Orthodox Metropolis of ZambiaOn
the day before Palm Sunday (and the start of Holy Week), the Eastern
Orthodox Church celebrates what we call Lazarus Saturday. On this day,
we remember Christ’s raising of His dear friend Lazarus from the dead,
after he had been dead four days. This feast marks the end of the forty
days of Great Lent and serves as a unique transition into our Lord’s
Passion. In triumph and joy, the Church bears witness to Christ’s power
over death and exalts Him as King before entering the most solemn week
of the year, one that leads the faithful in remembrance of His suffering
and death and concludes with the great and glorious Feast of Pascha.
CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST
Having
fulfilled Forty Days […] we ask to see the Holy Week of Thy Passion.
With these words sung at Friday Vespers, Lent comes to its end; and we
enter into the annual commemoration of Christ’s suffering, death and
Resurrection. Liturgical texts describe the double feast of Lazarus’
resurrection and the Entrance of the Lord to Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) as
the “beginning of the Cross”. Therefore, we must understand this Feast
in the context of Holy Week. The Troparion of these days explicitly
affirms that by raising Lazarus from the dead, Christ confirmed the
truth of universal resurrection. Light and joy shine not only at the end
of Holy Week but also at its beginning; they illumine darkness itself
and reveal its ultimate meaning.
All those familiar with Orthodox
worship know the peculiar, almost paradoxical character of Lazarus
Saturday services. It is a Resurrection service on a Saturday, a day
usually devoted to the liturgical commemoration of the dead. And the joy
which permeates these services stresses one central theme: the upcoming
victory of Christ over Hades. Hades is the Biblical term for Death, for
that unescapable darkness and destruction that swallows all life and
poisons the world with its shadow. But now—with Lazarus’
resurrection—death begins to tremble. Here, the decisive duel between
Life and Death begins, and it gives us the key to the mystery of Pascha.
In the early Church, Lazarus Saturday was called the “announcement of
Pascha”; it announces and anticipates, indeed, the wonderful light and
peace of the next Saturday—the Great and Holy Saturday, the day of the
Lifegiving Tomb.
THE RAISING OF LAZARUS IN SCRIPTURE
THE LORD WAITS
We
find this powerful story in the Gospel of John 11:1-45. Lazarus becomes
ill, and his sisters, Mary and Martha send a message to Jesus. In
response, Jesus says, “This illness does not lead to death; rather it is
for God’s glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it”
(vv. 1-4).
Instead of going immediately to Bethany, the town
where Lazarus lived, Christ remained where he was for two more days.
Only then did He return to Judea with His disciples, who tried to
convince Him not to go for fear of the Jews who had recently tried to
stone Him (John 10:31). Jesus comforts them and then explains that
Lazarus has fallen asleep and that He must go to wake him. The
disciples, mistakenly thinking the Lord meant Lazarus was simply
sleeping, wondered why Jesus would go to wake him. This led to Jesus
telling them directly that Lazarus was, indeed, dead.
MARTHA AND MARY GREET THE LORD
When
Martha, one of Lazarus’ sisters, heard that Jesus was approaching, she
went to meet Him. She said to Him, “Lord, if you had been here, my
brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you
whatever you ask of Him.” Jesus told her that her brother will rise
again. Martha said she knew he would rise again in the resurrection on
the last day.
But Jesus corrected her and said, “I am the
resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they
die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never
die.” Jesus asked Martha if she believed this. And she said to Him,
“Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one
coming into the world” (vv. 17-27).
After this, Martha returned
to tell Mary that Jesus had come and was asking for her. Mary went to
Him, followed by those consoling her. The mourners followed her,
thinking she was going to the tomb to weep there. When she came to
Jesus, she fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my
brother would not have died.”
Jesus saw her weeping and those who
were with her, and He was deeply moved. He asked to be taken to the
tomb of Lazarus. As Jesus wept, the Jews said, “See how He loved him.”
Others wondered that if Jesus could open the eyes of the blind, He
certainly could have kept Lazarus from dying (vv. 28-37).
