Who is Lazarus whom Jesus resurrected? About the resurrected lazar and his further fate. About other cases of resurrection of the dead

(John 5:25)

I. Faith in Moses and the prophets, healing of the man born blind,
parable of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus

“If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets,
then even if someone were to rise from the dead, they wouldn’t believe it»
(Luke 16:31)

The Lord performed an unimaginable number of miracles over the people of Israel. But the greatest of all is the resurrection of Lazarus. Marvelous catcher of men He chose the rebellious Jews as eyewitnesses of the miracle, and they themselves showed the coffin of the deceased, rolled away the stone from the entrance to the cave, and inhaled the stench of the decomposing body. With our own ears we heard the call to the dead man to rise, with our own eyes we saw his first steps after resurrection, with our own hands we untied the burial shrouds, making sure that this was not a ghost.

So, did all the Jews believe in Christ? - Not at all. But we went to the bosses and “ from that day they decided to kill Jesus"(John 11:53). This confirmed the correctness of the Lord, who spoke through the mouth of Abraham in the parable of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus: “If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, then even if someone were raised from the dead, they will not believe"(Luke 16:31). But Israel was waiting for the Messiah at this very time. The Jews knew that the seventy-seven years prophesied by Daniel from the decree on the restoration of the Jerusalem Temple to the anointing of the Holy One were ending (Dan. 9:24), that the royal scepter had left the descendants of Judah (Gen. 49:10), and the Teacher appeared in Nazareth, according to Whose word the dead are raised and lepers are cleansed. " Search the Scriptures...they testify of Me"(John 5:39) - Christ addressed the experts of the Scriptures. But they did not believe the clear prophecies and demanded miracles And signs from heaven. When the Lord worked miracles, they did not believe them either.

The resurrection of Lazarus is inseparable from another miracle that shook Israel - the healing of a man born blind (see John 9: 1-41). If the healing of a diseased eye can still be attributed to human medical art, then the establishment of vision can only be attributed to Divine action. The Jews rejected this miracle, because “ They did not believe that he (the man born blind) was blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of this man who had received his sight and asked them: Is this your son, about whom you say that he was born blind? How can he see now?"(John 9: 18-19).

How does he see? “Obviously,” we will answer, “by the power of the One who raised the dead, commanded the elements, multiplied the grain, cast out demons, and walked on water.” By the power of the One who was free to create another unheard-of miracle - to resurrect the decaying dead and thereby reveal His Divinity, to make the Jews unresponsive, to preach the destruction of Hell to the dead, and to the living - a general resurrection.

II. Raising Lazarus
like a great and unprecedented miracle

The Lord, having learned from the envoys Martha and Mary about the illness of Lazarus, came to Bethany only on the third day after his death, having stayed “two days in that place"(John 11:6). The Lord's Delay The Holy Fathers agree to explain coming to the aid of a friend with the desire to resurrect a real dead man, four days old and stinking - a miracle hitherto unknown to Israel: “Why? 'stayed'? In order for him to die and be buried, so that later no one could say that He resurrected him when he had not yet died, that it was only deep sleep, or relaxation, or deprivation of senses, but not death. For this reason He remained for so long that even decay occurred, so that they said: ‘already stinks’(John 11:39)"

Saint Amphilochius of Iconium describes this miracle very figuratively: “Only the Lord cried out: ‘Lazarus, get out!’(John 11:43), and immediately the body was filled with life, the hair grew again, the proportions of the body came into proper proportion, the veins were again filled with pure blood. Hell, struck to the very depths, released Lazarus. The soul of Lazarus, again returned and called by the holy angels, united with its own body."

It had happened before that the greatest prophets of Israel raised the dead, but they never raised those whose bodies had been touched by corruption. “Who has seen, who has heard, a dead stinking man rise up? Elijah was raised up and Elisha, but not from the grave, but below the four days,” proclaims the Holy Church through the mouth of St. Andrew of Crete at Compline on the heel of the week.

The miracle of the resurrection was joined by another miracle - Lazarus, « entwined hand and foot with burial shrouds"(John 11:44), moved freely: “Lazarus’s foot was bound as he walked, a miracle within miracles: for when he appeared in pain, he strengthened the one who rebuked, and Christ also slavishly served His word, as if working for God and the Master.”

