“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.’” — John 11:25
Jesus had heard that His dear friend Lazarus was sick. Strangely, instead of rushing to his side, “He stayed two days longer in the place where He was.” During that time, Lazarus died.
When Jesus finally arrived near Bethany, Martha the sister of Lazarus ran out to meet Him and said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Her words reflected both grief and faith. She believed Jesus had power to heal but could not yet imagine His power over death itself.
Jesus assured her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha, thinking of the final resurrection, replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Then Jesus revealed His deity and His very nature as the source of life itself.
“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”
The Greek word for resurrection is “Anástasis” (ἀνάστασις), which means “rising from the dead.” When Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life,” He wasn’t merely giving her comfort, He was correcting her understanding of resurrection.
Martha believed that resurrection was something that would happen at the end of time. But Jesus revealed that resurrection is not just an event, it is a person. He Himself is the resurrection.
John had already written earlier in his Gospel:
“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” — John 1:4
From the very beginning, life has always come from God. In Genesis, God breathed into Adam the breath of life, and “man became a living soul.” (Genesis 2:7)
There is no resurrection apart from Jesus, and no eternal life outside of Him. He doesn’t merely give life, He is the source of life. Therefore, death has no ultimate power over Him.
Death entered the world because of sin, but Jesus is holy, righteous, and sinless. Because He is God, death cannot touch Him. He conquered it completely through His own resurrection.
Later, Jesus told His disciples:
“Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe.” — John 11:14–15
Jesus knew exactly that everyone, just like Martha, believed that the Lord could only fix things while there was still hope, because that’s what healing does—it only repairs, as long as the situation is not beyond repair. But what about something completely shattered into very tiny pieces, something that could never be restored by human means, like death itself?
Paul also spoke about the resurrection of the dead, a truth that many in his time found hard to believe. No one in this world had ever died and then come back to life after several days. But what happened to Lazarus also revealed the Lord’s resurrection. It is almost ironic, because all the disciples witnessed this miracle in the life of Lazarus, yet they still struggled to believe in the Lord Jesus’ own resurrection.
That is why Jesus intentionally waited until Lazarus had died and had been in the tomb for several days. He waited for the moment when every possibility of human help was gone. He allowed the situation to reach a point where no one could make excuses or offer natural explanations for what was about to happen. By doing this, every witness would know beyond any doubt that what was taking place was not an accident or a coincidence, but the undeniable demonstration of Jesus’ authority and power over death. They would all witness the glory of God.
By raising Lazarus from the dead, the Lord Jesus gave us a preview of what awaits all who believe in Him, resurrection and new life. Just as Scripture says,
“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17,
All the disciples’ issue here was their lack of faith in Jesus. Have you ever wondered why Jesus requires us to believe in Him to be saved?
The Bible answers this clearly in John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
To understand this, we need to go back to the Old Testament, to the life of Abraham. The Bible says that God counted him righteous because he believed God. Faith was the foundation of his relationship with the Lord.
The entire world is dead in transgressions and sins, which means that our natural tendency is to sin and live in lawlessness. To learn how to live a good and righteous life, we would need someone who truly knows how to live that way. Unfortunately, there is no one in this world who can teach us perfectly, because Jesus Himself said, “God alone is good.” (Mark 10:18)
God simply wants us to put our faith and confidence in Jesus. To make this easier to understand, think about how our world today is filled with influencers promoting beauty products and life tips. When you apply a product to your face, it’s because you believe what the person said that it will make your skin clear.
The Apostle Paul echoed this in Romans 1:17,
“For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’”
It’s the same with God. Because belief always leads to action. He calls us to believe in Him because He knows we do not know how to live righteously on our own. We have all been enslaved by sin. That is why, after the Lord Jesus ascended, He sent His Holy Spirit to teach, guide, and convict us. Without the Holy Spirit, we would still be living in sin.
It is the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead and now gives us new life. The same Spirit that dwelled in Christ now dwells in you and me.
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