It might not be easy to picture Jesus having many close friends outside of his disciples, and even they are inconsistent and find themselves a bit distant from Jesus. The story of Lazarus erases any such impression:
“Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed Jesus with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, ‘Lord, he whom you love is ill.’ But when Jesus heard it he said, ‘This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it’. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus” (John 11:1-5).
Clearly, Jesus loves these three siblings very deeply, not only as he loves all of us, but personally, where he not only gives love, but receives it and thrives on it. One would expect, then, that Jesus would rush to Lazarus’ side:
“So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was” (Jn 11:6).
Why would he do that? Lazarus could die during those two days! Jesus is confident that God will use the illness for his glory and that Lazarus will not die. He has stated that the illness will be used to glorify him, but that lofty language is lost on his listeners. Finally, he tells his disciples that it is now time to cross back into Judea to go to Lazarus. The disciples are incredulous and remind him that he just came from there and they tried multiple times to kill him!
“Jesus answered, ‘Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him’” (Jn 11:9-10).
Jesus is reminding his disciples what happened back in John 9:4 when he healed the blind man: “’We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.’” Jesus is saying his “day” of opportunity is nearly over, but not just yet – there is still work to be done.
Never forget that Jesus is the light of the world, who was sent to do good.
“After saying these things, he said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him’” (Jn 11:11)
Don’t miss the title Jesus gives Lazarus – Friend! There is only one case in the Old Testament of God calling someone a friend, and that was Abraham after he died. Jesus holds Lazarus in the very highest regard!
Somewhat relieved, the disciples take this literally and expect Lazarus to rise from a good night’s sleep. But Jesus clarifies for the clueless disciples:
“’Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe…’” (Jn 11:14).
So hasn’t Lazarus’ illness, that will not lead to death, led to death after all? Has Jesus contradicted himself? Lazarus has now been three days in the tomb. How can he be just sleeping?
Quite the contrary, this is the perfect unity that Jesus will soon pray for in John 17:
“’I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me’” (Jn 17:23).
As we shall see in this series, the story of Lazarus is not about death and dying. It is about a Savior who loves us so deeply that he essentially calls us his friends by walking straight back to Judea one last time to sacrifice himself for us!