RAISING LAZARUS
Jesus
came to the tomb and asked that someone move the stone from the door.
Martha remarked that Lazarus had now been in the tomb for four days and
that there would be a stench. Jesus replied, “Did I not tell you that if
you believed, you would see the glory of God?” They took the stone
away. Then Jesus looked toward heaven and said, “Father, I thank You for
having heard me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd
standing here, so they may believe that You sent Me.” When He had said
this, He called out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” Lazarus
walked out of the tomb, bound with the strips of burial cloth, and Jesus
said, “Unbind him, and let him go” (vv. 38-44).
According to ancient
Jewish Tradition, the soul remained near the body for only three days.
As a result of this miracle, many of the Jews present came to believe in
Jesus. Christ performs this miracle to reassure His disciples that
though He will suffer and die, He is still Lord and Victor over death.
The resurrection of Lazarus is a prophecy in the form of an action. It
foreshadows Christ’s own Resurrection eight days later, and at the same
time it anticipates the resurrection of all the righteous on the Last
Day: Lazarus is “the saving first-fruits of the regeneration of the
world.”
THE SYMBOLISM BEHIND RAISING LAZARUS
Lazarus, as the
friend of Christ, serves as a symbol for all of mankind. As beings made
in the image of God, we are all called to divine friendship with Him:
knowledge of God, communion with Him, and sharing of life with Him. “In
Him was life and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). And yet
death (which God didn’t create) destroys and annihilates His creation.
But
why does Christ weep if He knows that in a moment He will call Lazarus
back from the dead? Because He contemplates the triumph of death and
destruction in the world He created. At the grave of Lazarus, God
encounters Death. He meets His Enemy, who has taken away from Him His
world and become its prince. And we who follow Jesus enter with Him into
that hour, into the climax and fulfillment of His work.
The
Cross, its necessity and universal meaning are announced in the shortest
verse of the Gospel: “and Jesus wept”. It is because He wept, i.e.,
loved Lazarus, that Jesus had the power of calling him back to life. The
power of Resurrection is not a divine “power in itself,” but the power
of love, or rather love as power. God is Love and Love is life. And Love
creates Life. It is Love that weeps at the grave and it is Love that
restores life. In Christ’s Divine tears, love is at work again
—recreating, redeeming, restoring the darkened life of man. And this is
why Lazarus Saturday is the beginning of both: the Cross, as the supreme
sacrifice of love, and the Resurrection, as the ultimate triumph of
love. John 11:1-45
21st Century King James Version
11 Now a certain man was sick named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 (It was that Mary who had anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)
3 Therefore his sisters sent unto Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom Thou lovest is sick.”
4
When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but
for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
6 When He heard therefore that Lazarus was sick, He stayed two days still in the same place where He was.
7 Then after that He said to His disciples, “Let us go into Judea again.”
8 His disciples said unto Him, “Master, the Jews of late sought to stone Thee, and goest Thou thither again?”
9
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk
in the day he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth because there is no light in him.”
11
These things said He, and after that He said unto them, “Our friend
Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awaken him out of sleep.”
12 Then said His disciples, “Lord, if he sleep he shall do well.”
13 However Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He had spoken of the taking of rest in sleep.
14 Then Jesus said unto them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.
15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent that ye may believe. Nevertheless let us go unto him.”
16 Then Thomas, who was called Didymus, said unto his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”
17 Then when Jesus came, He found that he had lain in the grave four days already.
18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about two miles away,
19 and many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him; but Mary sat still in the house.
21 Then Martha said unto Jesus, “Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died.
22 But I know that even now, whatsoever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee.”
23 Jesus said unto her, “Thy brother shall rise again.”
24 Martha said unto Him, “I know that he shall rise again at the resurrection on the Last Day.”
25 Jesus said unto her, “I am the resurrection and the Life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live;
26 and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
27 She said unto Him, “Yea, Lord, I believe that Thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who should come into the world.”
28
And when she had so said, she went her way and called Mary her sister
secretly, saying, “The Master has come, and calleth for thee.”
