start: 9.10am
“After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.”” (11.11)
I’ve read that sleep is not an unusual metaphor for death in the ancient world and it certainly seems common enough in the Bible. For instance:
- “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Dan 12:2
- Ps 90:5 Thou hast swept them away like a flood, they fall asleep
- Mt 9:24 He began to say, “the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him.
- Mt 27:52 tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
- Ac 7:60 “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And having said this, Stephen fell asleep.
- Ac 13:36 “For David … fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers, and underwent decay
- 1 Co 15:6,18,20,51 some have fallen asleep … those who are asleep, we shall not all sleep,
- 1 Th 4:13-15 those who are asleep … have fallen asleep in Jesu
- 2 Pe 3:4 ever since the fathers fell asleep
- “whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.” 1 Th 5:10
Mark 5:39 and Luke 8:52 are perhaps a bit more confusing.
“The child has not died, but is asleep.”
Here the contrast seems to be between death and sleep, which has led some to believe the official’s daughter wasn’t really dead and that Lazarus was the first to be raised from the dead. But I’m not so sure. Recalling verse 4 of chapter 11, Jesus said:
“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.”
We were never told that the 12-year-old girl of Mark 5 was actually dead. In Mark 5.23 she is described as dying, but not dead. Luke 8 says the same thing. But in regard to Lazarus, we are specifically told he was dead (and for four days) in verses 13, 14, 16, 17, 21, 32, 37, and 39.
Lazarus really died. But Jesus said in verse 3, “This illness does not lead to death” and in verse 25 he says, “Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” and verse 26, “and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.“
Lazarus’ illness does not lead to death.
Lazarus has died.
Everyone who lives and believes in Jesus shall never die.
Whoever lives and believes in Jesus will die and yet shall live.
To understand what Jesus is saying here requires an understanding of the following:
1. What am I?
2. What is death?
Am I something more than physical matter? Paul describes the body as a tent in 2 Cor. 5:
“For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (5.1)
“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord” (5.6)
I don’t believe we cease to exist when our earthly tent is destroyed (ie, dead). We’ve been promised a future resurrected body.
“12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (1Cor 15.12-19)
Sleep is a metaphor for the period of time between the destruction of our earthly tent and the possession of our resurrected or spiritual body (see 1Cor 15.35-49). Lazarus’ earthly tent was dead. It no longer functioned. As such, he was buried. But Lazarus did not cease to exist. Other passages describe that period as sleep. Not an unconscious activity. The parable of the other Lazarus and the rich man demonstrate that point.
Lazarus’ illness does not lead to death.
That is, Lazarus’ illness does not end his existence. It led to sleep. And temporal sleep at that (ie, 4 days).
Lazarus has died.
His earthly tent has been destroyed. It no longer functions and as such, it begins to rot.
What am I?
I am a person. I was created in the image of the Creator. I was given a temporal form, an earthly tent, that will soon cease to exist. By the blood of Christ, I have been promised a future resurrected body. A spiritual body. Imperishable. Immortal.
What is death?
Death is the end of my earthly tent. It denotes my departure from my current body. A period of time where I await the sound of the last trumpet.
It would have been pretty spectacular to have been able to speak with Lazarus subsequent to being raised from the dead. Was he allowed to speak of the experience? We don’t know. The text doesn’t say. What did he see? Where did he go? What was his life like after that experience?
/end 10:21am