John, he wrote his Gospel after Lazarus had passed away. The Evangelist presents the miracle to reveal the person of the Lord Jesus Christ: He is the Resurrection, the Giver of Life; and the Conqueror of death. The Lord was ready to deliver Himself to death and to be buried in a grave; yet He wanted to confirm His authority to lay down as well as raise Himself only when He wanted. The miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead is the last miracle that St. John records; and he gives many details in his account of it. The event takes place in a small village called Bethany or House of suffering or of pain. There was a family that the Lord Jesus loved very much and who lived there. This family opened their hearts as well as their home to the Lord Jesus. They wanted Him to rest there; and they knew how to talk with Him. In the midst of the bitter and dangerous pain caused by death, the two sisters sent Him a message: “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick” [3]. The sisters did not ask for the healing of their brother. Moreover, they did not ask the Lord to leave His service and visit them in their difficult circumstances. Lazarus died and the Lord told His disciples: “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” The Lord called death as a sleep for any person who adhered to the Lord Jesus Christ -to the Resurrection- is not touched by death. Death for such a person is seen as a blessing and a time of rest. Four days after the death of Lazarus, the Lord Jesus Christ came to the Village. Martha met Him and began to reproach Him: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now, I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You” [22]. The Lord assured her that her brother will rise up again. She proclaimed her faith that her brother would rise again at the last day. Therefore the Lord told her: ‘I am the resurrection and the life” [25]. The Lord could not bear to see the tears of the sisters and ‘Jesus wept’ [35]. He sympathizes with us! He is amazing in His love for mankind. He could not bear to see their tears, and He says: “Turn your eyes away from Me, for they have overcome Me” (song of Solomon 6:5). He went to the grave and asked the mourners to roll away the stone that ceiled the grave; so Martha said: “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days!” St. Augustine comments that the raising of Lazarus from the dead is not a source of amazement, but rather a source of joy to us. He explains that it is not surprising that the One who has the power to create people into the world is able to raise the dead, yet what makes us rejoice https://coptic-treasures.com/ is that He grants us the resurrection and blesses us with salvation1. St. Augustine notes that the three other Gospels mention that the Lord raised three people from the dead. He finds that, these miracles carry implications that relate to our salvation: the Lord raised these bodies to indicate the resurrection of our souls. The Lord raised the daughter of one of the rulers of the synagogue. She was lying in her home (Mark 5:41-43)...may everyone be concerned about his soul; for in sin there is death: sin is the death of the soul. Sometimes we commit sin just in our thoughts. You might find pleasure in what is evil and agree to go along. You are mistaken; for this agreement brings you death. However, it is an inner death since evil thoughts have not matured or become transformed into committed acts as yet. The Lord proclaims that He wishes to resurrect such souls to life. He raised this young girl who had not been carried out for burial yet. She lay dead at home. It is as though sin was not apparent till that time in her life. Nevertheless, if you not only embrace a feeling of pleasure in evil thoughts but also engage in evil acts, it can be concluded that the dead one has been carried outside the door. Then you would be carried outside and actually carried to your grave. In spite of that, the Lord still raised such a dead one to life when He restored the youth alive to his widowed mother. Repent when you sin for the Lord will raise you up and restore you to the church who is your mother. The third example of death is that of Lazarus. This is a serious case of death that is particularly marked by sin turned into a habit of committing evil. Falling into sin is one issue, whereas committing sin out if habit is another matter. A person who falls into sin, but promptly submits to reform, rises up to life quickly for he has not fallen into the net of evil habit and has not been laid into the grave so far. However, a person who has submitted to the habit of evil doing is someone who has been buried and of whom this saying is true: ‘there is stench.’ This is because that person is characterized by bad reputation. All such people have become used to commit crimes and have abandoned morality… in spite of that, the power of the Lord Jesus Christ is no less overwhelming and is able to restore life to them. We know and see people, daily, who become transformed and move away from the most evil habits. They become receptive to a kind of better life more than those who blame them… may no one despair or give in2. * Out of all the miraculous deeds done by the Lord Jesus Christ, the raising of Lazarus from the dead occupies a rank of first importance in the preaching of His Word3. St. Augustine 1- Informing the Lord that Lazarus is sick 1- 16 2- The Lord travels towards the home of Lazarus family. 17- 33 3- Raising Lazarus from the dead. 34- 44 4- Effects of raising Lazarus from the dead. 45- 57 1 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate cf. 49:1 2 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate 49:3 3 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate 49:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ 1- Informing the Lord that Lazarus is Sick Now a certain man was sick Lazarus of Bethany, The town of Mary and her sister, Martha. [1] Lazarus: Probably the Hebrew name is ‘Eliazer’ that means ‘Jehovah helps him.’ Bethany: An Aramaic name that means ‘house of misery’ or ‘of suffering.’ It is the name of a village in the south east of Mount Olives- about two miles from Jerusalem. Today, it is known as Elazaria as a reference to the raising of Lazarus from the dead. We read about Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38 etc... that they lived in Galilee. If this is true, then they probably did not change their residence there at that time. It is clear that that home keeper was Martha, the other sister, who hosted her younger sister. St. John mentions Mary first though she is the younger one. The reason could be that Mary was the better known in the early church. She is the one who washed the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ with sweet smelling oil (12:3). Besides, she is the one who chose the ‘good part which will not be taken away from her’ (Luke 10:42). Mary: A Hebrew name that means ‘rebellion’; Martha: The feminine word for the Aramaic word that means ‘educator/lady’ It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil And wiped His feet with her hair, Whose brother Lazarus was sick. [2] * This Mary is not the adulterous woman mentioned in the Gospel of St. Luke (7:37-50); for the one mentioned there is one who had committed many bad deeds. The Mary mentioned here by St. John is an honorable woman steadfast in virtue. She persevered in hospitality to the Lord4. St. John Chrysostom Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying: “Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick.” [3] No prayer could be simpler than this short prayer. It is full of confidence and submission of the matter into hands of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were satisfied to present the case to Him without asking for anything, without requesting the Lord to come to solve the matter and support them. Probably, they did not ask Him to go to them because of what they had heard a little bit earlier (in the previous chapter) how the Jews in Jerusalem had tried to stone Him; and how He had gone beyond the Jordan to disable them from achieving their intentions. Therefore the sisters did not wish to put Him in a dangerous, life threatening situation. At the same time, Lazarus was a friend of the Lord’s and so they were satisfied with informing Him of their brother’s sickness. They were confident that the Lord would definitely do something. The sisters neither mentioned the kind of sickness, nor their relationship to Lazarus who was their brother. They just indicated that he is the one ‘whom You love.’ We know that the 4 Homilies on St John, 62:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Lord loves all mankind; everyone could sense His gentleness, tenderness and love. However, the expression used by the sisters reveals that the Lord Jesus Christ devoted a special loving relationship with the sick. The sisters did not indicate in their message if the sickness was serious. They might have done so to avoid disturbing Him. * Why did they not act as the honorable centurion- He left his sick one and went to the Lord. Why they did not got to Him instead of sending Him a message? They had great trust in the Lord and they had strong family ties. Besides, they were weak women overwhelmed with sorrow5! St. John Chrysosotm * It is enough for you to know, for You are not like those who love and forget. If God did not love sinners, He would not have descended from the heavens to the earth6. St. Augustine When Jesus heard that, He said: “This sickness is not unto death, But for the glory of God, That the Son of God may be glorified through it.” [4] The Lord proclaimed that this death was not a final one in this life. It was a temporary one that was allowed so that God may be glorified through His power to raise the dead. Some scholars consider that the word ‘glorified’ is used her to indicate an act that a person willingly does due to his love and wish to serve others even though it appears to be below his actual rank. This word is often used in this sense throughout St. John’s Gospel. Such acts do not impose obligations on others. This is especially true when the Lord speaks about the crucifixion as the glory of the Son and the Father, where the Son sacrifices Himself to grant the redemption and eternal glory of sinners. Our Savior is eternally driven by His love to work miracles. Often the subject of the raising of Lazarus from the dead is associated with the glory of the Lord’s cross for this miracle anticipate and prepared for His eventual crucifixion. * We appropriately get astonished at the sisters of Lazarus. After they had heard that their brother’s sickness would not end in death. They found him dead. However, they were not shaken when events proved contrary to that. In spite of everything, they hurried to the Lord and did not utter a bad word7. * Notice that the Lord states that the glory due to Him and to His Father is one and the same: ‘for the glory of God’; then Lord goes on to say: ‘that the Son of God may be glorified through Him.’ St. John Chrysostom * Glorifying God does not add anything to the honor due to Him. Yet it adds to our honor, this is clarified by the Lord’s words: ‘not unto death.’ For even that visible death is not death in itself but rather was used to perform a miracle leading people to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. 5 Homilies on St John, 62:1 6 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate 49;5 7 Hom 62. PG 59:369 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Consequently, they would escape from the real death8. St. Augustine ‘Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.’ [5] The reference here is to the Lord’s love for Martha as she is the older sister, then to Mary and Lazarus. The Lord felt comfortable with the family as a whole. Each member felt he had a personal relationship with the Lord who cared and loved them. Each member felt that he had a special place in the Lord’s embrace and love. * If you were to ask: ‘Why did the Evangelist state clearly here that the Lord loved Lazarus?’ Our response would be: ‘So that we may not be disappointed nor abandon the Lord when good men, who are steadfast in virtue and loved by God, get sick9’ St. John Chrysostom * One is sick and two are sorrowful: however, the One who loves them is the Rescuer of the sick. He is even more powerful as He raises the dead and comforts those who mourn10. St. Augustine “So when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.” [6] With the Lord Jesus Christ, there is for everything an appropriate time. It depends on His divine thought and not on our own human timing. At the wedding in Cana, His mother had told Him ‘they have no wine’ (John 2:3). He answered: “My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4). In these circumstances, we would expect that the Lord would hurry and go to Bethany to support His loved ones. However, we find that He remains where He was for two days. He knows the right time for every work. In all the previous miracles, the Lord was concerned with underling His love to all sufferers. Here, He delays as He wishes to underline a certain fact through His love for the whole family. He wanted to confirm that He is ‘the Resurrection’ for the time of His death and resurrection were about to happen. That is why the Lord did not hurry to heal Lazarus of his sickness, and He did not go immediately after his death. Indeed, He let him remain in the tomb until the fourth day and until his body decayed. In this manner, everyone who grants life and resurrection even after the body has decayed. * Why did He stay? So that Lazarus may breathe his last breath and be buried. In that manner, no one could claim that he had not died and that he was just in a deep sleep; or that he had fainted but had not died. For this reason the Lord waited for two days when decay takes place and the sisters would state that there is ‘a stench’ [39]11. St. John Chrysostom 8 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate 49:6 9 Homilies on St John, 62:1 10 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate 49:7 11 Hom 62, PG 59:369 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Then after this, He said to the disciples: “Let us go to Judea again.” [7] By telling His disciples: ‘Let us go to Judea again’ [7], the Lord underlines His mercy even to those who are undeserving. Although Judea was not ready to receive Him, He requests to go another time to those who had rejected Him. The Lord does not cease to offer opportunities to every soul, even though it had rejected Him before, so that it might find pleasure in Him… * Why did the Lord inform His disciples here about His destination. Note that He did not do so in any other instances. They were in great fear, therefore He notified them in advance to avoid confusing them should any surprises occur.12 St. John Chrysostom The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You And are You going there again?” [8] Just a few weeks ago the Jews wanted to stone Him in the temple during the Feast of Dedication (John 10:31). * They advised Him because they wanted to save the Lord from death. Yet, He had come to die in order to save them from death13. St. Augustine * They were concerned about His safety, but they were even more so about themselves. They were not perfect and it was on this account that Thomas was shaken with fear and said: ‘Let us also go, that we may die with Him.’ This was because Thomas was the weakest and had the least faith than the others. Nevertheless, see how the Lord encouraged them by His words: “Are there not twelve hours in the day?” [9]14 St. John Chrysostom Jesus answered: “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any walks in the day, he does not stumble, Because he sees the light of this world.’ [9] Our path is full of stumbling blocks. He who walks in the light does not stumble. However, those who remain in darkness will stumble. He on whom the sun of righteousness shines will be enlightened; and he will soar from glory to glory. Stumbling, blocks will appear trivial to such a person. Indeed these will be the cause of his victory and crown. As for those who follow the lusts of their bodies, the thoughts of the evil world, and the pride in his heart, these will continue to stumble. Moreover, they will present endless excuses. 12 Homilies on St John, 62:1 13 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate 49:8 14 Homilies on St John 62:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ The Lord did not fear death for He is the light before whom the powers of darkness will not be able to stand. In the same manner, all those who stay under His wings will walk fearlessly throughout his days of estrangement. They will walk free of fear, confusion and anxiety. The Jews, like many other nations, used to divide the day from sunrise to sunset into 12 sections or hours that extend or decrease according to the different seasons in the year. The journey from across the sky does not begin at night when man leaves the earth. It begins in the daytime when he is struggling through life; while he is confident that, through the grace of God, he is moving towards his eternity. God granted us the hours of the day as valuable opportunities to work. These are precious when we spend them appropriately, otherwise they become worthless. * The Lord indicates that He is the day. He has chosen 12 disciples and says: If I am the day and you are the hours, do the hours give advice to the day? The hours follow the day and not vice versa. He indicates that He is the spiritual day. May the hours listen to the Day, may they preach in the daytime for you become known and enlightened in the daytime. Through hourly preaching, the world gets to believe in the Day. He has summed it up in His brief words: “Follow Me, if you do not want to stumble” St. Augustine “But if one walks in the night, he stumbles Because the light is not in him.” [10] * The Lord spoke these words to reveal that anyone, who feels here is no evil within him, will not be touched by any fearful matter. Conversely, those who do evil will be caught in it. Therefore we should not be afraid for we are doing nothing that deserves death. Or He could be saying that those who see the light of this world are safe. And if this is truly the case, then how much safer are those who are with Me and as long as they do not isolate themselves from Me?! The Lord encouraged His disciples by these words and added that the purpose of their trip to Judea was necessary for them since they had to go to Bethany and not to Jerusalem [11, 12]15. St. John Chrysostom These things He said, after that He said to them: “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, But I go that I may wake him up.” [11] The Lord calls a believer ‘our friend.’ He did say ‘My friend’ for we have signed a covenant with God by which He has made us not only His friend, but a friend of the whole Church, since He is a member of that Church. The death of Lazarus did not mark the end of the friendship between Lazarus and the Lord and the whole Church. He remains a friend of the Lord and of the whole church throughout all ages. *It is as though He is saying: ‘This time I am going there with a different purpose. I was there earlier in order to discuss and struggle with the Jews. However, I am going this time in order to 15 Homilies on St John, 62:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ raise our friend, Lazarus’16. St. John Chrysostom The Lord speaks about death and calls it ‘sleep.’ Sleep indicates physical rest as it helps restore the energy of the body. Thus a person wakes up to start in new day fully active and energetic. This is true as well in the case of the sleep of death; for a believer, when he goes to sleep, rises up into a new life armed with new potentials in a new world. * Truly, it is not said about saints that they are dead, but rather that they are laying down or resting.17 St. Jerome In the eyes of his sister, Lazarus was dead. However, in the Lord’s eyes, he was sleeping. He is dead in the eyes of mankind who are unable to bring him back to life; whereas the Lord can very easily raise him out of the grave and as though He is simply waking up Lazarus from his sleep. By His power, the Lord speaks with him as with someone who is asleep. Similarly the Holy Bible speaks to others as though they were asleep and who are most probably dead. In that context, the apostles says: “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope’ (1 Thes 4:13). That is why he also speaks about them as those laying down to rest. The Lord had informed them previously about His resurrection. In that manner, all the dead are resting or laying down - whether they are righteous or wicked18. St. Augustine St. Augustine believes that all the dead are more like people asleep. However, some may have happy dreams, while other have nightmares. Or they are like people in a temporary storage area. However, some - like Lazarus, the poor man - enjoying being in his father Abraham’s embrace; while the foolish rich man suffered great thirst and could not find anyone to grant him a drop of water ( Luke 16:19-31) Everyone will be called out to receive according to his deeds19. * You might be disturbed when you would be called a ‘widow’ only because you have lost a good husband. We agree with you that in this world there are few men who are as good as your man. Few are like him: loving, noble, humble, devoted, wise and pure. Indeed, if he were completely destroyed and altogether beyond recovery, then this would be a great catastrophe and the cause of great sadness. However, what actually happened is that your husband has sailed to a quiet harbor and has gone on a journey to God to whom he really belongs. Therefore we should not mourn and instead rejoice. For this death is not death. Rather, it is a kind of migration and a transfer what is bad to what is better: from the earth to the heavens; from living among mankind to being with angels and archangels; even better for we will be with God who is Lord of the angels and archangels. 16 Homilies on St John, 62:1 17 Against Vigiantius, 6 18 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate cf. 49:9 19 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate cf. 49:9, 10 https://coptic-treasures.com/ When your husband lived, he served the emperor and he was surrounded by the dangers of the wicked and their tricks. Now, he has moved into the other world where nothing like it exists. Therefore as much as you are sad that God has taken such a good and honorable person, you need to rejoice that he has gone to a more secure and honorable place and is relieved of all the dangers of the present life. Indeed, he is now safe and enjoying great peace. Surely, we do not need someone to inform us that heaven is much better than the earth. Therefore, why do we mourn when someone departs from this world to go to the other world?! If your husband were one of those who lead shameful lives that displease God, you would be justified to mourn and weep. Indeed, you would be justified to do so even while he was here and alive. However, as much as he is among the friends of God we need to rejoice while he is alive as well as when he departs and lays down to rest. We need to do so as the blessed apostle tells us: ‘having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better’ (Phil 1:23).20 St. John Chrysostom ‘Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.’ [12] Sleep is often a good sign that a sick person is healing. That is true especially when it is a deep sleep. That is why when the Lord said that Lazarus was asleep, the disciples believed that it was no longer necessary for Him to go to Judea in order to heal him. They considered that he had begun to heal through that deep sleep. The disciples could not imagine they had to take a two or three day trip with the Lord and go to an area that had resisted Him just to wake up a friend out of his sleep. ‘However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.’ [13] Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.” [14] *The Lord used the word ‘sleep’ to underline that He rejected boastfulness. Then He added the word ‘dead’ when they did not understand!21 St. John Chrysostom “And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe, nevertheless let us go to him.’[15] When Lazarus died and everyone had lost hope he would awake again, the Lord moved in their direction to proclaim that He is the hope of those who have no hope and that He is the helper of those who have no one to help them. When mankind says: ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, we ourselves are cut off’ (Ezek 37:11); then Lord God says: ‘Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, then you shall know that I am the 20 Letter to a Young Widow, 3 21 Homilies on St John, 62:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people and brought you up from your graves.’ * Why does the Lord say ‘for your sakes’? In order to avoid doubt or suspicious of deception, I am informing you in advance about the death of Lazarus. Do you notice how the disciples were not completely comfortable in their roles and how unaware they were of the power they had? This was due to the great fear that filled their hearts. Besides, they suffered much anxiety and difficulty within themselves. When the Lord said that Lazarus was ‘asleep’, He added ‘I go to wake him up’ as He did not wish to inform them about what He would do actually. The Lord constantly teaches us to avoid vain glory, and useless promises. However, He did that in the case of the centurion when the Lord told him; ‘go and I will heal him’ (Matt 8:7). This was because of the man’s great faith. If someone were to say: ‘how did the disciples think that Lazarus was asleep? How did they not understand that the Lord was speaking about death when He said: “I go that I may wake him up.” It is foolish to understand that the Lord would travel fifteen hundred stadia in order to wake Lazarus up. Our answer is that the disciples believed the Lord was speaking in the mysterious manner which He often used when He spoke to them22. St. John Chrysostom The Lord did not say: ‘Let us go to console his sisters.’ Rather, He said ‘let us go to him.’ This is because death cannot separate the Lord Jesus Christ and His church from a departed one. Everyone would go to Him in love and meet with him as a living member in the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord said ‘let us go’ and not ‘I will go.’ He intends to include the whole church to go with Him and meet with those who have rested in sleep. ‘Then Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples: “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” [16] ‘Thomas’ is the equivalent of the Greek work ‘Didymus’ which means ‘a twin.’ The disciples were annoyed because of his words. It was hard to understand his intention- was he showing courage and therefore a disregard for death? He seemed to agree that they should all go with the Lord Jesus Christ and get exposed to the death awaiting Him. It was as though he were saying, like Ruth “where you die, I will die and there will I be buried” (Ruth 1:17). He preferred to be in the Lord’s company, even if that would cost him death; rather than live and not be in the company of the Lord. Or did he speak in this manner out of fear or as a kind of objection? * The disciples dreaded facing the Jews and Thomas was the most fearful. Therefore he said ‘Let us go that we may die with Him.’ In fact, he was the least determined and the least steadfast in his faith compared to the other disciples. * Some believe that he wanted to die (with the Lord Jesus Christ). Yet that was not the case as the words come from a person who was scared. However, the Lord did not reprimand him but rather supported him. Later on, Thomas became unvanquished and stronger than all the others. The amazing thing is that we see this weak person before the crucifixion took place. After the crucifixion and his belief in the Lord’s resurrection, he becomes more zealous than any other person. Great is the power of the Lord Jesus Christ! 22 Homilies on St John, 62:2 https://coptic-treasures.com/ That same person who dared not go with the Lord to Bethany, is the same one who could not visibly see the Lord and yet traveled alone the whole would to witness for Him. With that mission, he lived among nations where killing was rampart, and where they sought to kill him23. St. John Chrysostom 5. The Lord’s Journey to Lazarus’ family. ‘So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.’ [17] Other evangelists record some of the events that occurred during this journey towards Bethany. For example, the healing of the blind man in Jericho, the meeting with Zacchaeus and his conversion. Although the Lord loved Lazarus and his sisters and was on His way to raise him from the dead, yet, He did not dismiss the needs of others. Where ever He went, He made good deeds. St. Augustine finds that the four days that elapsed with Lazarus in the tomb refer to human stages. The first day is the day Adam and Eve fell and sinned and so death reigned on Adam and all his children. The second day refers to mankind who have broken the natural law and testimony of God. The third day refers to breaking the Law of Moses. The final fourth stage refers to the period when the Gospel is being preached and the Lord Jesus Christ has granted a new resurrected life to those who have died in sin24. The Jews held a belief that the soul continues to roam around the body for three days after death; and that on the fourth day it departs having lost all hope of returning to the body again25. Therefore, on the fourth day all hope for the person to return to the world once is lost. ‘Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away’ [18]. The Lord Jesus Christ had done countless miracles in Galilee. From among all the miracles He did in Jerusalem, St John the Evangelist chooses to recount those with special significance to the people and leaders. For example, he recounts the healing of the paralyzed man at Bethesda who had been infirm for thirty eight (38) years; the healing of the man born blind; and the raising of Lazarus on the fourth day after his death. Bethany is about two miles away from Jerusalem and the Jewish mile is equivalent to four and half kilometers. * The Evangelist intends to mention this to inform us that the village of Bethany is close to Jerusalem. Probably this would explain why so many people had gone there26. St. John Chrysostom 23 Homilies on St John, 62:2 24 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate cf 49:12 25 Leon Morris, p. 409 26 Homilies on St John, 62:2 https://coptic-treasures.com/ ‘And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother.’ [19] According to Jewish tradition, mourning lasted for about one month. The first three days were known as ‘days of mourning’; followed by seven days, known as ‘days of condolences.’ During the days of mourning the members of the house did nothing and would not even return someone’s greeting. However, during the days of condolence they did nothing more than their needs: they slept on bedding laid out on the floor, they did not wear shoes, and neither washed nor used oil on their bodies. They covered their heads but did not read out of their law or Mishnah or Talmud. During the rest of the thirty days, they did not shave, wear white clothes or new ones; neither did they mend any damage in the clothes they wore to the funeral27. The word ‘Jews’ is used in this Gospel to refer to the opponents of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is why some scholars believe that these people, while opposing the Lord, felt the extent of this catastrophe and so came to Martha and Mary. They had not come for a brief visit. Indeed, they intended to stay with the family of the departed one for two or three days. This was observed especially when the departed was the head of the household. * How could they comfort the sisters when they knew that the Lord loved them? Had not the Jews declared that anyone who confessed that this person was the Messiah would be banished from the Sanhedrin? Our answer is: they offered condolences either on account of their loss or because the sisters were respected and were more honorable than others. Or it could be that those who had come were not evil since many of them had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. St. John Chrysostom ‘Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.’ [20] It seems that Martha was eagerly awaiting the Lord’s arrival. She needed Him to comfort her and her sister. Upon hearing that He was on the way to the house, she abandoned all decorum and traditions of mourning as well as the mourners who were visiting her; and hurried to meet the Lord. She left the house as well as the village and met Him outside. As for Mary, she remained in the house- probably her sorrow prevented her from moving quickly; or it could be that she had not heard of the Lord’s arrival. Some scholars believe that Martha was the older one who managed the house (Luke 10:40). * If we were to say: What was Martha’s intention when she left without her sister and went to meet the Lord? Our answer would be: She wanted to speak to Him privately and inform Him of what had taken place. However, when He revealed great hope, she went and called Mary. At that time, Mary was suffering the deepest degrees of sorrow. Do you not see how great her love was? This is the Mary of whom the Lord had said: “Mary has chosen that good part” (Luke 27 Cf. Adam Smith Comm. On John https://coptic-treasures.com/ 10:42) Someone may say: ‘How did Martha appear more fervent than her?’ She might have appeared as such, but she was not actually. For Mary had not yet heard of His arrival. Indeed Martha was weaker; when she had listened to the Lord’s words, she spoke like a child who was learning to walk: ‘Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days’ [39]. In contrast, Mary immediately believed, and did not speak as Martha, although she had not heard the Lord’s words of hope28. St. John Chrysostom ‘Then Martha said to Jesus: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” [21] Martha’s words are the same ones Mary said later on. This indicates that they had not yet fully comprehended the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ. They had not yet realized that He is present everywhere. They believed that His presence could have prevented death from touching their brother. Moreover, they trusted His tenderness and gentleness compassion. Yet, their faith was as a shaking reed which the Lord would support and strengthen rather than break it. “But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” [22] Martha blamed herself and corrected her words with the Lord Jesus Christ. She believed that if the Lord asked of His Father anything -her brother’s resurrection- even though her brother had died- His request would be answered. She dared not ask Him to resurrect her brother. However, she asked for that indirectly and left it up to Him to decide whether to raise Lazarus or not. She believed that if the Lord prayed God for anything, He would get it. However, she did not realize that He was Life and that He possessed life in Himself: what He did was done through His own power for He is One with the Father. * Do you see their heavenly wisdom (Mary and Martha)? Even though their resolve was weak, yet they did not collapse into wailing when they saw the Lord. They did not indulge in excessive sorrowful expressions of mourning, such as we would if we saw a number of our acquaintances entering our home in such a situation. The sisters considered the Lord Jesus Christ to be a Teacher and so they believed in Him. However, they did not comprehend the extent of His sublime honor and power. This is evident in Martha’s words: “I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.” The sisters spoke to the Lord as they would to someone who is steadfast in virtue and therefore all his prayers would be answered29. St. John Chrysostom ‘Jesus said to her: your brother will rise again.”[23] The Lord’s response to Martha reveals deep humility and compassion, for He tells her: “Your brother will rise again’ [23] 28 Homilies on St John, 62:3 29 Homilies on St John, 62;3 https://coptic-treasures.com/ . * In this manner, the Lord dismisses her words ‘whatever you ask’ [22], for He did not say ‘I ask.’ What did He say? “Your brother will rise again.” He could have said: “Woman, you continue to look down below. I do not need help from anyone, for I do everything by my own power.” However, this would have been a serious stumbling block to her. By saying “Your brother will rise again”, the Lord spoke as one who chose to speak in a moderate tone30. St. John Chrysostom ‘Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection the last day” [24] The subject of the resurrection from the dead was deeply rooted in the minds of the Jews. Only the Sadducees rejected it. The holy books that were written after the exile were full of teachings about that subject (2 Kings 7:9, 14, 23, 36; 12:43; 14:46; Eccl 5:1-7, 17; 6:6, 7). Jewish writings such as those by the historian Josephus and other translations speak about that. ‘Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” [25] * By these words, the Lord revealed His authority. He revealed that He did not need anyone to help Him since He Himself is the life. Had He been in need of someone else, how could He have been the resurrection and the life? In spite of that, the Lord implied this in His words rather than declaring it openly31. * He demonstrated that He is the giver of all goodness, and that it is appropriate to ask of Him32. St. John Chrysostom “And whoever lives and believes in Me Shall never die. Do you believe this?”