29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came unto Him.
30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met Him.
31
The Jews then, who were with her in the house and comforting her, when
they saw that Mary rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying,
“She goeth unto the grave to weep there.”
32 Then when Mary had
come where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying unto
Him, “Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping who came with her, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled,
34 and said, “Where have ye laid him?” They said unto Him, “Lord, come and see.”
35 Jesus wept.
36 Then said the Jews, “Behold, how he loved him!”
37
And some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the
blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?”
38 Jesus therefore again, groaning in Himself, came to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.
39
Jesus said, “Take ye away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him that
was dead, said unto Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he
hath been dead four days.”
40 Jesus said unto her, “Said I not unto thee that if thou would believe, thou should see the glory of God?”
41
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid.
And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank Thee that Thou
hast heard Me.
42 And I knew that Thou hearest Me always, but
because of the people who stand by I said it, that they may believe that
Thou hast sent Me.”
43 And when He thus had spoken, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”
44
And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes,
and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said unto them,
“Loose him, and let him go.”
45 Then many of the Jews who came to Mary and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed in Him
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João 11:1-45
Almeida Revista e Corrigida 2009
A ressurreição de Lázaro
11
Estava, então, enfermo um certo Lázaro, de Betânia, aldeia de Maria e
de sua irmã Marta. 2 E Maria era aquela que tinha ungido o Senhor com
unguento e lhe tinha enxugado os pés com os seus cabelos, cujo irmão,
Lázaro, estava enfermo. 3 Mandaram-lhe, pois, suas irmãs dizer: Senhor,
eis que está enfermo aquele que tu amas. 4 E Jesus, ouvindo isso, disse:
Esta enfermidade não é para morte, mas para glória de Deus, para que o
Filho de Deus seja glorificado por ela. 5 Ora, Jesus amava a Marta, e a
sua irmã, e a Lázaro. 6 Ouvindo, pois, que estava enfermo, ficou ainda
dois dias no lugar onde estava. 7 Depois disso, disse aos seus
discípulos: Vamos outra vez para a Judeia. 8 Disseram-lhe os discípulos:
Rabi, ainda agora os judeus procuravam apedrejar-te, e tornas para lá? 9
Jesus respondeu: Não há doze horas no dia? Se alguém andar de dia, não
tropeça, porque vê a luz deste mundo. 10 Mas, se andar de noite,
tropeça, porque nele não há luz. 11 Assim falou e, depois, disse-lhes:
Lázaro, o nosso amigo, dorme, mas vou despertá-lo do sono. 12 Disseram,
pois, os seus discípulos: Senhor, se dorme, estará salvo. 13 Mas Jesus
dizia isso da sua morte; eles, porém, cuidavam que falava do repouso do
sono. 14 Então, Jesus disse-lhes claramente: Lázaro está morto, 15 e
folgo, por amor de vós, de que eu lá não estivesse, para que acrediteis.
Mas vamos ter com ele. 16 Disse, pois, Tomé, chamado Dídimo, aos
condiscípulos: Vamos nós também, para morrermos com ele.
17
Chegando, pois, Jesus, achou que já havia quatro dias que estava na
sepultura. 18 (Ora, Betânia distava de Jerusalém quase quinze estádios.)
19 E muitos dos judeus tinham ido consolar a Marta e a Maria, acerca de
seu irmão. 20 Ouvindo, pois, Marta que Jesus vinha, saiu-lhe ao
encontro; Maria, porém, ficou assentada em casa. 21 Disse, pois, Marta a
Jesus: Senhor, se tu estivesses aqui, meu irmão não teria morrido. 22
Mas também, agora, sei que tudo quanto pedires a Deus, Deus to
concederá. 23 Disse-lhe Jesus: Teu irmão há de ressuscitar. 24 Disse-lhe
Marta: Eu sei que há de ressuscitar na ressurreição do último Dia. 25
Disse-lhe Jesus: Eu sou a ressurreição e a vida; quem crê em mim, ainda
que esteja morto, viverá; 26 e todo aquele que vive e crê em mim nunca
morrerá. Crês tu isso? 27 Disse-lhe ela: Sim, Senhor, creio que tu és o
Cristo, o Filho de Deus, que havia de vir ao mundo.
