"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." — John 11:4 (KJV)
The short answer
Lazarus was a man of Bethany, the brother of Mary and Martha and a dear friend of Jesus. When he died, Jesus waited, then came to the tomb where Lazarus had lain four days and raised him with a single command. His raising is the last great sign in John's Gospel and a living picture of the resurrection Jesus gives.
The story of Lazarus, told in John chapters 11 and 12, is one of the most tender and dramatic accounts in all of Scripture. It holds together grief and glory, tears and triumph. Here we see Jesus weep at a friend's grave, and moments later speak that grave open. Lazarus himself says nothing that is recorded, yet his life — lost and given back — became one of the clearest signs of who Jesus is and what He came to do.
Who was Lazarus to Jesus?
Lazarus lived in Bethany, a village near Jerusalem, with his sisters Mary and Martha. Their home was a place Jesus loved to visit, and the family shared a genuine friendship with Him. When Lazarus fell ill, the sisters sent word to Jesus with a simple, trusting message: the one you love is sick.
Jesus did not rush. He remained where He was two more days, and by the time He set out, Lazarus had died. To Martha, who met Him on the road with the ache of "if only you had been here," Jesus spoke words that reach far beyond that day.
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:" — John 11:25 (KJV)
Notice that Jesus does not merely promise resurrection; He says He is the resurrection. Life is not first a doctrine or a distant event but a person, standing in front of a grieving woman at her brother's grave.
Did Jesus really weep for Lazarus?
Yes. Before He displayed His power, Jesus shared the family's sorrow. Seeing Mary weeping and the mourners with her, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled, and then Scripture gives us its shortest and most human verse.
"Jesus wept." — John 11:35 (KJV)
He knew Lazarus would be alive again within minutes, yet still He wept. This is not weakness but compassion: the God who conquers death does not stand aloof from those who grieve it. Whatever you carry to His feet, you meet a Savior who feels it with you before He acts.
How did Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead?
At the tomb Jesus asked that the stone be taken away. Martha protested that after four days the body would already stink, but Jesus reminded her she would see the glory of God. He prayed aloud, then spoke to the dead man as though to the living.
"And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go." — John 11:43-44 (KJV)
One voice, one name, and death let go its hold. The man wrapped for burial walked out of his own tomb. It was a sign of what Jesus would soon prove in His own body, and a preview of the day when all who are in the grave will hear His voice and come forth.
What happened to Lazarus afterward?
Lazarus did not vanish from the story. Days before the crucifixion, Jesus returned to Bethany, and there sat the once-dead man, sharing an ordinary meal at the table with his living Lord.
"Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him." — John 12:1-2 (KJV)
Scripture adds that many people came just to see Lazarus, and that his living testimony led many to believe in Jesus — so much so that the authorities plotted to kill him too. A man raised from the dead cannot help but point to the One who raised him.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Lazarus in the Bible?
Lazarus was a man of Bethany, the brother of Mary and Martha and a beloved friend of Jesus. When he fell sick and died, Jesus came to the family after Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days and called him back to life. His raising is one of the most powerful signs in the Gospel of John and pointed ahead to Jesus' own resurrection.
How long was Lazarus dead before Jesus raised him?
The Bible says Lazarus had been in the grave four days by the time Jesus arrived in Bethany. Those four days matter, because they left no doubt that he was truly dead. When Jesus called him out of the tomb, everyone could see it was not a recovery or a mistake but a genuine act of resurrection power.
"Because I live, ye shall live also." — John 14:19 (KJV)
Take it deeper
The raising of Lazarus is a window into the heart of Jesus — His compassion, His power, and His promise of life beyond the grave. FlickerFaith is a Scripture-first study companion — open it to read John 11 and 12 in full context, trace how this sign points to Christ's own resurrection, search related passages, and ask honest questions about grief, faith, and eternal life. It keeps you close to the Word, not away from it.
Keep reading
Meet more of the people God used in His story: who was Stephen?, who was Timothy?, and who was Nicodemus? See how it all leads to who is Jesus Christ? and read what the Bible says about being born again. You can also browse all Bible topics or return home.