[26] It is as though the Lord was telling her: ‘You say that your brother will arise on the Day of Judgment. Who will raise him up other than Me who grants resurrection and am the source of life? Since I have authority to raise him on the last day, would it be hard for me to raise him now? In this manner, the Lord Jesus Christ opened the door of hope before her. He supported her faith and revealed Himself to her. He is not merely a person. Rather, He is the giver of life and of the whole of existence. Everyone who believes, even though he dies according to the flesh, will arise and fully enjoy fellowship in His glory. He will no longer die after the death of the body; but will appear in a glorified body with the soul. The believer will thus practice the resurrected life forever. The Lord does not say that the believer will not go through the gate we call death. Rather, He states that the life He grants continues through death: Death cannot delete the life that the Lord Jesus 30 Homilies on St John, 62:3 31 Homilies on St John, 62:3 32 Homilies on St John, 62:3 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Christ has granted to us. * Note how the Lord uplifts Martha’s mind. It was not His intention to just raise Lazarus; for He wanted Martha and all those present to learn of this resurrection. That is why He spoke these words before He raise up Lazarus33. St. John Chrysostom The Lord asked Martha “Do you believe this?” It is as though He were asking her to have the kind of faith that defies nature and death. Her answer came with steadfastness and firmness- there was no hesitation and conveyed affirmation. She said to Him, “Yes Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” [27] Martha declared her confession of faith with all due sincerity: “You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world”, [27]. This is the same confession of faith that the apostle Peter declared and for which the Lord praised him (Matt 16:16-17). Her confession of faith includes three main issues: - Jesus is the Messiah, the One the fathers and the prophets awaited. During the 1st century, many of the Jews awaited His coming eagerly. - He is the natural Son of God (Ps 2:7) - He came into the world to form it into His holy church: this would include all peoples and not the Jews only. Since He is the Messiah and Savior of the world and the natural Son of God who had descended to the world to raise it, then He is definitely the life and the Resurrection. * The Lord certainly raised her humble opinion of Him so that she would not consider Him to be just someone in the crowd. She did not call Him Lord unknowingly, for she did so to restore the honor due to Him. She spoke these words to honor Him and this is revealed again in the words she spoke later on. She neither laughed nor joked and had no doubts at any point34. * It seems to us that the woman did not understand the Lord’s words. Even though she realized their gravity, yet she did not fully comprehend them. That is why she gave a different response to the question she had been asked35. * She did not say: ‘Raise my brother.’ Rather, she said: “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” St. John Chrysostom ‘And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called her sister, saying: 33 Homilies on St John, 62:3 34 Hom. 62.PG 59:181 35 Hom 62. PG 59:372 https://coptic-treasures.com/ ‘The Teacher has come, And is calling for you.” [28] Martha did not wait to hear praise on account of her faith. However, she gained new concepts through this meeting with the Lord. In a short while, she had gained a new experience. She then went to call her sister so that she might share the pleasure she had received. The Lord had asked about Mary as she had not come with her sister. Martha called her secretly because she was surrounded by many mourners. Maybe some of them- men or women- were opposed to the Lord and could not tolerate Him. Martha feared her invitation might cause a disturbance that would prevent Mary from coming out quickly to meet with the Lord and enjoy His comforting presence. We make the following observations about her secret conversation with her sister concerning the Lord’s arrival: First: She called Him ‘Teacher’/ Didaskalos. His consolation does not involve more emotions. Rather, He reveals love, tenderness and unique facts of faith. He is able to attract His beloved disciples and friends to divine consolation. Second: ‘He has come’: The One whom we have been awaiting for so long, and whom we often have prayed for His coming. Third: “He is calling for you”: for He has inquired about you by name. This is because He cares for you and seeks your peace and desires to console your heart. ‘As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly And came to Him.’ [29] Upon hearing the Lord’s call from her sister’s lips, ‘she arose quickly and came to Him.’ St. John Chrysostom comments on this noble behavior and credits her for behaving with true philosophy- in other words, with the wisdom that does not seek trivial, unprofitable matters; but rather, that which is truly for her good. On account of her wisdom, she was blessed. Who would imagine that a woman who had lost her brother a few days earlier, and was surrounded by many mourners, who were wailing and weeping, would hurry out at once? Upon hearing about the Lord, she does not wait for Him to come to her and console her? Rather, she ran outside the village to meet the Lord; while the woman around her imagined that she was going to the tomb to weep over her brother! How badly is our need to divert our eyes from the bitterness that enfolds us in the midst of our tears and trials. We need not be concerned about the burdensome mourners who are unable to offer true peace. Indeed, we need to let our inner depths hurry towards the One who comes to us and fills us with His heavenly consolation. Let us truly avoid all formalities, so that we may lift our hearts with the Holy Spirit of God to our Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is the Healer of our souls and bodies. He is the One who grants life and resurrection. He is the Almighty who constantly initiates love. How much does the soul need to depart from the midst of the valley of tears, leave all the problems which destroy her and ignore every human comment. The soul needs to do so in order to get away and move in hope towards the One who alone is able to transform her through His https://coptic-treasures.com/ Holy Spirit, satisfy her, and raise her to everlasting life! The constant preoccupation with our sorrows results in a depression that is far more bitter than actual sorrows themselves. In contrast, meeting with the Lord Jesus Christ grants us the gladness of the resurrected life and its constant rejoicing. * Note, for example, how this woman received her reward through her genuinely wise behavior. When there were all those women sitting around her, when she was weeping and sorrowful; yet she did not wait and expect that the Lord should come to her. Neither did she ask for what seemed to be her right (for sorrowful women are handicapped by this epidemic which is that they exaggerate their condition besides they’re actual misery). As for Martha, she did not behave that way and as soon as she heard, she rose quickly and ran to Him36. St. John Chrysostom ‘Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, But was in the place where Martha met Him.’ [30] With divine wisdom, the Lord Jesus Christ moved exceedingly slowly in order to give Martha the opportunity to hurry and call her sister. He also gives Mary the chance to hurry and come to Him. They would then go together with Him to the tomb where He would transform their sorrow into sublime joy. In the same manner, the Lord seems to be slow in solving our problems although He seeks our happiness. He wishes to give us the opportunity to turn to Him and express our inner most thoughts with living faith and steadfast hope. Then we may hurry to Him to discover His sublime and hidden divine plan for us. * St. John reports that the Lord Jesus Christ ‘had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him.’ He was walking slowly so that no one would think that He was propelling Himself to do a miracle. Rather, He was waiting until they would ask Him for that. St. John Chrysostom ‘Then the Jews who were with her in the house, comforting her, When they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, Followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.” [31] Martha called her sister secretly, informed her that the Lord had asked about her [28], she pulled her away from her weeping and away from the mourners, and made her hurry towards the Lord. In this manner, Mary, by her quiet movements, attracted all those who were with her in the house even though they did not know where they were going. Her love to the Savior, which she demonstrated in a practical way, attracted many to come into contact to see the One who raises the dead. * She did not go alone, but rather attracted the Jews who were in her house. With great wisdom, Mary called her sister secretly to avoid disturbing those who were gathered in her home. She did not indicate the reason for her conversation. Surely they would have returned to their homes had 36 Homilies on St John, 63:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ they overheard. However, now that she went out crying, they followed her. Probably, this would have confirmed the death of Lazarus37. St. John Chrysostom ‘Then, when Mary came where Jesus was and saw Him, She fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, may brother would not have died.” [32] The Lord did not enter the village, or the home of Lazarus and his sisters. He only met the sisters and then went with the crowd to the tomb. He Loves His work, and He had come to go to the tomb where He would fulfill His task without delay. * This Mary was more eager than her sister, Martha. She was neither embarrassed before the crowd, nor of the suspicions which took hold of many concerning the Lord. Many among the mourners were His enemies and these said: “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” However, when the Master came, she banished all deadly thoughts, and resolved with a strong will to honor the Teacher38. St. John Chrysostom 6- Raising Lazarus from the Dead ‘Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping And the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.’ [33] This situation reveals that the Lord Jesus Christ has indeed become a person with human emotions. He empathizes with those suffering and weeps with those weeping: He is a Man of sorrows (Is 53:3). He was never seen laughing, but he was seen weeping in more than one situation . * The Lord said nothing to Mary. He did not utter the words He had said to her sister, Martha due to the big crowd who was present. It was not the time to say anything; yet He revealed His human nature humbly for He did not desire them to imagine that He was more than that. St. John Chrysostom * You may become troubled involuntarily, whereas the Lord Jesus Christ chose to be troubled voluntarily. The Lord Jesus Christ became hungry. However, this is only because He wanted it to be so. He was sad. This is a fact; yet it was as He willed it to be. He has the power to be one or the other; to be moved or to be unmoved. That is because the Word had taken on a soul and body. Therefore He carried in Him the same human nature yet this was united with the holy Word and at one with the Lord, Jesus Christ. In this manner, the Word who possesses sublime 37 Homilies on St John, 63:1 38 Homilies on St John, 63:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ power, uses weakness at His will- therefore He was ‘troubled’39. St. Augustine And He said: “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” [34] * If you were to ask: Why did the Lord ask this question? Our answer would be: He did not wish to make the first move. He wanted to know from them what had happened and to pray Him to make a miracle. This was because He wanted to clear the miracle of all false claims. St. John Chrysostom * The Lord Jesus Christ will come to your tomb. He may find Martha, the woman who offers righteous services and Mary who sincerely holds the word of God. Mary is like the holy church of God that has chosen the good path. They wept and He tenderly shared their grief. When you will die, the Lord will find many weeping, He will say: “Where have you laid her/ him?” In other words: at what point is she/ he condemned? What is her/ his rank among the repentant? I wish to see the one over whom you are weeping, so that I may be moved by his tears. I will find out if he actually has died of sin; then I will treat him with forgiveness. The people tell Him: “Come and see.” What does ‘come’ mean? That the remission of sins may come, may life and resurrection be granted to the departed one... May Your kingdom come to this sinner as well40. St. Ambrose * How amazing! The One who came to raise Lazarus from the dead appears not to know where he had been buried, and He asks “Where have you laid him?” [34]. Many of the fathers correctly comment that God, who knows all things, appears as someone who does not know the place of darkness. Neither does He know evil nor evil ones. Accordingly, when Adam sinned in Paradise, God asked: ‘Where are you? (Gen 3: 9). On judgment day, God will tell the wicked: ‘I do not know you’ (Matt 7:23). In this passage too, the Lord asks “Where have you laid him?” * I do not see you in My light and in the righteousness which I know41. * What does “see” convey? Be patient: for the Lord perceives and is moved. That is why we ask Him to ‘look at our humility and pain and to Him forgive us our sins’ (Matt 9:13)42. St Augustine ‘Jesus wept.’ [35] In the Greek version, the verb ‘wept’, used in this passage, is used in a form that is different to the form used to describe the weeping of Mary when she was surrounded by mourners. Here, it does not convey the loud wailing like them. Rather, it conveys that tears ran 39 St Augustine; On the Gospel of St John, tractate 49:18 40 Concerning Repentance 2:7:54-55 41 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate 49:20 42 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate 49:20 https://coptic-treasures.com/ down His face. It is just a practical testimony to His deep feelings before the crowds; conveys how He shared the pain of the sorrowful who had not yet learned how to deal with death. The crowds saw in the Lord’s tears a living testimony of how much the loved Lazarus [36]. St. John Chrysostom observes that every thing the Lord did was intended, by His divine wisdom, so that the crowds would benefit as a result of the miracle. On the one hand, he did not tell Mary, who was surrounded by the crowds, what He had told Martha when He met her alone earlier. He had spoken then about raising Lazarus. The crowds heard Him - many of them were hostile towards Him- they would have left and returned to Jerusalem and would have missed the resurrection of Lazarus. On the other hand, He confirmed His humanity in these moments so that the crowds would not resent any words regarding His divinity. He wept silently. He was troubled and then took a deep breath as someone trying to control His agitation. He asked about the spot where the tomb was…. All this aroused questions in the mind of the Jews. They wished to know what He would do without resenting Him. * What did the Lord Jesus Christ do? He did not enter into any form of dialogue with Mary at that time. He did not tell her what He had said to her sister as it was not convenient as there was a crowd. All His acts were measured and done with great humility in order to confirm His human nature. He wept silently and delayed the miracle at that time. It was going to be a great miracle and He was about to make a serious act that would lead many to believe. He did not want to do in the absence of the crowds for then they would find it hard to believe. They would stumble and not benefit by its greatness. He acted in a manner that would not make Him lose His catch. Therefore, He provided many proofs to testify to His humility and confirm His humanity. He wept and was troubled. Normally, sorrow arouses feelings and when He groaned in the spirit- in other words, He controlled His agitation and asked: “Where have you laid him?”[34]43 St. John Chrysostom * The Lord wept for Lazarus whom He would raise from the dead. He undoubtedly set an example to be like Him and to weep over our dead ones. It is true that He did not give us a commandment to do so; besides we have been granted the faith that they would rise up again to eternal life. In the Book of Wisdom, we are told to weep over the dead as one would who has suffered from great harm. However, we are then advised to be comforted as sorrow may lead to death and a sad heart may deplete strength (Sirach 38: 16- 19)44. St Augustine * To reveal that He has true human feelings, the Lord mourned for the one whom He would raise from the dead45. St. Jerome ‘Then the Jews said: “See how He loved him!”[36] When the Jews saw the tears of the Lord, they said: “See how He loved Him.”[36]. We too, when we see His Blood dripping from His body on the cross, we worship Him and say: “See 43 Homilies on St John, 63:1 44 Letters, 263 45 Letter 60:7 https://coptic-treasures.com/ how He loves us!” * Do you notice how the Lord showed no sign that He would raise Lazarus? He went, not as someone who would raise Lazarus, but rather as one who would mourn over him. That is how the Jews thought that the Lord was going in order to mourn and not to raise him. This is apparent from their words: “See how He loved him” [36]. St. John Chrysostom ‘And some said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” [37] In their ignorance, they imagined that the Lord’s tears indicated disability and incapacity to act. They did not realize that these were tears of love and compassion. Besides, just healing him, they could not understand that He could still raise Lazarus from the dead even after his body had decayed. * The Jews in this passage admit that the Lord had opened the blind man’s eyes. However, they denied His power to bring Lazarus back to life. St. John Chrysostom ‘Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, Came to the tomb. It was a cave And a stone lay against it.’ [38] It should not be understood that when the Lord was troubled He had lost His inner peace. Just as He had descended to take the form of man and live among us as a full and real human being, He voluntarily allowed Himself to feel agitated in order to empathize with the troubled and consequently carry them into His divine peace. Jesus said: “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him: “Lord, by this time there is stench, For he has been dead four days” [39] The Lord ordered them to lift the stone so that all the bystanders would see the dead body lying in the grave. They would also smell the door and so be assured that he had decayed. Then when Lazarus would walk out of the grave, they would not imagine him to be a phantom but that it was his body indeed. Martha’s objection probably came after they had started moving the stone and she had smelled the odor. *Why did the Lord not call Lazarus while He was farther away from the tomb, and then bring him afterwards before their eyes? Or rather, why did the Lord not raise Lazarus while the stone https://coptic-treasures.com/ still sealed the tomb? The Lord is He who can, with His words, move the body and reveal it in full life once more. Would it have been too hard for Him to roll the stone just with His word? The One who has the power, with His words, to make him, who was bound and wrapped in grave clothes, to walk… would it have been hard for Him to make the stone move? So why did He not do so? In order to make them witnesses of the miracle. Consequently, they would be unable to repeat what they said concerning the miracle of the man born blind: “It is he”; “It is not he.” Now their hands and their presence at the grave are truly a witness that this is the person who had died. If they had not come, it would have appeared as a vision or that this was a person replacing the other one. Now, they had come to the spot, raised the stone and had heard the command to untie the dead who was bound in grave clothes. The dear ones who had carried him to the tomb knew from the grave clothes who this was. The sisters did not stay behind (away from the crowds), and one of them said: “There is a stench, for he has been dead four days” [39]. We believe that all these matters were sufficient to silence those with wicked tendencies for they had become witnesses of the miracle46. St. John Chrysostom * The Lord will come and order that the stone which has fallen on the sinner’s shoulders be lifted away. He could have moved the stone with a single order; for even mute nature wishes to obey the Lord’s orders. He could have moved away the stone covering the tomb by the power of His silent work. Remember that at the peak of His sufferings many stones moved from over the tombs of the dead and suddenly they became opened. However, He ordered the men to remove the stone from over the tomb of Lazarus so that unbelievers would believe what they saw as they watched the dead man raised up. Besides, this miracle carries a symbol that grants us the power to alleviate the burden of sin and the heavy pressure it exerts on the culprit. We have to do our share in moving the burdens, while He resurrects and delivers from the graves those who liberate themselves of their bonds47. St. Ambrose * The statement: “He has been dead four days” truly refers to a condition of the soul that progressively occurs over four stages: First state: as though a lustful provocation within the heart. Second: acceptance Third: transforming it into an act. Fourth: transformation into a habit. Some people shake off wicked matters and cast them out of their mind as though they found no pleasure in them. Others find pleasure even though they do not find them acceptable. In this case death does not set in, yet it institutes a certain beginning. Besides the sense of pleasure, there is an added sense of compliance. Condemnation of the person instantly occurs then. 46 Homilies on St John, 63:2 47 Concerning Repentance, Book 2:7:56 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Have complied, the sense of agreement progresses and gets transformed into apparent deed. And deeds get transformed into habits. This leads to a kind of frustration to the extent of being described as “having a stench for he has been dead four days.” That is why the Lord came and with Him all things are feasible. In this case, however, there seemed to be a problem. He was troubled in the spirit and revealed the need for great and loud objection in order to resurrect those who had become cruel out of habit. Yet, at the Lord’s cry the bonds of necessity exploded. The forces of hell were terrified and Lazarus returned to life once more. Truly, the Lord rescues even the one who had been dead four days and saves him from wicked habits. Only to the Lord does he appear to be asleep; and he is the one the Lord desires to resurrect48. St. Augustine * Even if you were lying in your grave, the Lord raises you up, even though your body has decayed!49 St. Jerome The Scholar Origen believes that when the Lord Jesus Christ issued the order to “take away the stone”, Martha delayed the execution by her words: “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days” [39]. After that, they lifted it away. These moments- between the order and the delay, convey a sort of lack of faith. The words: ‘…if you would believe you would see the glory of God’ were not fulfilled. Moments of delay are moments of lack of faith and rebellion . * We need to believe that the period of delay in executing a command constitutes a time of rebellion for the person who executes the command later on… Therefore, we need to remember the words: “Come back to the Lord quickly. Don’t think you can keep putting it off” (Sirach 5:7); and the saying: ‘Do not say to your neighbor, go and come back and tomorrow I will give it, when you have it with you’ (Pro 3:28). We have to consider that Martha was guilty and that the words ‘Then they took the stone from the place’ were added later on. These should have been written immediately after the words: ‘Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”50 Origen the Scholar * The Lord said: “Take away the stone” [39]. Take away the burden of the law and preach grace: “for if there had been a law given which could have given life truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe” (Gal 3:21-22). Hence ‘take away the stone’51. St. Augustine ‘Jesus said to her: “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”[40] 48 Sermon on NT Lessons, 48:6 49 Letter 147:9 50 Commentary on John, Book 28:19 -22 51 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate 49:22 https://coptic-treasures.com/ * Truly, faith is a great blessing! It works great deeds for those who adhere to truth as they enjoy many blessings. Through faith, people can perform acts in the name of God. The Lord Jesus Christ aptly said: “ if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, move from here to there, and it will move” (Matt 17:20). Again, He says: .”