If
John’s gospel is full of semeia, "signs" that point to a larger truth, then the
story of the raising of Lazarus is like blinking casino lights that illumine
Jesus’ own resurrection. This story provides the immediate reason—in John’s
gospel—for the execution of Jesus.
Jesus? Emotional? Verse 33: "When Jesus saw her weeping . . . he was . .
. deeply moved. ["deeply moved" = NRSV; "deeply moved in spirit and troubled" =
NIV; "disturbed in spirit like being angry" = Gr. Manuscript P45 ;
German translators follow Luther’s translation to render the phrase as verbs of
anger. According to Greek texts, Jesus is described as angry in v. 33. Why anger
in the presence of tears? Barrett: in addition to being troubled by the
approaching end of his ministry, Jesus is angry because he feels pressed to
reveal himself through the raising of Lazarus.
The
connection for this story is the twin-theme of death and resurrection. In the
Lazarus story we hear assertions about death and responses that reflect our own
harsh and sad assessments about the seemingly cruel joke that death plays on us.
Yet when Jesus confronts Mary with "Do you believe this?" he asks her to believe
both that he is the resurrection and the life and that as the
resurrection and the life he defeats the power of death.
At core is a claim—for Mary and Martha, the disciples, the Jews, the
mourners, and the Church-in-the-world: God is present in Jesus and has
decisively altered human experience of life and death. In the story, Martha’s
action (v 39) suggests that she cannot fully grasp that claim. Martha mirrors
contemporary Christians in that we often respond to Jesus’ claim with the same
waffling spirit as Martha—"theologically yes, but functionally,
no—after all, he’s been dead four days."
You
might begin this "tomb story"
(the tomb being the primary piece of furniture in the story) by describing the
relationship that Jesus has enjoyed with brother Lazarus and sisters, Mary and
Martha. Freeze the action on the stage of the retelling of the story long
enough to become the narrator pointing out certain nuances of the characters and
how they are much like some of our own responses to death.
- Shift to "overhearing" another tomb story
—Jesus crucified, dead, and
buried.
- Shift once more to another tomb story—our stories!
The idea: one doesn’t have to be six-foot under or some dust in a jar to be
dead. Tell us about people you know who were dead, but heard Jesus say,
"_____, Come forth!" Talk about congregations who heard Jesus command them,
"First Church of _____, Come forth!" Etc.
Wit (a movie starring Emma Thompson) could either begin or end the
homily. Powerful piece about dying and death. To which Christian faith can add
what is missing in the movie—faith and hope in the resurrection and the life.
_________________________
1)
Discussed in The New Interpreter’s
Bible IX (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1995), page 690.
