The Resurrection of Lazarus as Central to the Gospel of John

The Resurrection of Lazarus as Central to the Gospel of John

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John comprise the core of Christian belief and tradition; in telling the story of the life and works of Jesus of Nazareth, each serves to direct and instruct the lives of His followers while also firmly establishing the divinity and nature of Jesus as the Messiah. The Gospel of John stands out from the other three, deemed the Synoptic Gospels because of the way they are organized section by section, rather than as synthesizing an overall theme as in John, in that it contains no genealogy of Jesus, but instead attempts to establish his significance through his miracles and explain the mystery of Jesus through a glimpse into his nature itself. John delves into Jesus' life as both a human and divine being; it shows Jesus as the embodiment of God in the world, physically interacting with His people. This relationship, so important to the foundation of the Christian faith, is most evident in the resurrection of Lazarus, a miracle which can, in many ways, be viewed as the central event of John's Gospel, not only because it falls directly in the middle of the book, but because it acts as the culmination of the many miracles of Jesus Christ. This story vividly demonstrates Jesus' human traits and his divine power as well, setting up the plot for the rest of John's Gospel and furthering the theme of God's role in human life.

Jesus' miracles provide tangible evidence of His power, consequently gathering many admirers, and helping to spread His teachings throughout the land. These followers saw the miracles as signs from God that Jesus was truly their savior, just as the descriptions of these miracles in the Gospels have serve...

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...s made about His life and death. Caiaphas and the rest of the chief priests decide "…to put him to death," (Jn 11:53) on account of His non-traditional actions and His potential treat to their positions of power.

The Gospel of John looks at God's relationship with mankind through Jesus life and works. Jesus' miracles, which culminate in the resurrection of Lazarus, demonstrate God's ever present role in human life. The raising of Lazarus from the dead plays a pivotal role in John's Gospel by demonstrating Jesus as both human and divine, making God's intervention in human life evident. This event also serves as the end of Jesus' public ministry, triggering the plot to execute Him. In raising Lazarus, Jesus knowingly uses God's power to make a public display of His own divinity, ultimately leading to fulfillment of the prophecies and the greater glory of God.