That You May Believe

By Dan & Brenda Cathcart

The video version of this teaching is available at:

https://youtu.be/YR7PIjSbLeQ

The scripture reading for this teaching is John 11:1-44

After Yeshua celebrated Hanukkah in Jerusalem, He didn’t return to the Galilee region. Instead He traveled to the place where it all began—where John baptized those coming to him with a repentant heart. While Yeshua was there across the Jordan, word came to Him that His good friend Lazarus, who lived in a village just outside of Jerusalem, was very ill.

John 11:1-3 NKJV 1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick."

The region around Jerusalem was the center of power for those who hated Yeshua and sought to kill Him. However, Yeshua used this opportunity to demonstrate one last sign to the people before His crucifixion. Why would Yeshua put Himself within the reach of those who sought His destruction? What was so important about this sign?

Many people joined Yeshua while He spent time across the Jordan. The location must have brought back memories of the time John was baptizing. The people reflected that although John didn’t perform any signs, they realized that all the things John said about Yeshua were true.

John 10:40-42 NKJV 40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 41 Then many came to Him and said, "John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true." 42 And many believed in Him there.

They would have remembered that John said he wasn’t the Messiah, but the one who came after him would be the one. They would have remembered that when Yeshua was baptized, John proclaimed that Yeshua was the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. (John 1:29) They would have remembered that John said he was the friend of the bridegroom and Yeshua was the groom. They would have remembered that John testified that Yeshua came down from heaven sent by God!

John 3:31-36 NKJV 31 "He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 "And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 "He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34 "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 35 "The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

John, also, said that Yeshua would not be believed! But those who did believe would receive eternal life! All these memories would have been remembered and shared there in the place where it all began. They remarked that John didn’t do any signs. I’m sure they thought about the many signs that Yeshua did. The gospel of John, in fact, records six major signs that Yeshua performed so that the people would believe.

The first sign was changing water into wine at a wedding (John 2:1-10). This was followed by healing the nobleman’s son in Cana(John 4:46-53). John tells us these are the first and second signs Yeshua did. The third sign was the healing at the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem (John 5:1-8). Yeshua, then, fed the five thousand (John 6:1-14). Then, just that fall at Sukkot, Yeshua healed a man born blind (John 9:1-1-41). The sixth sign would involve his friend Lazarus!

It had been a tumultuous fall and early winter. While in Jerusalem for Sukkot, Yeshua declared that He was the Messiah, the source of Living Water, and the Good Shepherd. Then again at Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication, while Yeshua was once again in Jerusalem, He declared that He was one with the Father. As a result, the Herodians, Pharisees, and scribes who were centered in Judea and especially Jerusalem, sought all the more to kill Him.

John 10:31-33 NKJV 31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?" 33 The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God."

When word came from Bethany that Lazarus was ill, Yeshua waited two more days and then stated that He would go to Lazarus at his home in Judea. But, Yeshua’s disciples didn’t want Him to go to Lazarus because of the danger.

John 11:6-8 NKJV 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." 8 The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?"

Yeshua rebuked them for their fear and reminded them that He was the light.

John 11:9-10 NKJV 9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 "But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him."

There are multiple levels of meaning in these three sentences of Yeshua’s. After the fifth sign of healing the blind man, Yeshua spoke of the shortness of time and the need to make the most of all the time while He was on Earth.

John 9:4-5 NKJV 4 "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

In other words, this trip to Bethany was necessary to work the works of the Father, and, as long as the daylight remained, those who were seeking to kill Yeshua would not be successful. First Fruits of Zion in Chronicles of the Messiah write:

“With these cryptic words, He encouraged His disciples not to fear the return trip to Judea. His time to suffer and be removed from the world had not yet arrived. A few hours of daylight remained, they did not need to fear stumbling so long as He (the daylight) was with them.[i]

Yeshua further explains the necessity of the trip and the work of the Father that must be done; Lazarus is already dead and Yeshua must wake him up!

John 11:11 NKJV 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up."

