Lazarus, Come Forth!

Jesus cried, "Lazarus, come forth!"

JOHN 11 BIBLE STUDY ◄
John 11:35-42 Jesus Wept

John 11:43-57 Lazarus, Come Forth!

JOHN 11:43-44 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 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.”

Did Jesus resurrect Lazarus with the command, "Lazarus, come forth" (John 11:43)?
"Lazarus, come Forth!" ordered Lazarus, whom Jesus had just resurrected, to come out of the tomb.

Is it possible that Lazarus hadn't really died but had just passed out, regained consciousness after the tomb door was closed, and simply had been waiting for the door to be reopened?
If that were the case, Lazarus already would have unbound the graveclothes from his face, hands and feet, and walked out the moment the grave was opened, not wait until Jesus commanded, "Lazarus, come forth!" and then hop out on "bound" (John 11:43) feet with his "face" still "wrapped with a cloth" (John 11:44)

And when he did that, how must the crowd have reacted?
Most likely awestruck and left speechless.

Is any of their reaction reflected in the passage?
It isn't even mentioned. This account is very matter-of-fact and without fanfare or embellishment, just like the rest of the Bible.

JOHN 11:45-48 45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”

What’s the logical answer to the question, "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs" (John 11:47)?
Listen to what He says.

Do miracles guaranty belief?
Apparently not.

Is what the chief priests and the Pharisees say in John 11:48 true?
No, the Romans already had come and taken away their nation.

Then what was their real concern?
Losing their "place" (John 11:48) atop the Jewish social, economic and religious hierarchy.

What blocked them, and what still blocks people from accepting Jesus for who He is?
Their three "P"s: Positions (e.g., social or professional status), Possessions (e.g., wealth, lifestyle), and Passions (e.g., adultery, homosexuality)

JOHN 11:49-52 49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

Does God issue prophecies only through godly people?
God uses whomever He wants to use, including those who oppose Him, even without them being aware, as in John 11:49-50.

Did Jesus die just for the Jewish nation?
"Not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad" (John 11:52).

JOHN 11:53 53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.

Hadn't they already tried to kill Jesus?
Some of them had, but this was now the Sanhedrin, the ruling council of Israel - "the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council" (John 11:47) - deciding as a body to commit murder.

JOHN 11:54-57 54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples. 55 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think - that He will not come to the feast?” 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.

What purposes, besides the obvious, did raising Lazarus achieve?
1. Converted "many" (John 11:45) of the people who witnessed it.
2. Proved Jesus’ power over life and death (John 11:26).
3. Provoked the Sanhedrin to set the trap to "seize Him" (John 11:57).

Who provoked the Sanhedrin to set the trap to seize Him to "put Him to death" (John 11:53)?
Jesus.

Was Jesus aware that raising Lazarus would provoke them as such?
Fully.

So who led the trap to be set that will lead to Jesus' death on the cross?
Jesus Himself.

Then why did Jesus go to "Ephraim" (John 11:54) instead of Jerusalem?
The timing still had to be worked out.