Lazarus was the sick man of Bethany, brother of Martha and Mary, whom Jesus raised from the dead—a miracle that manifested the glory of God.
Books
Life & Story
Lazarus lived in Bethany, the village that was also home to his sisters Martha and Mary. According to the Gospel of John chapter 11, when he fell ill, Jesus deliberately came to see him, and after Lazarus had been dead for four days, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth," raising him from the tomb. This miracle echoes the Old Testament accounts of resurrection performed by prophets such as Elijah and Elisha (as in 2 Kings 4), and it demonstrates that Jesus is the Lord of life, manifesting the glory of God before the watching world. After his resurrection, the biblical record shows that many people came to faith in Jesus on account of this event, and it also became one of the factors that moved the chief priests and Pharisees to plot Jesus' death. According to John chapter 12, Lazarus later dined with Jesus before the Passover, and on that occasion Mary anointed Jesus' feet with precious perfume and wiped them with her hair—an act of devotion that has been remembered as a model of costly worship. The story of Lazarus has become a symbol of resurrection hope and the power of God in the Christian tradition, reminding believers that the sovereignty of life belongs to God, whose word prevails over death. This miracle foreshadows the Lord's own resurrection and stands as one of the great signs in the Gospels, demonstrating that the Son of God came into the world so that all who believe in Him may have eternal life.