Then skipping down to verses 14 and 15:

John 11:14-15 NKJV 14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. 15 "And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him."

So, in spite of the apparent danger of going up to Bethany and being in the environs of Jerusalem, Yeshua knew that His purpose would be safely completed. Further, the disciples who walked with Him, the Light, would also be safe.

Thomas, convinced that Yeshua was determined to go to Lazarus, but not convinced that they would escape alive agrees to go with Yeshua.

John 11:16 NKJV 16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."

As expected, when Yeshua and His disciples arrived in Bethany, they found Lazarus had died four days earlier and had been interred in the family burial tomb. Lazarus’ sister Martha went out to meet Yeshua as He approached Bethany. Martha’s words confirm that Martha knew Yeshua was the Messiah, the Son of God.

John 11:21-22 NKJV 21 Then Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 "But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."

Martha confessed that not only did she believe that Yeshua could have healed Lazarus had He been there, but she believed that there might yet be hope. Is Martha hinting or gently questioning if there was still hope that Lazarus could be restored to life as she said the words, “but EVEN NOW I Know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you”?

Yeshua deflected her words in His answer.

John 11:23-24 NKJV 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

Martha agrees with Yeshua, almost impatiently, as if she expected a different response to her hint that Yeshua could ask anything of God. Yeshua probes her about the depth of her belief. Does she really know what she is asking and who she is asking it of?

John 11:25-26 NKJV 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" 

Finally, Martha is getting the response that she sought. She affirms that she does indeed recognize who Yeshua is and what she is asking. After her response to Yeshua, she will leave and “go her way.”

John 11:27-28a NKJV 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." 28 And when she had said these things, she went her way…”

I’m reminded of Yeshua’s conversation with His mother when He performed His first sign that indicated that He was the Messiah. Mary requested that He provide wine for the wedding guests when they ran out of wine. Yeshua never outwardly agreed that He would provide wine, but Mary’s reaction to His words tells us that His agreement was implied. Let’s look at that conversation.

John 2:3-5 NKJV 3 And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, "They have no wine." 4 Jesus said to her, "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come." 5 His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."

Like Martha, Mary left Yeshua and expected that Yeshua would act. Did Mary know what she was really asking and who she was asking if of? We have to conclude that both Mary, mother of Yeshua, and Martha, sister of Lazarus, knew what they were asking and who they were asking if of, and that Yeshua’s words conveyed both His understanding of their knowledge and agreement to act as they requested. Mary went away convinced that Yeshua would provide wine. Martha left Yeshua’s presence at peace. She had achieved what she sought.

After leaving Yeshua, Martha sent Mary to Yeshua. Mary was consumed by her grief and throws herself at Yeshua’s feet even as she also states that she knew that Yeshua could have healed Lazarus.

John 11:32 NKJV 32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."

Mary’s headlong flight to reach Yeshua’s side was observed by the other mourners; and they followed her. Like Mary, they were also weeping in their grief. Yeshua could not help but respond to their grief with grief of His own.

John 11:33 NKJV 33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.

Yeshua’s response was not exactly what we expect. Why was He troubled? We need to look at the Greek behind our English translations to see deeper into Yeshua’s reaction. The word for “groaned” is em-brim-ah'-om-ahee, #1690 in Strong’s Concordance. It means to snort with anger or indignation. Why was Yeshua’s reaction anger or indignation? First Fruits of Zion in Chronicles of Messiah writes:

“If the Greek must be translated literally, the object of the Master’s anger must be understood to be death, not the mourning sisters or the weeping visitors. Our Master may have felt a personal anger toward that great enemy—the last enemy—who had caused such grief and stolen away His beloved friend.”[ii]

Yeshua was angered or indignant that death had taken his friend. More, Yeshua was angered at death itself!  The Greek grammar in the second part of the sentence in verse 33 is not “and He was troubled.” The Young’s Literal Version translates the phrase as, “And He troubled Himself.” The word translated as “trouble” is tarasso, #5015, meaning to stir, agitate or trouble. Yeshua stirred himself to action.

