Lent 5 Series A

Lent 5 Series A

29 March 2020

Ezekiel 37:1–14

Romans 8:1–11

John 11:1–45 (46–53) or John 11:17–27, 38–53

Almighty God, by Your great goodness mercifully look upon Your People that that we may be governed and preserved evermore in body and soul; through Jesus Christ... 

Jesus Christ Is the Resurrection and the Life

The illness and death of Lazarus happened “that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4). Jesus’ miracle of raising Lazarus prompted His arrest and crucifixion, whereby He would die “for the nation” and gather “into one the children of God who are scattered abroad” (John 11:51–52). As He called Lazarus from the tomb and commanded others to “unbind him, and let him go” (John 11:44), Jesus also calls us and releases us from the bondage of sin and death. We would not “submit to God’s law,” nor could we “please God” (Romans 8:7–8), but “he condemned sin” in His own flesh so “that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us” (Romans 8:3–4). Now through the Gospel, “the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells” in us (Romans 8:11). His Word breathes His Spirit into our mortal flesh, animating us with His own life. As His ministers preach according to His divine command, the Lord Jesus calls us from the grave into the good land that He gives us (Ezekiel 37:12, 14).

John 11:17-27, 38-53

I am the Resurrection and the Life

17 Ἐλθὼν οὖν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εὗρεν αὐτὸν τέσσαρας [a]ἤδη ἡμέρας ἔχοντα ἐν τῷ μνημείῳ. 

Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 

18 ἦν δὲ ἡ Βηθανία ἐγγὺς τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ὡς ἀπὸ σταδίων δεκαπέντε. 

Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,

Greek fifteen stadia; a stadion was about 607 feet or 185 meters

19 πολλοὶ δὲ ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐληλύθεισαν πρὸς τὴν Μάρθαν καὶ Μαριὰμ ἵνα παραμυθήσωνται αὐτὰς περὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ. 

and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.

20 ἡ οὖν Μάρθα ὡς ἤκουσεν ὅτι Ἰησοῦς ἔρχεται ὑπήντησεν αὐτῷ• Μαρία δὲ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ ἐκαθέζετο.

So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 

21 εἶπεν οὖν ἡ Μάρθα πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν• Κύριε, εἰ ἦς ὧδε [j]οὐκ ἂν ἀπέθανεν ὁ ἀδελφός μου• 

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.

22 καὶ νῦν οἶδα ὅτι ὅσα ἂν αἰτήσῃ τὸν θεὸν δώσει σοι ὁ θεός.

But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 

23 λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς• Ἀναστήσεται ὁ ἀδελφός σου.

 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 

24 λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ Μάρθα• Οἶδα ὅτι ἀναστήσεται ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ.  

Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. 

25 εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς• Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀνάστασις καὶ ἡ ζωή• ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ κἂν ἀποθάνῃ ζήσεται, 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,  

26 καὶ πᾶς ὁ ζῶν καὶ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα• πιστεύεις τοῦτο; 

and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”  

27 λέγει αὐτῷ• Ναί, κύριε• ἐγὼ πεπίστευκα ὅτι σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐρχόμενος. 

She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.

John 11:38-53

Jesus Raises Lazarus

38 Ἰησοῦς οὖν πάλιν ἐμβριμώμενος ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἔρχεται εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον• ἦν δὲ σπήλαιον, καὶ λίθος ἐπέκειτο ἐπ’ αὐτῷ.

Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 

39 λέγει ὁ Ἰησοῦς• Ἄρατε τὸν λίθον. λέγει αὐτῷ ἡ ἀδελφὴ τοῦ τετελευτηκότος Μάρθα• Κύριε, ἤδη ὄζει, τεταρταῖος γάρ ἐστιν. 

Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 

40 λέγει αὐτῇ ὁ Ἰησοῦς• Οὐκ εἶπόν σοι ὅτι ἐὰν πιστεύσῃς ὄψῃ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ θεοῦ;

Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”

41 ἦραν οὖν τὸν λίθον. ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς ἦρεν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἄνω καὶ εἶπεν• Πάτερ, εὐχαριστῶ σοι ὅτι ἤκουσάς μου,

 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 

42 ἐγὼ δὲ ᾔδειν ὅτι πάντοτέ μου ἀκούεις• ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν ὄχλον τὸν περιεστῶτα εἶπον, ἵνα πιστεύσωσιν ὅτι σύ με ἀπέστειλας.

I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 

43 καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν φωνῇ μεγάλῃ ἐκραύγασεν• Λάζαρε, δεῦρο ἔξω. 

When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 

44 ἐξῆλθεν ὁ τεθνηκὼς δεδεμένος τοὺς πόδας καὶ τὰς χεῖρας κειρίαις, καὶ ἡ ὄψις αὐτοῦ σουδαρίῳ περιεδέδετο. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς• Λύσατε αὐτὸν καὶ ἄφετε αὐτὸν ὑπάγειν. 

The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

The plot to kill Jesus

45 Πολλοὶ οὖν ἐκ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, οἱ ἐλθόντες πρὸς τὴν Μαριὰμ καὶ θεασάμενοι ἃ ἐποίησεν, ἐπίστευσαν εἰς αὐτόν• 

Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 

46 τινὲς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπῆλθον πρὸς τοὺς Φαρισαίους καὶ εἶπαν αὐτοῖς ἃ ἐποίησεν Ἰησοῦς. 

but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 

47 συνήγαγον οὖν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι συνέδριον, καὶ ἔλεγον• Τί ποιοῦμεν ὅτι οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος πολλὰ ποιεῖ σημεῖα;

So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 

48 ἐὰν ἀφῶμεν αὐτὸν οὕτως, πάντες πιστεύσουσιν εἰς αὐτόν, καὶ ἐλεύσονται οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι καὶ ἀροῦσιν ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν τόπον καὶ τὸ ἔθνος.  

If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” 

49 εἷς δέ τις ἐξ αὐτῶν Καϊάφας, ἀρχιερεὺς ὢν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς• Ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε οὐδέν,

But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all.

50 οὐδὲ λογίζεσθε ὅτι συμφέρει ὑμῖν ἵνα εἷς ἄνθρωπος ἀποθάνῃ ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ μὴ ὅλον τὸ ἔθνος ἀπόληται.

Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” 

51 τοῦτο δὲ ἀφ’ ἑαυτοῦ οὐκ εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ ἀρχιερεὺς ὢν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐκείνου ἐπροφήτευσεν ὅτι ἔμελλεν Ἰησοῦς ἀποθνῄσκειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους,

He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 

52 καὶ οὐχ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἔθνους μόνον, ἀλλ’ ἵνα καὶ τὰ τέκνα τοῦ θεοῦ τὰ διεσκορπισμένα συναγάγῃ εἰς ἕν.

and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

Footnotes:

-The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software

-ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

-Schnorr Von Carolsfeld woodcuts, ‘The raising of Lazarus’© WELS permission granted for personal and congregational use

-LCMS Lectionary notes © 2018 Concordia Publishing House, St, Louis

-Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing, St. Louis