III. The Raising of Lazarus as a Manifestation
true Incarnation of Jesus Christ

According to the teaching of the Orthodox Church, expressed in the hymns of Lazarus Saturday, Christ revealed his true Divinity and humanity in the resurrection of Lazarus: “Assuring the Word of Your Resurrection, You called Lazarus from the tomb, and You raised Him up as God, so that You might show people God and Man together in truth. existence”, “By offering two of Your actions, You showed the essence of the Savior’s beings: You are God and Man”, “You showed everyone the Divine knowledge of the Divine, raising Lazarus the Master from the dead for four days”, “Thou art the true God, Thou didst know Lazarus’s dormition, and this Thou didst proclaim to Thy disciple, assuring the Lord of Thy Divinity of His indefinite action.”

« Then Jesus told them directly: Lazarus is dead"(John 11:14).
God's omniscience

In these words of Jesus Christ, who was physically far from the place of his friend’s illness and death, God’s omniscience was revealed: “Also, as an apostle, as a seer of God, you predicted the death of Lazarus. In Bethany, be present as a people, You are not an unknown friend of Your tomb, You asked as a Man. But by You He was resurrected for four days, manifest Your Divine power.”

« Jesus shed tears"(John 11:35).
Non-ghostly incarnation

The Savior’s tears testified to His true, and not illusory, Incarnation, as St. John Chrysostom writes about this: “Why does the evangelist carefully and more than once notice that He wept and that He held back grief? So that you might know that He was truly clothed with our nature.” The creators of the canons of Vaiya Week and Lazarus Saturday, the Venerables Andrew of Crete, John of Damascus, Cosmas of Mayum and Theophan the Inscribed, with great tenderness and heartfelt feeling, describe the tears of the God-Man: “Thou didst shed tears, O Lord, over Lazarus, showing the embodiment of Thy gaze, and as by nature God, by nature You were a Man to us”, “Having shed tears of contemplation over a friend, you showed the flesh taken from us, a being not in the opinion of the Savior, united to You, and as a Lover of Mankind, God, having proclaimed this, You raised up”, “Presenting You to the tomb of the miracle-working Lord, in Bethany You shed tears over Lazarus, by the law of nature, assuring your flesh, Jesus my God, even as you accepted it.", "This Indescribable One was described in the flesh, and came to Bethany, as the Lord Man, you shed tears over Lazarus, as God, although you raised the four-day old one.", "Walk, and shed tears, and prophesy, my Savior, showing Your human action: but manifesting the Divine, you raise up Lazarus.”

However, some circumstances of the miracle could give rise to doubt about the Divinity of the Savior. Indeed, why would the Omniscient God ask the Jews about Lazarus: “ where did you put it"(John 11:34)? Why would the Almighty pray to anyone to perform a miracle (John 11:41-42)? In the 4th century, the Anomeans justified their heresy with similar arguments, denying not only the consubstantiality of the Father and the Son, but also the very similarity of the Son to the Father. Until our time, Jews and Gnostics have slyly asked about this.

« Where did you put it?"(John 11:34).
Jews are the main witnesses

Indeed, why should the Omniscient God ask where Lazarus was laid: “A strange and glorious miracle, like the Creator of all, who is not ignorant, as if he were ignorant and asked: where lies he, for whom you are weeping? Where is Lazarus buried? Little by little I will raise him alive for you from the dead.”

It's clear that Christ's supposed ignorance has nothing to do with it, as Chrysostom writes about this: “You say, Jew, that Christ did not know this if he said: ‘ where did you put it?’ So the Father did not know in paradise where Adam hid, if He walked as if looking for him in paradise, and said: ‘ Adam where are you(Gen. 3:9)?’ ... What will you say when you hear God saying to Cain: ‘ where is Abel your brother(Gen. 4:9)?’ … If that means ignorance, then this also means ignorance.”

For what then Is the Lord asking about this? According to the thoughts of Saints John Chrysostom and Basil the Great, Saints Andrew of Crete and Ephraim the Syrian, the question “ Where did you put it?“, was asked with only one purpose: to bring the questioning Jews to the place of the planned miracle as witnesses of the resurrection: “Of course, this gives a reason to the daring interrogators, but it is clearer than the sun that He had no need to ask. And by what he said ‘ Where did they put it?’ wanted to confirm that Lazarus was indeed buried. He asked not about ‘where is the coffin?’, but about ‘where they laid the dead man?’. He knew the stubbornness of the Jews with which they denied His glorious deeds and connected with His question ‘ Where was the deceased laid?’ I didn’t ask about where Lazarus was laid or buried, but ‘ where did they put it?’ Show Me this you yourselves, unbelievers» .

