When Jesus raised Lazarus

[Strat-tastic]

John 11
43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

One thing I find puzzling here is that Lazarus is described as 'the dead man', Why is this so, if Jesus just raised him?

He was dead four days and I understand that Jewish belief held that the spirit stayed near the body for three days. I think Jesus may have waited this long to show that the miracle truly was from God. Is this why he was still 'dead'?

(And that bit about him coming out still wrapped in his grave clothes makes me chuckle each time I read it; it's a bit like a horror movie - Return of the Mummy!!!)

[scooteraz]

...One thing I find puzzling here is that Lazarus is described as 'the dead man', Why is this so, if Jesus just raised him?


Using Occam's razor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, the word "previously" before the word "dead" is implied. I truly beleive that it is no more complicated than that.

[Strat-tastic]

Using Occam's Razor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam%27s_Razor), the word "previously" before the word "dead" is implied. I truly beleive that it is no more complicated than that.

I hadn't heard of his razor before, but read a bit about it on that link. Thanks scooter. However, surely the word 'previously' would be required as 'previously dead' and 'dead' are absolutley different states of being and would need clarifying. :dunno:

[scooteraz]

I think it is the same as saying "The lame guy walked" or "the lepers were clean". Lazarus was dead, the lame were lame and the lepers were infected, before. Today, if we saw something truly miraculous, say like a skydiver whose chute didn't open hit the ground and then get up and walk away, we might say "That dead guy just got up and walked away from the scene of the accident!"

More prozaically, if we found out the local groceryman decided to write the great English language novel, then succeded, we might say "The grocery man writes!" He may have moved on from being a groceryman years ago, but people might still refer to him as "the groceryman" because of the story line about his past is interesting.

Certainaly, Lazarus, the dead man, is a compelling title. Particularly if you were to meet himn for the first time. His sister might say to you, "This is my brother, Lazarus, the dead man." That would define him differently from any other Lazarus. And the story would be so very compelling, that just the introduction would spark a conversation. And that conversation would point back to Christ.

If you had a friend, call him Fred, who was blind. Youi might just introduce him as Fred. But if Fred were to suddenly regain his sight, through whatever means, you might after that, you might say "Hey, this is my friend Fred, the blind guy". That would spark the conversation about his miracle.

I think it was the same then.

Oh, and Occam's razor, really useful in many situations.That is why god gave it to us:clap:

[mattd]

I have never heard of Occam's razor before, at least not under that name. I spent last quarter in a critical thinking class where we talked about the principle behind it, but it was never mentioned by that name.

A link to a word study on this Greek word from Blueletterbible.com (http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?strongs=G2348) That site quotes the English translation in KJV which says "and he that was dead..." The ESV (which is my "default" translation) also says "the man who had died". The NASB (which is considered the most literal English translation we have) says that same thing. Therefore, I concur with what the others have said in response.

[LesStrat]

Jesus also told THEM to remove the stone.

[Micter]

John 11
43When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" 44The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

One thing I find puzzling here is that Lazarus is described as 'the dead man', Why is this so, if Jesus just raised him?

He was dead four days and I understand that Jewish belief held that the spirit stayed near the body for three days. I think Jesus may have waited this long to show that the miracle truly was from God. Is this why he was still 'dead'?

(And that bit about him coming out still wrapped in his grave clothes makes me chuckle each time I read it; it's a bit like a horror movie - Return of the Mummy!!!)

Bad translation! The "once dead" man would be a better translation.

[Teleguy]

We're ALL dead men walking.

Until we are born again in Jesus.

[thebird55]

I thought I was the only one who found it funny that he came out bound up like that. "Hey! A little help?"

Like the song 'Four Days Late' points out, the story isn't just about the power to resurrect but the fact that, no matter how our situation may appear to us, He has it under control.

[stephen]

I thought I was the only one who found it funny that he came out bound up like that. "Hey! A little help?"

Like the song 'Four Days Late' points out, the story isn't just about the power to resurrect but the fact that, no matter how our situation may appear to us, He has it under control.

:yeah:

[ptrallan01]

Can't remember whether it was Jack Hayford or Dr. J Vernon McGee that pointed out Jesus called Lazaurus by name. If he hadn't then everyone in there might have come out.

[scooteraz]

Please note, none of the below is meant to be sacreligous or demeaning. Just the visual I get in my head....

Sort of "The Mummy" meets "Saturday Night Live" in Roman occupied Isreal?

Hmm, that is pretty funny when you think of the visual.

Afterwards, you could see Christ using Larry the Cable Guy's line "Hey, that there was funny, I don't care who you are..."

[stephen]

Can't remember whether it was Jack Hayford or Dr. J Vernon McGee that pointed out Jesus called Lazaurus by name. If he hadn't then everyone in there might have come out.

I remember hearing that quote!

I think, it was the master of the theological slam-dunk, Dr. J.Vernon McGee