Today's Reading:

Luke 10
John 10
John 11:1-54

When the groups of disciples came back from the mission Jesus sent them on, He blessed them. He privately blessed the disciples which may have included the 72, not just the twelve. This blessing was for those who see and hear what the prophets and kings longed for in the Old Testament. They are witnessing the kingdom and work of Jesus.

That blessing is grace. God is letting regular people see and share in what the earlier generations could only hope for. What does it mean to you that Jesus calls His followers “blessed” for seeing what prophets and kings longed to see? How does knowing you are witnessing the Kingdom (even in small ways) change the way you look at ordinary days?

Jesus sent out more disciples than just the twelve; He chose 72 (some manuscripts say 70) to go ahead of Him. They are “lambs among the wolves,” meaning vulnerable and dependent on the hospitality of the people in the towns. Do not get delayed along the way, He told them. Offer the house peace; if the town rejects you, then move on. The word for “peace” is “shalom,” which means well-being, wholeness, a blessing of God’s favor. He wanted them to stay there and not look for a better place. Woe to the three towns that saw His miracles but did not repent. Those who listen to the messengers are actually listening to Jesus. He saw Satan fall in connection with what the 72 did on their mission and gave them power over the enemy’s power. Jesus does not want their joy to be because of their authority over demons, though. It is not their power anyway; it is God’s. The better joy is knowing that your name is written in heaven. 

An expert in law (lawyer) wanted to know about having eternal life. He quoted two Commandments but wanted to justify himself by drawing a line on “who is my neighbor.” Jesus gave the Parable of the Good Samaritan. Both the priest and the Levite (a temple worker from the tribe of Levi) passed the man who was robbed, beaten, and left half dead. The Samaritan, the least likely to help, shows the man mercy. A neighbor is to have no boundaries with race, religion, or community- or even convenience. We are called to show mercy to all who are in need.

At the home of Mary and Martha (Lazarus’ sisters), Mary took time to stop and listen to Jesus’ words. Martha showed hospitality and concern for serving, which is important and valid, but not the appropriate priority at that moment. Listening to Jesus while He is there is the better priority. Her anxiety over being a hostess made her miss something more important. We are all to sit at Jesus’ feet and take in His words.

Jesus is the entrance, the gate, and comes to give life. There is one flock and one Shepherd. Hired workers do not lay down their lives as a shepherd does. Hanukkah (Feast of Dedication) came, and Jesus was asked if He is the Messiah. He had already told and shown the people, but they do not believe, because they are not His sheep. A sheep will listen to only its master, no other shepherd. The people tried to stone Jesus again, not because of His miracles but for the blasphemy that He, a man, was claiming to be God. He responded with Psalm 82:6: if fallible human judges and rulers could be called “gods” or “sons of the Most High,” then the One whom God the Father sent, who is set apart, should be allowed to be called “God’s Son.”

Lazarus’ death and being raised was only recorded in the Gospel of John. We had just met Mary and Martha (Mary’s anointing Jesus with oil is coming in chapter 12). The sisters sent word to Jesus that Lazarus was sick. Jesus did not respond by coming right away. He had a plan to show God’s glory so that death does not win, and that He Himself will be glorified through it. Once Jesus did arrive, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days! His disciples had thought Jesus meant Lazarus had actually fallen asleep, not understanding that Jesus meant Lazarus had died. Jesus was not glad of the death or of the grieving of Mary and Martha, but said, “For their sake,” He was glad he could show something greater than healing sickness. Jesus knew His disciple’s faith would grow. Jews had just tried to stone Him again in Judea (11:8), and so it was dangerous to go back there to the home of Lazarus. “Doubting Thomas” was also called Didymus, which means “twin” in Greek. Thomas felt going back would result in the death of Jesus. If going back would cost Jesus His life, then the disciples were to sacrifice their own lives as well. It took courage to not abandon Jesus. Note that Bethany was less than two miles away from Jerusalem. The messenger could have reached Jesus in about one day’s time. Jesus had been “beyond the river” across the Jordan River when word was sent to them. He decided to stay an additional two days before making the journey back to Judea and Bethany. Some scholars believe Lazarus would have died about the time when the messenger left to get word to Jesus, then there were the two days of delay, and then the day’s journey to get back. Jesus was deliberately stalling. The short distance from Bethany to Jerusalem was included to explain why so many were there to comfort the sisters. Both sisters had said to Jesus, “If you were here,” He could have prevented the death. They believe He could have healed Lazarus; this was said in sorrow, not as an accusation. Matha believed that Jesus would raise Lazarus at the last day, to the spirit realm; she does not know He means raise him right now.

Jesus was moved by his friends and their grief. Sorrow and love for His friends, and knowing what this next miracle will cost Him, was gut-wrenching for Jesus. He wept with true human feeling. Jesus knows that God is always listening. Note that Jesus left His burial clothes in His tomb, and here Lazarus came out wrapped in the cloths. Lazarus was returned to earthly life and needed their help to free him from the clothes. Those who saw the resurrection of Lazarus believed. Some had reported to the Pharisees, which prompted a meeting with the High Priest and the Sanhedrin. Caiaphas the High Priest and the Sadducees wanted political survival. They were willing to sacrifice Jesus to keep the status quo. Caiaphas was the son-in-law of the prior High Priest, Annas. Caiaphas was the highest of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish Council, and unknowingly prophesied the true purpose of Jesus’ death. After this, Jesus withdrew from the public view and went to the region northeast of Jerusalem.

Today's Discussion question:

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