Strange prayer.
Unity of the will of the Father and the Son

« Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said: Father! I thank You that You heard Me. I knew that You would always hear Me; but I said [this] for the people standing here, so that they might believe that You sent Me"(John 11: 41-42).

Before we understand for whom this prayer was created and whether it was needed for the resurrection of Lazarus, let us ask ourselves the question: Did His prayerful appeal to the Father humiliate the Son? The Anomean heretics believed that yes, it was humiliating: “How can one who prays be like one who receives prayer? One prays, and another receives prayer,” just as the one who serves is less than the one whom he serves. However, Christ, who came " not to be served, but to serve and give His soul as a ransom for many"(Mark 10:45), with his own hands he washed the feet of the twelve apostles, among whom was Judas: " and you are clean, but not all. For He knew His betrayer"(John 13: 10-11). But, obviously, Christ is higher than the Apostles and, especially, the traitor Judas, which means that His prayer to the Father in no way diminished His Divine dignity.

The Anomeans saw in the prayer of Jesus the source of the miracles He performed: “If He had not prayed, He would not have raised Lazarus.” However, Christ performed many miracles without praying to anyone. Saint John Chrysostom lists: “How could He do anything else without prayer, saying, for example: I tell you, demon, ‘come out of him’(Mark 9:25), and also: ‘ I want you to cleanse yourself’ (Mark 1:41), also: ‘ take up your bed and walk’ (John 5:8), and: ‘ your sins are forgiven you’ (Matthew 9:2), and saying to the sea: ‘ shut up, stop’ (Mark 4:39)”?

Let's ask again Did Lazarus resurrect after this prayer?- Obviously not: “When the prayer was completed, the dead did not rise; and when He said: ‘ Lazarus, get out!’, then the dead rose again. Oh hell! The prayer has been completed and you do not release the dead? - No, says hell. Why? - Because I was not given orders. I am the guard who holds the guilty here; if I don’t receive a command, then I don’t let go; the prayer was not for me, but for the infidels present; without receiving a command, I do not release the culprit; I’m waiting for a voice to free my soul.”

Let us read carefully the words of Christ’s prayer: “ Father! I thank You that You heard Me. I knew that You would always hear Me; but I said [this] for the people standing here, so that they might believe that You sent Me"(John 11: 41-42).

There is no petition here to the Father to resurrect the deceased Lazarus, to loosen the shackles of death, to restore the decayed body and return the soul to it. There is no petition at all in this prayer, which means that it was not the source of the miracle. This means that this prayer did not testify to the imaginary inequality of the Son to the Father, but to the unity of the will and nature of the Father and the Son, as St. Andrew writes about this: “So He speaks to the Jews, showing that He came from heaven, and that He is the Son of God and God, and that he creates everything according to the intention of the Father, as having one will and nature with Him. And since he was a man, he speaks like a man, so that becoming human would not seem unimportant.”

- Why then did Christ pray?

For the sake of Martha, who asked: "God! If you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask God, God will give you.”(John 11:21-22). Martha asked Christ to pray - the Lord prayed.

For the sake of the Jews, through their lips they cunningly honored the Father, but did not recognize the Son: “Honoring Your Father, and showing that You are not opposed to God, you prayed to Christ, and autocratically raised up the four-dayer.”

IV. The resurrection of Lazarus as the beginning of the destruction of hell
and the image of the future resurrection of the dead

"The time is coming when the dead will hear
the voice of the Son of God, and when they hear, they will live.”
(John 5:25)

Through the fall of Adam and Eve, death entered the world. All people, including the Old Testament righteous and prophets, went to hell upon their death. His power seemed so unshakable and eternal that even among God’s chosen people there appeared a considerable number of those who “ said that there is no resurrection, no angel, no spirit"(Acts 23:8). And the Sadducees, and Martha, and all of us who read the gospel lines, should have been taught the resurrection, assuring in its reality: “Assuring the general resurrection before Your passion, You raised Lazarus from the dead, O Christ our God.” At Lazarus the prophetic words of the Lord spoken by Him earlier were fulfilled: “The time is coming when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and having heard, they will live.”(John 5:25).