28 E, dito
isso, partiu e chamou em segredo a Maria, sua irmã, dizendo: O Mestre
está aqui e chama-te. 29 Ela, ouvindo isso, levantou-se logo e foi ter
com ele. 30 (Ainda Jesus não tinha chegado à aldeia, mas estava no lugar
onde Marta o encontrara.) 31 Vendo, pois, os judeus que estavam com ela
em casa e a consolavam que Maria apressadamente se levantara e saíra,
seguiram-na, dizendo: Vai ao sepulcro para chorar ali. 32 Tendo, pois,
Maria chegado aonde Jesus estava e vendo-o, lançou-se aos seus pés,
dizendo-lhe: Senhor, se tu estivesses aqui, meu irmão não teria morrido.
33 Jesus, pois, quando a viu chorar e também chorando os judeus que com
ela vinham, moveu-se muito em espírito e perturbou-se. 34 E disse: Onde
o pusestes? Disseram-lhe: Senhor, vem e vê. 35 Jesus chorou. 36
Disseram, pois, os judeus: Vede como o amava. 37 E alguns deles
disseram: Não podia ele, que abriu os olhos ao cego, fazer também com
que este não morresse? 38 Jesus, pois, movendo-se outra vez muito em si
mesmo, foi ao sepulcro; e era uma caverna e tinha uma pedra posta sobre
ela. 39 Disse Jesus: Tirai a pedra. Marta, irmã do defunto, disse-lhe:
Senhor, já cheira mal, porque é já de quatro dias. 40 Disse-lhe Jesus:
Não te hei dito que, se creres, verás a glória de Deus? 41 Tiraram,
pois, a pedra. E Jesus, levantando os olhos para o céu, disse: Pai,
graças te dou, por me haveres ouvido. 42 Eu bem sei que sempre me ouves,
mas eu disse isso por causa da multidão que está ao redor, para que
creiam que tu me enviaste. 43 E, tendo dito isso, clamou com grande voz:
Lázaro, vem para fora. 44 E o defunto saiu, tendo as mãos e os pés
ligados com faixas, e o seu rosto, envolto num lenço. Disse-lhes Jesus:
Desligai-o e deixai-o ir.
45 Muitos, pois, dentre os judeus que tinham vindo a Maria e que tinham visto o que Jesus fizera creram nele.
St Lazarus, holy icon from the city of Larnaca, Cyprus
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Йоан 11:1-45
1940 Bulgarian Bible
11 Един <човек на име> Лазар, от Витания, от селото на Мария и на сестра й Марта, беше болен.
2 (А Мария, чийто брат Лазар беше болен, бе оная, която помаза Господа с миро и отри нозете Му с косата си).
3 И тъй, сестрите пратиха до Него да Му кажат: Господи, ето този, когото обичаш, е болен.
4 А Исус, като чу това, рече: Тази болест не е смъртоносна, но е за Божията слава, за да се прослави Божият Син чрез нея.
5 А Исус обичаше Марта, и сестра й, и Лазара.
6 Тогава откак чу, че бил болен, престоя два дни на мястото, гдето се намираше.
7 А подир това, каза на учениците: Да отидем пак в Юдея.
8 Казват Му учениците: Учителю, сега юдеите искаха да Те убият с камъни, и пак ли там отиваш?
9 Исус отговори: Нали има дванадесет часа в деня? Ако ходи някой денем, не се препъва, защото вижда виделината на тоя свят.
10 Но ако ходи някой нощем, препъва се, защото не е осветлен.
11 Това изговори, и подир туй им каза: Нашият приятел Лазар заспа; но Аз отивам да го събудя.
12 Затова учениците Му рекоха: Господи, ако е заспал, ще оздравее.
13 Но Исус бе говорил за смъртта му; а те мислеха, че говори за почиване в сън.
