Lazarus: The final straw
It’s odd to say the final straw in the first post, but for the Pharasis and the Sanhedren that is what it amounted to.
Jesus power and influence was growing and his followers were increasing, even the Romans spoke highly of him. This was a source of disquiet among the Jewish leaders at that time for Jesus never acknowledged them to be God’s leaders on the earth, rather he would hold them to account for their actions.
The background to the Lazarus story is all important. Lazarus was a very wealthy Land owner, owning most of Jerusalem and nearly all of Bethany, he was well known in power circles with the Sanhedren and well liked by the romans, he was you might say an all round good egg. Treating servants, labouers on his estates fairly and was charitable to the needy. This reminds me when Jesus put the caveat at the end of his famous statement. “ It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to get into Heaven, but nothing is impossible for God” So Lazurus enjoy the fruits of being a very rich man which he shared generously. His two sisters Martha and Mary (Mary Madelene, who Jesus famously forgave her past life) lived with him and were very dear friends of Jesus.
For two years everyone watched Lazarus’s health decline and for the final six months he was bed ridden and very sick. The stench of the decaying body filled the room, his features so disfigured and in obvious pain. Jesus had been regularly critized for curing everyone else except his friend.
At the time of his death Jesus was not in Bethany and was a few days walking away when news reached him. In the meantime Lazarus was laid to rest with many members of the Sanhedren paying their respects to the dead Lazarus. So there was no ambiguity to the fact that Lazarus was dead.
Lazarus funeral was well attended with all the prominent people of that time and lay people. It was a lavish affair that befits a man of his standing in the community. It was much of a surprise that Jesus was absent from the funeral. He was buried and the spelicar stone was sealed.
Four days after Lazarus was buried Jesus arrived in Bethany and was greeted by Martha and Mary. Word of his arrival spread fast within the community and soon lay people and many prominent members of the Sanhedrin gathered to see what Jesus would say.
After some time with Martha and Mary Jesus asked to be shown the tomb, So the Lazarus household and the gathered peoples followed Jesus to the tomb. By now a very large crowd of people, dignatries and romans had gathered.
To their astonishment Jesus asked that the sealed tomb be opened.
After which he raised his arms to the sky and said Father thank you for answering my prayer so that all these people may see your glory and believe in my word.
“ Lazarus Come Out” was his cry
And the putrified body of Lazarus came forth wrapped in bandages.
In front of the crowd he was cleaned of all the petrified flesh and was once again a healthy man disease free.
The next day the apostles were elated for they figured that after the raising of Lazarus the Pharasis and thereby the Sanhedren would now have to accept Jesus as the Messiah and that all the animosity against them would disappear.
The opposite happened, After these events the Pharasis felt their position of power threatened by this Jesus. How could the people listen to them rather than Jesus. It was this time when Ciaphus said “ Better that one man should die than a nation be lost” A warrant for Jesus’s arrest was issued.
So Lazarus was the final straw.
A few weeks later Jesus arrive in Jerusalem for Passover on a donkey greeted by ecstatic crowds. There began the Passion.
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