.. he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also, and greater works than these...” (John 14:12). What does the Lord mean by “greater works than these? The reference is to the deeds done by the disciples, such as the mere shadow of Peter that raised a dead man. In this respect, it revealed more effectively the Lord’s power. It is less astonishing that while He was alive the Lord did miracles than that after His death others could- in His name- do greater works than His. This is an irresistible proof of the resurrection. For people to believe in the resurrection because they had seen in happening is one thing- even though some could claim it is a vision. It is another matter to see miracles happen by merely calling the Lord’s name - that is greater than His deeds when He lived among men. It is impossible to disbelieve in such a case, unless a person is devoid of feelings. Hence faith is a great blessing when it is the product of sensitive feelings, great love and a fervent soul. Indeed, faith makes us wise. It hides our human debasement and discards our excuses. It lends us philosophy (or wisdom) concerning heavenly matters. In other words, it explains the matters which human wisdom cannot discover. Faith can fully and successfully comprehend heavenly matters. Therefore, let us adhere with faith and lets us cease depending on presenting excuses for ourselves52. St. John Chrysostom ‘Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said: “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” [41] These are awesome moments, when the stone is moved away and the body is revealed as the terrible stench fills the air. At the same time, the Lord is standing there and addressing the Father, thanking Him for answering. On the one hand, the Lord is confirming His relationship with the Father. In this manner, He confirms His divinity to those present; not that He is Beelzebub, head of devils, who exorcised devils according to the claims of some leaders. On the other hands, He was setting an example to the by- standers. * Once more and as always, we comment that the Lord did not seek own to be honored as much as He desired our salvation. He was not concerned with presenting sublime heavenly statements. Rather, He sought to say what would attract us to Him. This explains why His sublime powerful statements where scarce and indirect in contrast to His many humble, lengthy sayings and discourses. He did not utter sublime divine statements to ensure that this would not be a stumbling block or destructive to those who would come after Him. However, the Lord did not refrain completely from uttering such statements completely so that those living in His time would not stumble too. Indeed, those who crossover from debasement to perfection could benefit from sublime individual teachings to become fully knowledgeable. As for those with weak minds, if 52 Homilies on St John, 63:3 https://coptic-treasures.com/ they could not constantly hear words uttered at a lower level, they would not ever come to the Lord. In fact, after the Lord had spoken sublime words such as these, the Jews wanted to stone, persecute, and kill Him for they considered Him guilty of blasphemy… when He equated Himself to God, they said: “This Man blasphemes!” (Matt 9:3). And when the Lord said: “your sins are forgiven” (10:20), they called Him a demon. When He preached that anyone who hears His words becomes stronger than death (John 8:51) and that “the Father is in Me and I in Him” (John 10:38) they abandoned Him. On another occasion, they resisted Him when He said that He had come down from heaven (John 6:33, 60) Now, the Jews could not tolerate such sublime teachings even though the Lord labored rarely presented complicated issues. Had the Lord’s teachings been loaded with sublime teachings constantly, would they have come and listened to Him? Consequently, He said: ‘…just as the Father has told Me, so I speak’ (John 12:50), and .’.. I have not come of Myself’ (John 7:28). Then they believed. Clearly, they believed and as the Evangelist reports: ‘As He spoke these words, many believed in Him’ (John 8:30). Therefore if simple, humble teachings do work and attract people to have faith while sublime words scare them away, then the Lord used simple means to reach His hearers53. St. John Chrysostom * For our own good, the Lord offered thanks. He intended us not to identify the Father and the Son as one icon and as a result of their mutual involvement in one and the same act. Indeed, He intended to reveal that it was not obligatory for someone deprived of authority to repay His blessings. On the contrary, because He is the Son of God who claims He always possesses divine power. He could cry out “Lazarus, come forth”! This is definitely an order and not a prayer54. St. Jerome * He prays as the Son of Man, and orders as the Son of God.55 St Ambrose * When someone lifts his eyes towards the heavens, he should do so respectfully. He should also raise sanctified hands especially when offering prayers, without ‘wrath and doubting. ‘(1 Tim 2:8). As a person raises his eyes in meditation and thought and as the hands are lifted to achieve work, the soul is lifted up and is glorified. This is similar to Moses who lifted his hands up (Ex 17:11), and when a person prays: ‘Let… the lifting up of my hands (be) as the evening sacrifice’ (Ps 141:2). As a result, intangible enemies are overcome, while Israelite thoughts (having a vision of God) that are within us become victorious56. Origen the Scholar “And I know that You always hear Me, But because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You 53 Homilies on St John, 64:1 54 Of the Christian Faith:4:6:72 55 Of the Christian Faith:3:4:32 56 Commentary on St John, Book 28: 36-37 https://coptic-treasures.com/ sent Me.” [42] Here, the Lord clarifies that the relationship between the Father and Son does not require such a prayer. It is intended for those present who need to believe that the Lord has a relationship with the heavens. * To ‘hear’ does not imply ‘obedience.’ Rather, this is an eternal union. In the same manner, the Holy Spirit is said to listen to the Father and glorifies the Son. The Spirit glorifies as He has taught us that the Son is the image of the intangible God (Col 1:15), the brightness of His glory, the upholder of His power (Heb 1:3)57. St Ambrose * How would the Lord be more powerful than His disciples if He worked miracles through prayer? It is appropriate to say that they did miracles through prayer. Indeed, they often did miracles without prayer as they just used His Holy Name. Now, since His name carried that much power, and then He needed to pray, then His name would have had no effect. And what prayer did the Lord need when He created mankind? The Lord’s equality to the Father is apparent in many instances. He said: “Let us make man in Our image.” (Gen 1:26). What could be weaker had He needed prayer? Let us study His prayer: “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.” Who prayed these words at any on time? Before saying anything, He said “I thank You”: the Lord underlined that He does not need to pray as He says: “that You have heard Me.” This indicates that he does not lack power, but rather that He and the Father possess one and the same power. If you said: why do his words take the shape of a prayer? Our response would be: hear the answer from Him and not from me - as He says: “… because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” The Lord gives the real reason for His prayer. He does not want people to suspect that He is opposed to God, or to say that He does not come from God58. St. John Chrysostom “Now when He had said these things, he cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” [43] The Lord could have raise Lazarus, His dear friend, with a soft whisper or even silently. However, he shouted with a great voice and called His loved one: “Lazarus, come forth.” He did that so that those present become convinced that the Lord has raised him though His own personal power. He did not use another person’s name, but rather gave an order and the dead arose. Probably, the Lord shouted out loud so that those present would realize that the soul of Lazarus was not inside the tomb. Rather, the Lord was calling the soul to come out of hell and out of a seemingly very distant place. Moreover, He wanted them to realize that He is the One who tells Isaiah the prophet: “I am the Lord, there is no other. I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: (Is 45:18). The Lord spoke to make us realize that He is the One who will come on the last day and speak. Then the dead will hear His voice and come to life (John 5:25). The Lord called him by his name ‘Lazarus’ as though awakening him from a deep sleep. 57 Of the Holy Spirit, Book 2 :12:137-138 58 Homilies on St John, 64:2 https://coptic-treasures.com/ God told Moses that He knew him by name. This was a sign of personal concern and interest. He did not say to him ‘get up’ but rather said ‘come forth.’ The presence of the Lord, the Giver of life, offered him life, but the order was given to him to move. * Why did He shout out loud as though He did not wish to act in the Spirit and command silently? He wanted to reveal the implication of the words: .’..in a moment, in the winkling of an eye, at the last trumpet… the dead will be raised incorruptible’ (1 Cor 15:52). Raising the voice is the response to the sound of the trumpet. He shouted “Lazarus, come forth.” Why did the Lord use the name but for the purpose of remaining all doubt that it is Lazarus who was raised and not any other person, on that the act of resurrection occurred accidentally and not by His order.59 St. Ambrose * The Lord Jesus Christ did not tell Lazarus: “In the name of My Father come forth.” Neither did He say: “O Father, resurrect him.” Why did He not use such expressions thought He seemed to pray and had already demonstrated His independent authority? This is again an aspect of His wisdom, His words revealed His humility and His deeds revealed His power… they could bring no charge against Him other than He did not come from God. They deceived many by this accusation. Therefore He confirmed by His words and by many examples due to their weakness He provided evidence and many teachings to underline this point. He could have used his power in many other ways to reveal how He was in harmony with the Father and at the same time possessed intrinsic honor. However, the crowds had not attained that level of understanding yet60. * The Lord did not say ‘Arise.’ Rather, He said: “Come forth” as He spoke to the dead one as though he were alive. So who could equal this authority? Had He done that without possessing power, what would have made Him more significant than the disciples who said: “Why do you look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?’ (Act 3:12) Had the Lord not used His power and not said anything more than what the disciples had said about themselves, then the disciples would have really appeared to be wiser than Him as they rejected praise and glory. In another context, they report why they did so. “We are also men with the same nature as you...” (Acts 14:15). They said these words because they did nothing out of their won power and they wanted people to realize and admit that as well. As for the Lord, when they applied this principle to Him, was it not necessary to dismiss such doubts by using His authority in this situation? However, the Lord did exactly the opposite of that as He said: ‘…because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe’, [42]... therefore they may believe that I do not need to pray (to ask)61. St. John Chrysostom * Now, what is the purpose of saying “Come forth” other than to reveal that which is hidden? He who confesses is empowered to come forth. 