14 Тогава Исус им рече ясно: Лазар умря.
15 И заради вас, радвам се, че не бях там, за да повярвате; обаче, нека да отидем при него.
16 Тогава Тома, наречен близнак, каза на съучениците: Да отидем и ние, за да умрем с Него.
17 И тъй, като дойде Исус, намери, че <Лазар> бил от четири дни в гроба.
18 А Витания беше близо до Ерусалим, колкото петнадесет стадии;
19 и мнозина от юдеите бяха при Марта и Мария да ги утешават за брат им.
20 Марта, прочее, като чу, че идел Исус, отиде да Го посрещне; а Мария още седеше в къщи.
21 Тогава Марта рече на Исуса: Господи, да беше Ти тука, не щеше да умре брат ми.
22 Но и сега зная, че каквото и да поискаш от Бога, Бог ще Ти даде.
23 Казва й Исус: Брат ти ще възкръсне.
24 Казва Му Марта: Зная, че ще възкръсне във възкресението на последния ден.
25 Исус й рече: Аз съм възкресението и живота; който вярва в Мене, ако и да умре, ще живее;
26 и никой, който е жив и вярва в Мене, няма да умре до века. Вярваш ли това?
27 Казва му: Да Господи, вярвам, че Ти си Христос, Божият Син, Който има да дойде на света.
28 И като рече това, отиде да повика скришом сестра си Мария, казвайки: Учителят е дошъл и те вика.
29 И тя, щом чу това, стана бързо и отиде при Него.
30 Исус още не беше дошъл в селото, а беше на мястото, гдето Го посрещна Марта.
31
А юдеите, които бяха с нея в къщи и я утешаваха, като видяха, че Мария
стана бързо и излезе, отидоха подире й, като мислеха че отива на гроба
да плаче там.
32 И тъй, Мария, като дойде там гдето беше Исус и
Го видя, падна пред нозете Му и рече Му: Господи, да беше Ти тука,
нямаше да умре брат ми.
33 Исус, като я видя, че плаче, и юдеите, които я придружаваха, че плачат, разтъжи се в духа си и се смути.
34 И рече: Где го положихте? Казват Му: Господи, дойди и виж.
35 Исус се просълзи.
36 Затова юдеите думаха: Виж колко го е обичал!
37 А някои от тях рекоха: Не можеше ли Този, Който отвори очите на слепеца, да направи така, че и този да не умре?
38 Исус, прочее, като тъжеше пак в Себе Си, дохожда на гроба. Беше пещера, и на нея бе привален камък.
39
Казва Исус: Отместете камъка. Марта, сестрата на умрелия, Му казва:
Господи, смърди вече, защото е от четири дни в <гроба>.
40 Казва й Исус: Не рекох ли ти, че ако повярваш ще видиш Божията слава?
41 И тъй, отместиха камъка. А Исус подигна очи нагоре и рече: Отче, благодаря Ти, че Ме послуша.
42 Аз знаех, че Ти винаги Ме слушаш; но това казах заради народа, който стои наоколо, за да повярват, че Ти си Ме пратил.
43 Като каза това, извика със силен глас: Лазаре, излез вън!
44
Умрелият излезе, с ръце и нозе повити в саван, и лицето му забрадено с
кърпа. Исус им каза: Разповийте го и оставете го да си иде.
45 Тогава мнозина от юдеите, които бяха дошли при Мария и видяха това що стори <Исус>, повярваха в Него.
Η ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΗ ΤΟΥ ΛΑΖΑΡΟΥ
Κατά Ιωάννην Άγιο Ευαγγέλιο, Κεφάλαιο ΙΑ'(11) 1-45 Νεοελληνική Απόδοση
Ο θάνατος του Λαζάρου
Ήταν τότε κάποιος που ασθενούσε, ο Λάζαρος από τη Βηθανία, από το χωριό της Μαρίας και της Μάρθας της αδελφής της.
