Sermon Notes - Lazarus & Jesus: “he stinketh” (John 11:39) Fr. Mark Greenaway-Robbins, April 6th, 2014.
Of all the persons and characters we meet in the witness of Holy Scripture, who are your favourites among them and why? Today we have met one of my favourites – Lazarus of Bethany. Lazarus, the friend of Jesus, has become increasingly important in my faith journey as an adult. Why? First, because of a poem written by Elizabeth Jennings – the twentieth century English poet – entitled Lazarus (1961) which I first read two decades ago. Second, because of a painting I used to regularly visit in the Louvre Museum, Paris which depicted the moment of the resurrection (J. Jouvenet, 1706, Raising of Lazarus). Third, because of a homily, I first read last year, written in the eighth century by Bishop Andrew of Crete (c. 660-740). This poem, painting and homily have greatly enriched my reflection on Lazarus in John’s Gospel. I love Lazarus because the character leads us into deeper faith in Jesus as our Messiah – who is the resurrection and the life. (These three sources from the wider Tradition of the Church I have shared with you in the notes to this sermon, a copy of which you may take from the entrance – narthex.) In the proclamation of the Gospel today we heard chanted forty five verses from the eleventh chapter of the Gospel according to John. There are two more references to Lazarus in the flowing chapter and that comprises all we know about Lazarus. So who was he? Lazarus was an intimate friend of Jesus and one of the principal named disciples in the Gospel of John. Curiously, Lazarus never makes an explicit profession of faith in Jesus, nor does he ever speak. Watch out since the name Lazarus also appears in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus which is recounted in Luke’s Gospel (Luke 16:19-31), but this is not the same person mentioned in John’s Gospel. Here follows a one minute summary of what we know about Lazarus of Bethany according to John’s Gospel, chapters 11-12: He was an inhabitant of the town of Bethany (11:1). He was the brother of Mary and Martha and a friend of Jesus (11:1-2, 11).
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Jesus had a special affection for him (11:3, 5, 36). Shortly before Jesus’ last visit to Jerusalem Lazarus died; he then came to Bethany and raised Lazarus from the dead, although Lazarus had been dead four days in the tomb (11:1-44). This resulted both in the conversion to Christ of many who had witnessed the miracle (11:45), and in the determination of the enemies of Jesus to do away with both Jesus and Lazarus (11: 4653; 12:10-11). Lazarus last appears at a banquet given in honour of Jesus (12:1-8). Since Lazarus of Bethany, the friend of Jesus is only mentioned in John’s Gospel, our understanding of these two chapters will be enhanced if we recall some essential points about this Gospel. So here goes. John explains the purpose of his Gospel in chapter 20: “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.” (John 20: 30-31) John presents us with the narrative of Lazarus and Jesus so that we might believe Jesus is the Messiah and have life in the name of Jesus. This becomes clearer when we look at the structure of the Gospel. Essentially it falls into four parts. The Gospel begins with a Prologue and introduction (chapter 1). It ends with an epilogue (chapter 21). The guts of the Gospel (chp. 2-20) fall into two parts: the part one is a book of signs (chp. 2-12) and part two is a book of glory (chp.13-20) all of which is a passion narrative. The book of signs – there are seven – begins with Jesus turning water into wine and concludes with the raising of Lazarus from the dead. So the dramatic story of the raising of Lazarus is placed at the end of Jesus public ministry, it is the last of the seven signs. And it leads us into the Passion narrative – the book of glory. The enemies of Jesus decide to eliminate Jesus and Lazarus, because those who had witnessed the miracle were converting to Christ. So now we can see the importance of placement of the Lazarus narrative at the hinge between the seven signs in the first half of the Gospel and the passion which is the second half of the Gospel.
Jesus says to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die” (11:25-26a). The
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Gospel of John illustrates that Jesus is “the resurrection and the life” because he raised Lazarus from the dead to life. It is a proclamation of Jesus power over sickness and death. We are on journey together through Lent. Next week, marked by Palm Sunday, our journey through Holy Week commences. The purpose of Lent and Holy Week is to help us participate more fully in the paschal mystery. Today the account of the raising of Lazarus from the dead has been given to us for our prayer, reflection and action. Please join me in praying and meditating on Lazarus and Jesus this week according to John chapters 11 & 12. This narrative is given to us to strengthen our faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, our Lord and Saviour. Lazarus is holding out his hand for ours that we might journey with him into the paschal mystery. Lazarus
It was the amazing white, it was the way he simply Refused to answer our questions, it was the cold pale glance Of death upon him, the smell of death that truly Declared his rising to us. It was no chance Happening, as a man may fill a silence Between two heart-beats, seem to be dead and then Astonish us with the closeness of his presence; This man was dead, I say it again and again. All of our sweating bodies moved towards him And our minds moved too, hungry for finished faith. He would not enter our world at once with words That we might be tempted to twist or argue with: Cold like a white root pressed in the bowels of the earth He looked, but also vulnerable – like birth. From “Song for a birth or death” (1961) Elizabeth Jennings (1926-2001) The Raising of Lazarus | JOUVENET, Jean-Baptiste
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(b. 1644, Rouen, d. 1717, Paris) 1706 | Oil on canvas, 388 x 664 cm | Musée du Louvre, Paris
Homily 8 on Lazarus | Andrew of Crete Lazarus, Come out! It is the voice of the Lord, the proclamation of the king – an authoritative command. Come out! Leave corruption behind and receive the flesh of incorruption. Lazarus, Come out! Let them know that the time has come when those in the tombs will the voice of the son of man. Once they have heard they will come alive. Come out! The stumbling block is taken away. Come to me – I am calling you.
Come out! As a friend, I am calling you; as Lord I am commanding you…
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Come out Covered with the burial cloth so that they won’t think you were only pretending to be dead. Let them see your hands and feet bound and your face covered. Let them see if they still do not believe the miracle. Come out! Let the stench of your body prove the resurrection. Let the burial linen be undone so that they can recognize the one who was put in the tomb. Come out! Come alive and enliven! Come out of the tomb. Teach them how all creation will be enlivened in a moment when the trumpet’s voice proclaims the resurrection of the dead. Come out! Let breath appear in your nostrils, let blood pulse through your veins, let the voice sound in your larynx, let words fill your ears, let vision enlighten your eyes, let the sense of smell fill your senses, walk as nature intended as your earthly tent is enlivened by your soul. Come out! Leave behind the burial cloth and glorify the miracle. Leave the revolting stench of death and proclaim the strength of my power. I’m calling you out! Come out. I, who said, “Let there be light, let there be firmament.”
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