Jesus as God
Jesus Calls Lazarus from the Grave
The four-day interval emphasizes the reality of Lazarus' death and heightens the sign's public force.
How this passage contributes to the case:
The labels below identify the kinds of evidence for Jesus' divinity found in this passage.
Select a label for an explanation.
Divine Identity
Divine Authority
Authority over Life and Death
Gives Life
Raises the Dead
Exercises Divine Authority
Strength of evidence: Strong.
This passage provides substantial evidence relevant to Jesus' divine identity when read in its literary and historical context.
Carl Bloch
Scripture
What Was Said or Done
After praying to the Father, Jesus directly calls the four-days-dead Lazarus from the tomb, and Lazarus comes out alive.
Historical and Cultural Context
Elijah and Elisha raised the dead through prayer to God, while God remains the ultimate giver of life.
Old Testament Background
1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:32-37 are important prophetic precedents.
Exposition
Jesus openly thanks the Father so the crowd may understand his mission, then commands the dead man directly: 'Lazarus, come out.'
Why This Points to His Divinity
The sign enacts Jesus' immediately preceding claim to be the resurrection and the life.
Response of the Hearers
Many witnesses believe in Jesus, while others report the event to his opponents.