Και
ήταν η Μαρία εκείνη που άλειψε τον Κύριο με μύρο και σκούπισε τα πόδια
του με τα μαλλιά της, της οποίας ο αδελφός της ο Λάζαρος ασθενούσε.
Απέστειλαν ανθρώπους, λοιπόν, οι αδελφές προς αυτόν και έλεγαν: «Κύριε, δες, αυτός που αγαπάς ασθενεί».
Όταν
το άκουσε τότε ο Ιησούς, είπε: «Αυτή η ασθένεια δεν είναι για θάνατο,
αλλά για τη δόξα του Θεού, για να δοξασθεί ο Υιός του Θεού μέσω αυτής».
Μάλιστα ο Ιησούς αγαπούσε τη Μάρθα και την αδελφή της και το Λάζαρο.
Μόλις λοιπόν άκουσε ότι ασθενεί, τότε έμεινε στον τόπο όπου ήταν δύο ημέρες.
Έπειτα, μετά από αυτό, λέει στους μαθητές: «Ας πηγαίνουμε στην Ιουδαία πάλι».
Του λένε οι μαθητές: «Ραβί, τώρα ζητούσαν να σε λιθοβολήσουν οι Ιουδαίοι, και πάλι πηγαίνεις εκεί;»
Αποκρίθηκε
ο Ιησούς: «Δεν είναι δώδεκα οι ώρες της ημέρας; Αν κάποιος περπατά την
ημέρα, δε σκοντάφτει, γιατί το φως του κόσμου τούτου βλέπει.
Αν όμως κάποιος περπατά τη νύχτα, σκοντάφτει, γιατί το φως δεν είναι με αυτόν».
Αυτά είπε, και μετά από αυτό τους λέει: «Ο Λάζαρος ο φίλος μας έχει κοιμηθεί, αλλά πορεύομαι για να τον ξυπνήσω».
Του είπαν λοιπόν οι μαθητές: «Κύριε, αν έχει κοιμηθεί, θα σωθεί».
Ο Ιησούς όμως είχε μιλήσει για το θάνατό του. Ενώ εκείνοι νόμισαν ότι μιλάει για την κοίμηση του ύπνου.
Τότε λοιπόν τους είπε ο Ιησούς καθαρά: «Ο Λάζαρος πέθανε,
και χαίρομαι για σας, για να πιστέψετε, επειδή δεν ήμουν εκεί. Αλλά ας πηγαίνουμε προς αυτόν».
Είπε τότε ο Θωμάς, ο λεγόμενος Δίδυμος, στους συμμαθητές του: «Ας πηγαίνουμε κι εμείς να πεθάνουμε μαζί του».
Ο Ιησούς είναι η Ανάσταση και η Ζωή
Όταν ήρθε λοιπόν ο Ιησούς, τον βρήκε ήδη τέσσερις ημέρες να είναι στο μνήμα.
Και η Βηθανία ήταν κοντά στα Ιεροσόλυμα σε απόσταση μικρότερη από τρία χιλιόμετρα.
Και πολλοί από τους Ιουδαίους είχαν έρθει προς τη Μάρθα και τη Μαρία, για να τις παρηγορήσουν για τον αδελφό τους.
Η Μάρθα, λοιπόν, μόλις άκουσε ότι ο Ιησούς έρχεται, τον προϋπάντησε. Και η Μαρία καθόταν μέσα στον οίκο.
Είπε τότε η Μάρθα προς τον Ιησού: «Κύριε, αν ήσουν εδώ, δε θα πέθαινε ο αδελφός μου.
Αλλά και τώρα ξέρω ότι όσα ζητήσεις από το Θεό, θα σου τα δώσει ο Θεός».
Της λέει ο Ιησούς: «Θα αναστηθεί ο αδελφός σου».
Του λέει η Μάρθα: «Ξέρω ότι θα αναστηθεί κατά την ανάσταση, την έσχατη ημέρα».