By the resurrection of the decaying dead, the foundations of hell were shaken, and hope appeared for those languishing in it. In the canon for Compline, the heel of the week, the Church depicts hell as a jealous creature, which for the first time in millennia of dominion over the dead was afraid of the ruin of its own possessions and therefore is ready to sacrifice one captive, just not to lose many: “I pray to you Lazarus, speak of hell, arise, come out from the rivets of mine soon, go away: the goodness of me alone is to be taken away from the weeping of a mountaineer, rather than all those whom I have first devoured in greed,” “Why did not Lazarus rise up soon, crying out from the depths of hell, weeping? Why didn’t Abiye rise from here? May Christ not take others captive by resurrecting you.” The Holy Fathers unanimously note that if the Lord had not called on a specific name, all hell would have been prematurely empty, for then all the dead would have been resurrected: “So that, turning his speech generally to the dead, He would not call everyone from the graves, that’s why He says: ‘ Lazarus, get out!’, you alone I call in the presence of this people » .

In the resurrection of Lazarus, the Lord clearly showed the features of the general resurrection - a great and terrible sacrament that will happen on the last day. So, talking about universality of the resurrection, St. Ephraim the Syrian notes that it was no coincidence that the Lord raised three people: a girl who had just fallen asleep, a young man carried to the cemetery, and the decaying Lazarus: “In the house, on the way and from the grave He brought the dead back to life, in order to place them on the entire road of death way, to dispel the hope of life along the entire path of the dead, and at the beginning, and in the middle, and at the end of it, to reveal the resurrection.” Like the resurrection of Lazarus, the universal the resurrection will happen in the blink of an eye. For the stench of the decomposing body had not disappeared from the cave, as Lazarus, obeying the powerful word of the Lord, came out to meet the shocked Jews, came out alive, healthy, filled with vital juices. The loud voice of the Savior, who cried: « Lazarus, get out!» symbolized the great trumpet, which will one day usher in the general resurrection. It is also surprising how much the Bethany miracle coincides in detail with the revelation of the Apostle Paul about the last day of the world: “ I tell you a secret: we will not all die, but All let's change suddenly, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will rise incorruptible, and we will be changed"(1 Cor. 15:52).

Finally, by demonstrating His power over death, Christ showed that He Himself could be resurrected if He had to taste death and descend into hell. For us, the words of the Lord addressed to Martha and spoken by Him before performing the miracle are especially important: “ He who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. And everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die"(John 11: 25-26). Euthymius Zigaben, a Byzantine monk and collector of patristic interpretations of the Four Gospels, writes that “here we speak of believers in Christ who, although they die a death on earth, will live the blessed life of the next century. But those who live the life here and believers will not die the eternal death of the next century. By saying this, Jesus Christ showed that only in the next century there is true life and death, because they cannot change and replace one another, and that it is they who need to be taken care of most of all.”

What kind of life did the Jews choose?

V. The Raising of Lazarus as the Rejection of the Jews

« If I had not done things among them,
which no one else did, they would not have sin;
but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father»
(John 15:24)

Jews are the main witnesses of the miracle

The Lord, who called the Apostles to become fishers of men, set magnificent traps for the obstinate Jews, so that those who, with Talmudic stubbornness and resourcefulness, found refutations of the prophecies of Moses, Isaiah, Daniel and all the prophets in general about the One Born of the Virgin, who found flaws in His miracles, would themselves become witnesses of such a miracle that cannot be refuted, nor could it be misinterpreted.

The entire five feelings of the Jews who came to the tomb testified to the resurrection of Lazarus, as Chrysostom writes about this: “That’s why he asks: ‘ where did you put it’ (John 11:34)? - so that those who said: ‘ come and see’, and those who brought Him could not say that He raised another; so that both the voice and the hands testify: - the voice that said: - ‘ come and see’, - hands that rolled away the stone and loosened the bandages; also - sight and hearing, - hearing, because I heard a voice, - sight, because I saw the one who came out (from the tomb); as well as the sense of smell, since it felt the stench, - ‘ already stinks; for four days since he was in the tomb’» .

For this reason, Christ delayed two days, so that those who swaddled the dead man would be convinced of his death and corruption. For this reason the omniscient Lord asked, where they put it Lazarus, so that those who buried Lazarus would bring Christ to the place of burial and themselves would witness the miracle. For this reason, the almighty Christ, who promised the believers the power to move mountains (Matthew 17:20), did not want to move the grave stone so that those who moved it would feel the stench of the dead. For this purpose, Christ asked to untie the risen man, so that, having touched Lazarus, the Jews would be convinced that this was not a ghost and exactly the one whom they themselves swaddled.