59 On Belief on the Resurrection: 2:27 60 Homilies on St John, 64:2 61 Homilies on St John, 64:3 https://coptic-treasures.com/ To ‘come forth’ would have been impossible if he was not alive and he would not be alive if he had not risen again. Therefore, through confession a person comes to understand himself and glorifies God62. * Contemplate the condition of Lazarus: he came out but he was all bound with grave clothes. He was truly alive through confession yet he had not become liberated…he was bound up as he was still tied in the cloth. What does the church do in conformity with the words spoken to her ‘what you loosen will be forgiven’? This is exactly what the Lord told His disciples to do in this context: “let him loose him and let him go”63. St. Augustine * Do you need a stronger evidence that the faith of others can save someone else? Lazarus had been dead and several days had gone by: his muscles had deteriorated and his body had actually decayed. How could someone who had been dead for four days have faith and personally pray to the Lord? Nevertheless, what the dead one lacked was available in his two real sisters. When the Lord came, on sister worshipped Him; and when He asked: “where have you laid him?” She answered: “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” The Lord answered: “If you would believe you would see the glory of God.” It is as though He were telling her: ‘have faith which can resurrect the dead body.’ The sisters had such strong faith that it retrieved the dead from the gates of hell. If mankind could have such faith and are willing to vouch for one another, then it is possible for the dead to rise again. Would it not be of greater benefit to yourself if you had that pure faith? Indeed, even if you were an unbeliever or had little faith, the Lord and Lover of mankind would be merciful to you when you repent. On your part, it is appropriate to have a sincere set of mind and say: ‘I believe Lord, help my unbelief’ (Mark 9:24). You need to pray like the apostles: “Lord, increase our faith.” Hence if you have a little faith, you will receive a greater share from God64. St. Cyril of Jerusalem * Note that ‘ the Lord gives freedom to the prisoners’ (Ps 14:6-7) and grants peace to those of a humble spirit and who humble at His word (Is 66:2). He may be calling me as I lay in the grave of sin: “Jerome, come forth”65. * As I am still lying in the grave of my sins, bound up with the strings of my wickedness, I await the order of the Lord according to the Gospel: “Jerome, come forth”66 . St. Jerome * O you who rests in the darkness of the conscience, in the corruption of your sins, as someone imprisoned for a crime, come forth. Admit your sins so that you may be vindicated for ‘with the mouth confession is made to salvation’ (Rom 10:10). If you acknowledge the Lord’s invitation, the bars will be broken and the chains will be loosened. Indeed, the dangerous physical decay 62 Sermon on NT Lessons, 17:2 63 Sermon on NT Lessons, 17:3 64 Essay 9:5 65 Letter 4:2 66 Letter 7:3 https://coptic-treasures.com/ and stench will be removed67. St. Ambrose ‘And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, His face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them: “Loose him and let him go.” [44] How did Lazarus come out though he was bound hand and foot? He came out as someone limping or crawling and he needed someone to remove the grave clothes from his body. Needless to say that raising Lazarus from the dead resulted in great commotion in all Jerusalem. Many had come there preparing for the Passover feast. This was not a natural event or a miracle that anyone had witnessed before. This was especially astonishing to those who had smelled the stench due to the decayed body. * St. John the apostle reports that Lazarus ‘who had died came out’ so that we may see what the Lord has done and to witness to His authority. St. John reports: ‘he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes and his face was wrapped with a cloth’ so that no one would think that this was an imaginary account. The fact that he came out all tied up is just as amazing as his resurrection. The Lord’s words to ‘loose him’ are intended to reveal that this is truly Lazarus since they had to go near him and touch him. To indicate that the Lord’s intention is totally devoid of grandeur appears in His words “loose him and let him go.” He clearly does not follow or lead Lazarus and did not want to walk with him to show him off. St. John Chrysostom * We need to pay attention to that too: we need to present deeds worthy of the Lord. Not only do we need to pray so that the dead come to life, but we also need to south and call the one in the cave and grave to attend to matters outside the tomb. We need to realize that there are many Lazarus types until today. After they had become the Lord’s friends, they got sick and died. They have become as the dead in the grave in the land of the dead and with the dead. However, through the Lord’s prayer, they have come to life again and they have been invited to come out of the grave by the Lord’s loud voice. Anyone who trusts the Lord comes out bound up with the clothes of death due to his earlier sins. However, his face is still tied up so that he is unable to see, or walk, or do anything because of the bonds of death. He remains in this situation until the Lord Jesus Christ commands the able ones to release him and until He tells him to walk68. * Such a person comes out in response to the Lord’s voice, yet he is still tied up in his sins. He is alive because he has repented and has heard the Lord’s voice yet he has not been liberated from the bounds of sin. He still cannot walk immediately with freed feet. He is not yet liberated to fulfill sublime matters, since his hands and feet are tied up with straps like those grave clothes. Due to the death that adheres to the straps tying his hands and feet and covering his face with ignorance, such a person remains surrounded with bonds. That is why the Lord does not only wish that person to live and still remain in the grave and be tied up away from the issues of life outside... Therefore the Lord tells those who are able to 67 Concerning Repentance, Book 2:7:57-58 68 Commentary on John, Book 28:54 https://coptic-treasures.com/ serve Him: “Loose him and let him go”, [44]69. Origen the Scholar 7. The Effect of the Miracle of Raising Lazarus from the Dead ‘Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary And had seen the things Jesus did, Believed in Him.’[45] Many of Mary’s Jewish friends believed in Him [45]. Most of them had come from Jerusalem which is the nearest city to the village of Bethany. The people of Jerusalem were known for their opposition against the Lord Jesus Christ. Some presented a report of these events to the Pharisees [46], who gathered a council of the Sanhedrim and planned to kill the Lord. Caiaphas, the high priest foretold that one man should die for the whole nation [49-52]. As usual, the fruit of this amazing miracle lends a fragrance of life to life and the smell of death to death. Many believed in the Lord when they saw what He did, while others went to the religious leaders and Pharisees. They went either to arouse them, or to present a testimony of what had occurred, or to invite them to the faith. The response of these leaders and Pharisees was rebellion and opposition towards the Lord Jesus Christ. The first group of mourners found that there was no need to consult with the priests and Pharisees. They felt that opposing the divine truth should come to an end. Thus the visit to the sad home became the reason that converted them to real faith. They experienced the truth of the wise man’s saying that ‘it is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting (Ecce 7:2). They had come with a sincere intention to comfort Mary and Martha. Therefore they came out comforted by the work of God and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Giver of resurrection. Indeed, ‘he who waters will also be watered himself’ (Pro 11:25). That is why no one should cease to do good works as long as he has the power to do so (Pro 3:27). Why does the Evangelist state that ‘they had come to Mary’? Why did he not also say ‘to Martha’? It could be that Mary was better known in Jerusalem so that most of the people had come to comfort her. Some scholars consider that Martha tended to work and move around while Mary was inclined to join calm gatherings (Luke 10:38-40). A person who tends to work does not find time to meet with the mourners, whereas the one inclined to calmness desires to sit with them. ‘But some of them went away to the Pharisees And told them the things Jesus did.’ [46] This group represents those who worship superficially. The truth is obvious, and the divine deed is tangible; yet they went to report the event despite their knowledge of the leaders’ antagonism towards the Lord. ‘Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said: “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs” [47] The chief priests and Pharisees recognized that they could not oppose or deny the truth for the miracle just shouted it out. Therefore they gathered a council. They realized that the 69 Commentary on John, Book 28: 57-59 https://coptic-treasures.com/ decisions of the Sanhedrim would not be fruitful. The people had gathered around the Lord and such danger threatened the safety of the whole nation. The council was gathered to take practical steps by which they could get rid of the Lord Jesus Christ rather than to deliberate or issue instructions to the people. They colored the issue with a dangerous political aspect. They analyzed the situation in a manner that defied the truth. Actually, the Lord Jesus Christ had not ceased in doing many unique miracles such as healing the man born blind and raising Lazarus from the dead. These deeds attracted people to Him. They believed in Him and accepted Him as King and the awaited Messiah who would left up the fallen tabernacle of David. In this manner the Sanhedrim would lose its power and the religious leaders would lose their authority. If the Romans would sense that the people had crowned a kin, they would invade the land with an army, seize Jerusalem and destroy the temple. There would be no one to oppose or object to that. In this manner, the Romans occupied the land politically and religiously. * These leaders disguised their envy and jealousy under the screen of protecting the Jewish nation and the temple. To them, this was the most holy place in the world. Besides, it was the grandest and greatest building. Notice how the Jews acted: they should have been astonished and amazed at the resurrection of Lazarus. However, they wished to kill the One who had resurrected the dead. How could they be so foolish and imagine that they could send to death the One who conquered the death present in the bodies of others. Note how the religious leaders and Pharisees spoke of Him as they would of any person and said: “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs?”…and yet you ask what to do? You should have believed in Him and sought to His forgiveness. You should have worshipped Him and not have thought that He was a person. St. John Chrysostom “If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him And the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” [48] The Scholar Origen wonders if those who reported to the Pharisees did so in order to allow them to repent and believe, or to arouse them against the Lord so that they would hurry up and plan to discard Him. Origen is inclined to agree with the second possibility. * What the high priest and Pharisees feared came to be fulfilled in a symbolic way. The high priest represents the lusts of the body that oppose the lusts of the spirit. Therefore, it was impossible for him to conquer the greatest High Priest who is the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, the Lord has occupied the seat of the high priest but on a heavenly and eternal level. Instead of adhering to the Pharisees’ literal teachings, we experience the joy His of His Holy Spirit. There is no more place for the Pharisees. Concerning the Romans and their occupation of the Jews, they represent the church of nations that has become the New Israel. This Church has become the occupant of the seat of old Israel and constitutes a sanctified nation and priesthood as well as owner of divine promises70. Origen the Scholar 70 cf. Commentary on John, Book 28:86-97 https://coptic-treasures.com/ * ‘The heathen have been snared by the destruction of their own hands and their feet have been caught in the net they had hid (Ps 9:15). This is the condition of the Jews. They said that they would kill the Lord to prevent the Romans from coming and occupying their nation and positions. When they killed Him, these consequences happened to them. When they executed what they thought would prevent such consequences, they were unable to escape what they feared. The One who was killed lives in heaven and those who killed Him met their reward in hell71. * It is as though they had said: If the Romans saw that the Lord Jesus Christ created anxiety in the nation, they would suspect we rebelled against them and they would destroy our city. We would then ask one of them: when did you hear the Lord teaching rebellion? Did He not recommend the payment of the tribute to Caesar? When you tried to crown Him king, did He not escape? Has He not led a simple life without any boasting? He neither owned a house nor any other kind of property? These claims did not reflect their expectations. They just made them out of envy. Indeed, the One who had healed the sick and taught about the virtuous path in life and recommended submission to the leaders, did not arouse rebellion. On the contrary, He destroyed rebellions and dismantled it St. John Chrysostom ‘And one of them, Caiaphas, Being high priest that year, said to them: “You know nothing at all.” [49] According to the law, the high priest is ordained to serve for life (Ex 40:15). They inherit the office which runs down from Aaron and hi children. However, the Romans authority interfered and took the authority to exile and appoint a high priest whenever they wished and at any time. Moreover, they did not observe the law except for the rule regarding the lineage of priesthood. The historian Josephine records that Caiaphas is the name by which he was popularly known; that his real name was Joseph. He was a high priest for eight or nine years. He was deposed by Vitellius probably and was exiled in Judah72. The Romans did not consider that the Lord Jesus Christ opposed their empire. They were not concerned about His popularity because he recommended submission to the authorities and the payment of the tribute to Caesar. Indeed, he asked St. Peter to pay the tribute for both of them. When He was judged, we find Pilate exerting several times an effort to release Him. ‘Nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, Not that the whole nation should perish.’ [50] * The high priest had to wear the breastplate of judgment the ‘Urim and the Thummin’ (Ex 28:30); to pray God to grant him righteous judgment. This matter seemed to have been neglected completely. Thus the high priest presented his advice to the council dictated by his wicked envy and not by consulting God. He presented what seemed to be logical and truthful according to 71 Homilies on St John, 65:1 72 Antiq. 18 c. 3 https://coptic-treasures.com/ human philosophy. His words seemed to be based on correct thinking. However, the truth was that it was all based on wicked sentiments. He driven by a strong desire to get rid of the One who had revealed their wickedness and seized their popularity. Isaiah the prophet says: ‘Justice is turned back and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter” (Is 59:14). ‘Now this, he did not say on his own authority, But being high priest that year, He prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation.’ [51] * Caiaphas did not speak out of his own resources and he was not aware of the meaning of his own words even though he uttered a prophesy. In the writings of St. Paul, ‘we meet teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the thing which they affirm’ (1 Tim 1:7). This is not the condition of a wise person whom king Solomon describes in the Proverbs: ‘The heart of the wise teaches his mouth and adds learning to his lips’ (refer to Pro 16:23)73. Origen the Scholar * Do you see how the leadership of the priesthood is powerful? Caiaphas qualified to be the head of the priesthood; even though he actually lacked the traits that would qualify him, he prophesied without realizing what he was saying. His mouth was touched by Grace, but He did not touch his unclean heart. Many others foretold matters before they occurred even though they had failed in being qualified for that role. Examples of such people are: Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, and Balaam. Notice the power of the Holy Spirit and how He could use a sly mind to utter words carrying amazing prophesies74. * What is the implication of the words ‘being high priest that year’? Like many other matters, this too had become corrupt since these offices were bought (with money). The high priest was no longer a life time office and lasted for one year only. However, in this case the Holy Spirit was present. Yet, when they lifted up their hands against the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit abandoned them and switched to work in the disciples. This was proclaimed by the veil of the temple being torn in two and as the Lord breathed His last (Mark 15:38); when the voice of the Lord saying: “See! Your house if left to you desolate” (Matt 23:38). Josephus, who lived a short time after that, says that certain angels, who had remained with them in the hope that they would relent from their wickedness, abandoned them75. St. John Chrysostom “And not for that nation only, But also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.”[52] These two verses are provided by St. John the evangelist to show how God uses even the evil of the high priest to give testimony for the truth. Moreover, his words predict the redeeming work of Christ for the Jews as well as for God/s children all over the world: both Jews and 73 Commentary on John, Book 28:172-174 74 Homilies on St John, 65:1 75 Homilies on St John, 65:1 https://coptic-treasures.com/ Gentiles. Who are the children of God who are scattered abroad? They are the believers from all nations. They will come together as members of the one Body of Christ. Origen the Scholar considers that Israel, according to the flesh, after being scattered, will also accept to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Then they too will come to join and be one with Him76. ‘Then from that day on they plotted to put Him to death.’ * They really sought to do so before for the Evangelist reports: “The Jews sought all the more to kill Him (John 5:18). The Lord Jesus Christ also asked them: “why do you seek to kill Me?” (John 7:19). Previously, they sought to kill Him, but now they decided to do what they had set their minds upon and they moved to fulfill it. St. John Chrysostom ‘Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, But when from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim and there remained with His disciples.’ [54] Ephraim is a small village near Bethel. The Holy Bible mentions it again in 2 Chronicles 13:19. It is also mentioned by Josephus77. It is believed that it is the same village mentioned in 1 Kings 5:46; 2 Kings 12:27. Joshua had given it as part of the lot of the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:9). Both Josephus and St. Jerome state that Ephraim was about 20 miles away from Jerusalem. Some Scholars believe that the Lord Jesus Christ stayed there from January 24 to March 24: that is for two months78. * We believe that these words and similar ones have been recorded as the Word wishes to warn us against sudden and irrational deeds in an attempt to struggle with death for the sake of truth (Sirach 4:28), and martyrdom. On the one hand, it is right not to avoid confession. Besides we should not hesitate to die for righteousness sake whenever we are involved in a struggle and confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. On the other hand, it is not less important to avoid falling into a great dilemma. Indeed, we need to avoid that as much as possible not only because the result is not clear to us, but also so that we do not become responsible for arousing those who do not actually wish to spill our blood. Otherwise, these would commit a crime and become worst sinners and more evil. That would be the case if we sought our own profit and did not care about those who plot against us and our death. Because of us, they would be sentenced to greater punishment- that is if we focused on ourselves and give no consideration to others. Then we would have saved ourselves by our death while there was no imperative need for that79. * ‘Ephraim’ means ‘giving fruit.’ He was the younger brother of Manasseh , which means ‘forgetful’ who left the people behind him ‘ as in forgetfulness’ and this gave rise to the Gentiles. When the Lord ‘turns rivers’ into a wilderness and the water springs into dry ground, it is because of the wicked who live there (Ps 107:33-38). However, the Lord transforms the wilderness which belongs to the Gentiles into wells of water and their dry 76 Cf. Commentary on John, Book 28: 185 77 War, b4, c8, s 9. 78 Cf. Adam Clarke Comm. 79 Commentary on John, Book 28: 192-194 https://coptic-treasures.com/ land into sources of life80. Origen the Scholar ‘And the Passover of the Jews was near And many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. [55] * The Jews wanted to paint their feast red by the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. On that day, the lamb was killed and it has become a feast for us through His Blood. The Jews had planned to kill the Lord: the One who have descended from heaven to suffer. He wanted to go near the place where He would suffer because His hour had come.81 St. Augustine * What an amazing purification while harboring a determination to commit a crime, with murderous intentions and hands that would spill Blood!82 St. John Chrysostom ‘Then they sought Jesus and spoke among themselves as they stood in the Temple, “What do you think - that He will not come to the feast?”[56] The people of Ephraim probably looked for Him where He left their city. He might have gone to Jericho or its suburbs. Maybe those who were looking for Him had been sent by the high priest and were trying to find out so that they would notify him as to where the Lord was staying during the feast celebrations. * They seized the Feast of the Passover to plot against Him. Besides, they considered this was a good time to commit a crime. He would fall into their hands since He would come to celebrate the feast83. St. John Chrysostom * Those who were looking for Him and those who were not doing so are to be blamed. Therefore, may we look for Him so that we might have and hold Him for ourselves and not so that we may kill Him84. St. Augustine ‘Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, That if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.’[57] * Let them come to our church to hear from us where He is. Let them hear this Gospel... He has left (and has ascended), He is present here. He has returned yet He has not left us. He has carried His body to heaven yet He has not withdrawn His glory from the world85. 80 Commentary on John, Book 28: 214 81 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate 50: 2 82 Homilies on St John, 65:2 83 Homilies on St John, 65:2 84 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate 50:3 85 St Augustine: On the Gospel of St John, tractate 50:4 https://coptic-treasures.com/ St. Augustine https://coptic-treasures.com/ Meditations Inspired by St John, Chapter 11 May You shout my name with a loud voice and say: Come Forth *Mary and Martha sent You a message concerning their brother “The one whom You love is sick’! Now my faithful fellows plead for me before You and my brothers who rest in Paradise intercede before Your throne Who can lift me up from my sickness but You, O Healer of souls and bodies! * Sickness has struck in my whole being, it occupies my thought, heart and all my senses. Corruption occupies my inner being. Who will rescue me of this corrupt body but You, O You who is the Resurrection! *May You hurry to may grave! For I have caused trouble even to You! For I am the subject of Your love May You shout with Your divine voice and call my name and may You say: “come forth” By coming to my grave, You have granted me the resurrection after being dead. Death is neared in the presence of the Resurrection! I admit my sin and I enjoy the apostolic absolution according to Your promise (Matt 16:19) *Through You, I enjoy the rejoicing resurrected life! Indeed, You have restored to me the joy of Your Salvation! And the mourning has become transformed into an eternal feast! My brethren on earth and in heaven glorify You. For You are the Deliverer of souls from the corruption of death! * I do not possess the words Yet my life has become a living testimony for Your sublime works. May many believe in You. As they see You glorified in my weakness! May the enemy of righteousness and his army go wild For they cannot tolerate the light of the Resurrection in me! * Finally, allow me to pass by the graves with You so that You may call each one by name. How sweet is Your voice as You shout saying: “Come Forth” O what an enjoyable celebration. As the souls come out of their graves, shining with Your glory! And so many are transformed into heavenly brides Decorated and ready for the eternal and perpetual marriage! AMEN
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