Της είπε ο Ιησούς: «Εγώ είμαι η ανάσταση και η ζωή. Όποιος πιστεύει σ’ εμένα κι αν πεθάνει θα ζήσει,
και καθένας που ζει και πιστεύει σ’ εμένα δε θα πεθάνει στον αιώνα. Το πιστεύεις αυτό;»
Του λέει: «Ναι, Κύριε. Εγώ έχω πιστέψει ότι εσύ είσαι ο Χριστός, ο Υιός του Θεού, ο ερχόμενος στον κόσμο».
Ο Ιησούς δακρύζει
Και όταν είπε αυτό, έφυγε και φώναξε τη Μαρία την αδελφή της κρυφά και της είπε: «Ο δάσκαλος είναι εδώ και σε φωνάζει».
Εκείνη τότε, μόλις το άκουσε, σηκώθηκε γρήγορα και ερχόταν προς αυτόν.
Ακόμα, λοιπόν, ο Ιησούς δεν είχε έρθει στο χωριό, αλλά ήταν ακόμα στον τόπο όπου τον προϋπάντησε η Μάρθα.
Οι
Ιουδαίοι, τότε, που ήταν μαζί της στην οικία και την παρηγορούσαν, όταν
είδαν τη Μαρία ότι γρήγορα σηκώθηκε και εξήλθε, την ακολούθησαν, επειδή
νόμισαν ότι πηγαίνει στο μνήμα, για να κλάψει εκεί.
Η Μαρία, λοιπόν,
μόλις ήρθε εκεί όπου ήταν ο Ιησούς, όταν τον είδε, έπεσε μπροστά στα
πόδια του και του λέει: «Κύριε, αν ήσουν εδώ, δε θα μου πέθαινε ο
αδελφός».
Ο Ιησούς, τότε, καθώς την είδε να κλαίει και τους Ιουδαίους
που ήρθαν μαζί της να κλαίνε, αναστέναξε στο πνεύμα του και ταράχτηκε
και είπε: «Πού τον έχετε θέσει;» Του λένε: «Κύριε, έλα και δες».
Δάκρυσε ο Ιησούς.
Έλεγαν λοιπόν οι Ιουδαίοι: «Δες πώς τον αγαπούσε».
Μερικοί όμως από αυτούς είπαν: «Δεν μπορούσε αυτός, που άνοιξε τα μάτια του τυφλού, να κάνει ώστε και αυτός να μην πεθάνει;»
Η ανάσταση του Λαζάρου
Ο
Ιησούς, λοιπόν, πάλι αφού αναστέναξε μέσα του, έρχεται στο μνήμα. Και
εκείνο ήταν σπήλαιο, και ένας λίθος βρισκόταν πάνω του στην είσοδο.
Λέει
ο Ιησούς: «Σηκώστε το λίθο». Του λέει η αδελφή του πεθαμένου, η Μάρθα:
«Κύριε, ήδη μυρίζει, γιατί είναι η τέταρτη ημέρα που πέθανε».
Της λέει ο Ιησούς: «Δε σου είπα ότι, αν πιστέψεις, θα δεις τη δόξα του Θεού;»
Σήκωσαν λοιπόν το λίθο. Τότε ο Ιησούς σήκωσε τους οφθαλμούς του πάνω και είπε: «Πατέρα, σε ευχαριστώ γιατί με άκουσες.
Εγώ βέβαια ήξερα ότι πάντα με ακούς, αλλά για το πλήθος που έχει σταθεί γύρω το είπα, για να πιστέψουν ότι εσύ με απέστειλες».
Και αφού είπε αυτά, με μεγάλη φωνή κραύγασε: «Λάζαρε, βγες έξω».
Εξήλθε
τότε ο πεθαμένος, έχοντας δεμένα τα πόδια του και τα χέρια του με
επιδέσμους, και το πρόσωπό του ήταν περιδεμένο με μαντίλι. Τους λέει ο
Ιησούς: «Λύστε τον και αφήστε τον να φύγει».
Η συνωμοσία για να σκοτώσουν τον Ιησού
Πολλοί λοιπόν από τους Ιουδαίους που ήρθαν προς τη Μαρία και είδαν όσα έκανε πίστεψαν σ’ αυτόν.
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