Tuesday 15 January 2019

Why was Lazarus the only person Jesus resurrected?

The author of the Fourth Gospel (who I believe was Lazarus) goes out of his way to state that Jesus loved Lazarus - just after Lazarus is first named (11:1) saying (11:5) "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister [Mary], and Lazarus". In 11:35-6 we get "Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!"

It strikes me now that this love for Lazarus is linked to him being the first resurrected Man; since in this Gospel, love is mutual; and it is those who love Jesus that are resurrected to life eternal.

Perhaps, then, Lazarus was the first and only person who loved Jesus to die after Jesus became divine and commenced his ministry and before Jesus himself died.

Lazarus was, therefore, the only person 'eligible' for resurrection during the period when Jesus was divine and dwelling upon earth.

This would explain why Lazarus was resurrected, and why no other people were resurrected, during those three years of Jesus's mortal life.

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