Yeshua asked to see where Lazarus was laid and when He saw the tomb, Yeshua wept.

John 11:34-36 NKJV 34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see." 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!"

Verse 35, “Jesus wept,” is one of the more powerful verses of the Bible. Jesus, the Son of God wept for the death of his close friend. However, when we understand that Yeshua was angry at death and that He knowingly allowed Lazarus to die, so that “you may believe,” we can see that Yeshua is not just weeping for Lazarus, his beloved friend. Yeshua is weeping for all those who die. We are beloved of Yeshua, and He weeps for our physical death and the grief it brings to our loved ones. But it goes even deeper; He weeps for the deaths all those whom He loves who never believed and never loved Him back. He weeps for those who will not experience eternal life!

Yeshua called for the stone to be removed from Lazarus’ tomb. At that moment, even Martha’s faith wavered a little, but Yeshua quickly reassured her referring back to their earlier conversation.

John 11:39-40 NKJV 39 Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." 40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"

After the stone was removed, Yeshua addressed His Father out loud so that all those gathered around would know that He speaks to the Father and confirming Martha’s testimony that whatever Yeshua asked of God, He would do.

John 11:41-43 NKJV 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 "And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"

At was for this moment that Yeshua braved the threat of arrest and death to come up to Bethany and resurrect Lazarus. It was so that those who witnessed Lazarus’ resurrection would believe. Isaiah wrote of the Messiah’s authority over death.

Isaiah 25:8-9 NKJV 8 He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken. 9 And it will be said in that day: "Behold, this is our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This is the LORD; We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."

When Lazarus came forth from the grave, Yeshua commanded that He be “loosed” from the grave clothes. Death no longer had a hold on Lazarus!

John 11:44 NKJV 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

For those of us, like Martha, who believe in Yeshua and testify that He is the Messiah, the Son of God who is to come into the world and that, for those who believe in Him, death has no hold on us. Hosea tells us that God ransoms us from the dead.

Hosea 13:14 NKJV 14 "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.

Paul wrote about the fulfillment of these prophecies in Isaiah and Hosea.

1 Corinthians 15:52b-55 NKJV 52 For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"

At the time Yeshua raised Lazarus from the dead, Light was still in the world, but the time was short. As soon as spring arrived, Yeshua would go boldly up to Jerusalem knowing that He would be crucified, knowing that He would die. The seventh and final sign in the gospel of John would be Yeshua’s own resurrection from the dead. All these signs Yeshua did so that you may believe.

Study Questions:

1. The teaching referred to multiple meanings of Yeshua’s comment about light in the world in John 11:9-10. Read Psalm 121:1-3. What is another level of meaning when paired with this passage in Psalms?

2. The seven signs in the gospel of John form a chiastic structure. These signs are:

         A. changing water into wine at a wedding (John 2:1-10)

       B. healing the nobleman’s son in Cana(John 4:46-53)

   C. healing at the pool of Bethesda in Jerusalem (John 5:1-8).

D. Feeding the five thousand (John 6:1-14).

   C. healing a man born blind (John 9:1-1-41).

       B. Resurrecting Lazarus.

A.  Yeshua’s own resurrection

    What does this chiasm reveal about Yeshua’s goal “that you may       believe?”

3. Yeshua resurrected a total of three people other than Himself. Resurrecting Jairus’ daughter in Mark 5:22-24, 35-43, the son of a widow of Nain in Luke 7:11-17, and the healing of Lazurus in John 11. Compare these events.

4. What does Yeshua’s anger against death reveal about the exile of Adam from the garden of Eden?

5. After raising Lazarus from the dead, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered a council to discuss what to do about Yeshua. (John 11:45-53) How did the resurrection of Lazarus “seal” Yeshua’s fate in terms of the council? In what way did God use Caiaphus and why?

© 2018 Moed Ministries International. All rights reserved.

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[i] Chronicles of the Messiah. Lancaster, D. T. First Fruits of Zion. ©2014. Page 1109.

[ii] Ibid. Page 1116.