John 11:43-44

John 11:43-44

[43] And  had spoken,  he cried  with a loud  voice,  Lazarus,  come  forth.  [44] And  he that was dead  came forth,  bound  hand  and  foot  with graveclothes:  and  his  face  was bound about  with a napkin.  Jesus  saith  unto them,  Loose  him,  and  let him  go. 

What does John 11:43-44 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The dead heard the voice of the Son of God and lived, as Jesus had predicted ( John 5:25; John 5:28-29). If Jesus had not specified Lazarus by name, every dead person might have arisen at His command. Jesus probably cried out loudly to make clear that this resurrection was not an act of magic. Wizards typically muttered their incantations and spells quietly (cf. Isaiah 8:19). [1] Furthermore such a loud command emphasized Jesus" authority.
The Jews did not wrap their dead so tightly in their grave clothes that Lazarus would have had difficulty doing what John wrote that he did.
"The corpse was customarily laid on a sheet of linen, wide enough to envelop the body completely and more than twice the length of the corpse. The body was so placed on the sheet that the feet were at one end, and then the sheet was drawn over the head and back down to the feet. The feet were bound at the ankles, and the arms were tied to the body with linen strips. The face was bound with another cloth ... Jesus" body was apparently prepared for burial in the same way (cf. John 19:40; John 20:5; John 20:7). A person so bound could hop and shuffle, but scarcely walk." [2]
While there are similarities between Lazarus and Jesus" resurrections, we must also remember their significant differences. Lazarus came to life only to die again later, as a mortal, whereas Jesus arose never to die again, as immortal. Lazarus arose with the same physical body that went into his tomb, but Jesus arose with a spiritual body that could pass through solid objects ( 1 Corinthians 15). Thus Lazarus" resurrection was only a pale anticipation of the resurrection of Jesus that was to come. Nevertheless it was the greatest of Jesus" signs.
"If Jesus Christ can do nothing about death, then whatever else He can do amounts to nothing [3]." [4]
This miracle illustrated Jesus" ability to empower people with new life (cf. John 14:6). He had previously raised the widow of Nain"s son ( Luke 7:15) and Jairus" daughter ( Matthew 9:25; Mark 5:42; Luke 8:55) back to life, but Lazarus had been dead four days. There could now be no doubt about Jesus" ability to raise the dead. Physically He will do this for everyone at the resurrections yet future. He will raise Christians at the Rapture ( 1 Thessalonians 4:16), Old Testament and Tribulation saints at the Second Coming ( Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20:4; Revelation 20:6), and unbelievers at the end of the Millennium ( Revelation 20:5). Spiritually Jesus gives life to all who believe on Him the moment they trust in Him ( John 5:24).
"In some respects the story of Martha and Mary prepares the reader for the challenge to believe in Jesus" death, burial, and resurrection. His intentional delay also reveals that God often uses suffering as an opportunity for divine intervention, even though it is difficult in such situations to believe." [3]
"Just as the preincarnate Word gave physical life and light to humankind in creation ( John 1:2), so Jesus as the Word Incarnate gives spiritual life and light to people who believe in Him." [2]2
There are many questions that John"s account of this miracle leaves unanswered that tantalize our imaginations, such as what Lazarus reported to his friends. These things the evangelist deliberately avoided to focus the reader"s attention on Jesus.
"The miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead authenticated Jesus" authority to grant eternal life to those who believe in Him. In raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus was also demonstrating the validity of His own claims that He would rise again, and that He had the power and authority to do so. This miracle also illustrates Jesus" claims that He will raise people at the eschatological resurrection." [2]1