How Dead is Really Dead?

Among all the people Jesus raised from the dead whose would you say made the biggest comeback? There was a little girl, a little boy, a servant and then there was Lazarus. (Luke 7,8; Matthew 8; John 11) I learned something about these miracles while reading my study books this weekend. Well, actually, two somethings.

One is that Lazarus is the only one who lived close to Jerusalem.  All the others were in the Galilee region.  So, the Pharisees could easily ignore "such rumors" if they chose. I mean think about it, if there's a place you could care less about, would you care what happened within its borders? Point blank, the pharisees had no respect for Galileans. So, the Pharisees probably could care less that dead people were brought back to life in a part of the kingdom they cared nothing about. Only when the well-known and respected Lazarus, who lived just down the road, died did it get their full attention. Now the second thing I learned comes into play.

Back then the people felt that the spirit, well soul, of a person stayed with the body until the fourth day.  That's when the soul was said to leave the body. . . in other words, the body was really dead then. And, it's decay began. So, Jesus coming along on the fourth day meant both women thought their brother was beyond returning in this lifetime. They knew Jesus could have helped; could have brought their brother back if he had gotten there sooner.  Even still their faith in Jesus did not waiver, even in spite of their brother's death; believing all things were possible through Jesus. But, to raise a body that was considered without a soul was something no one had thought of.

When Lazarus returned to life it got everyone's attention and I mean everyone; there were people from all over the region there comforting Martha and Mary.  Some of the people reported to the pharisees all that had happened, which got their attention and definitely got the ball rolling toward the day that would be relived forever. But, others followed Jesus to hear what he had to say; for now they believed in him. They were looking for him, and Lazarus, as they arrived in Jerusalem for the ritual cleaning before the Passover. And adding even more fuel to the fire was Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, on a donkey, with a large crowd of people waving palm branches in the air. Now that's a way to make a comeback.