Following on from: http://charltonteaching.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/was-john-evangelist-resurrected-lazarus.html
I have seen various views taken as to whether Lazarus was truly resurrected (as is implied, to my mind, by the preceding conversations between Jesus and Martha - see below) or whether he was merely brought-back-to-life (on the basis that Jesus must have been the first to be resurrected).
If Lazarus truly was resurrected rather than merely 'raised' then this would potentially be further indirect evidence that John the Evangelist was Lazarus - if, like me, you regard the disciple John as the most wholly good and holy man ever to have lived.
(Of course this cannot be proved by 'evidence' but I am not the only person to think so.)
If John was indeed Lazarus resurrected, hence a man perfected in body and spirit; then complete goodness and holiness would be exactly what one would expect, as also would be his immortality.
Relevant passage from the Gospel of John:
Chapter 11: 18 Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: 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 said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at 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 saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 28 And when she had so said, she went her way
1 comment:
Bruce,
It is possible Lazarus is a code name for John.
Early traditions have Lazarus moving to Cyprus, or France, and living a few decades more before dying again.
As for me, I believe neither John nor Lazarus were resurrected at that time. I think John was later (or maybe, if he was "Lazarus," at that time) "translated" - amortal until the morning of the first resurrection at Christ's Second Coming (Matt. 16:38). I base this on other people I believe are translated - Enoch (Heb. 11:5), Moses (Deut. 34:5-7), Elijah (2 Kings 2:11), possibly Alma (Alma 45:19), the three unnamed Nephite disciples (3 Nephi 28), the citizens of the city of Zion/Enoch.
Not all saints sleep in death (open to those that live from the time of Paul and those mortals alive at the Second Coming):
1 Corithians 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
What does it mean to "tarry"?
3 Nephi 28:4 And when he had spoken unto them, he turned himself unto the three, and said unto them: What will ye that I should do unto you, when I am gone unto the Father?
5 And they sorrowed in their hearts, for they durst not speak unto him the thing which they desired.
6 And he said unto them: Behold, I know your thoughts, and ye have desired the thing which John, my beloved, who was with me in my ministry, before that I was lifted up by the Jews, desired of me.
7 Therefore, more blessed are ye, for ye shall never taste of death; but ye shall live to behold all the doings of the Father unto the children of men, even until all things shall be fulfilled according to the will of the Father, when I shall come in my glory with the powers of heaven.
8 And ye shall never endure the pains of death; but when I shall come in my glory ye shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye from mortality to immortality; and then shall ye be blessed in the kingdom of my Father.
9 And again, ye shall not have pain while ye shall dwell in the flesh, neither sorrow save it be for the sins of the world; and all this will I do because of the thing which ye have desired of me, for ye have desired that ye might bring the souls of men unto me, while the world shall stand.
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