The choice of the Jews is the choice of death

Where is the Jewish madness? where is the disbelief? how long are strangers, how long are they lairs, behold the departed voice emanating, and do not believe in Christ, truly you are all sons of darkness .

By raising Lazarus, Jesus unquestionably revealed Himself to be the Messiah, the Son of God and God. The Guardians of the Vineyard realized that its rightful Heir had come. And, as was predicted in the bitter parable about the evil winegrowers, they decided to kill " Guardian of Israel”(Ps. 120: 4), to commit an act as monstrous as it is insane: “Instead of being amazed and amazed, they conspire to kill Him, Him who raised the dead. What madness! They thought to put to death the One who conquered death in the bodies of others.”

The terrible verdict was preceded by slander: “ If we leave Him like this, then everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take possession of both our place and our people."(John 11:48). The Jews presented Christ as a rebel, encroaching on royal power, an impostor, who would draw the people behind Him to the punishment of the Romans. But, as Euthymius Zigaben writes, “Jesus Christ not only did not teach to rebel against the government, but on the contrary, He commanded to pay tribute to Caesar and evaded the people who wanted to make Him king; During His journey, He always observed modesty in everything and commanded everyone to lead a better life, which could rather lead to the loss of all power.” And what kind of people said these words? - Those who subsequently called for the release of the rebel and murderer Barrabas, those who shouted that have no king except Caesar.

« This Man does many miracles. What should we do? "(John 11:47) - the Jews asked. The obvious answer is given by Chrysostom: “One should have believed, served and worshiped, and no longer considered Him a man.” But the Jews set to kill Jesus"(John 11:53) and thereby doomed themselves to eternal death and rejection. They themselves pronounced a sentence on themselves: “ So, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do with these vinedressers? They say to Him: He will put these evildoers to an evil death, and he will give the vineyard to other vinedressers, who will give him the fruit in their time."(Matthew 21: 40-41).

In vain did the Jews memorize the words of Moses about the Prophet, Whom must be obeyed, in vain did they read about the punishments that would follow for violating this command. Ahead of them lay the destruction of the temple, the devastation of Jerusalem, the murder of more than a million fellow tribesmen, illness and terrible famine, during which mothers devoured their own children, and shameful dispersion.

It was for them that the Lord shed tears, and not for Lazarus, for, as St. Andrew writes, Christ “came to resurrect Lazarus, and therefore it would be useless to cry for the one who should be resurrected. And it was truly necessary to cry for the Jews, since He foresaw that even after performing the miracle they would remain in their unbelief.”

Those who wanted to retain earthly power lost this power: “ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to you! how many times have I wanted to gather your children together, as a bird gathers its chicks under its wings, and you did not want to! Behold, your house is left to you empty"(Matthew 23: 38). After the Crucifixion of the God-Man, the Vineyard passed into other hands: “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that produces the fruits thereof.”(Matt. 21:43).

What can we, the very people to whom the Kingdom of God has been transferred, glean from the holy gospel lines describing the resurrection of Lazarus?

VI. The Raising of Lazarus as an Edification to Christians

« God! the one you love is sick"(John 11:3).
Attitude to the misfortunes of the righteous

How not to waver in faith when seeing the misfortunes of the righteous? How can one not consider those who are visited by illness and sorrow to be rejected by God Himself? Similar questions have always been asked and will be asked until the end of time. You just need to accept it as a fact (including the Gospel story) that those who please God often suffer and not go into more subtle reasoning. Here is what St. John Chrysostom writes in connection with Lazarus’ illness: “Many are tempted when they see some people pleasing to God in some kind of disaster, when they see, for example, that they have been exposed to illness, or poverty, or something else similar; but they do not know that such suffering is characteristic of those who are especially dear to God. So Lazarus was one of the friends of Christ, but he was sick, as those who sent them said: ‘ the one you love is sick’ (John 11: 3).”

Several centuries after the fatal illness of Lazarus, St. Anthony the Great was tormented by similar questions: “Lord! Why do some people reach old age and a state of weakness, while others die in childhood and live little? Why are some poor and others rich? Why do tyrants and villains prosper and abound in all earthly blessings, while the righteous are oppressed by adversity and poverty?

And he received an answer that can be addressed to all of us who have little faith and doubt God’s care for us: “Anthony! pay attention to yourself and do not subject yourself to the study of God’s destinies, because this is harmful to your soul.”

« Jesus shed tears"(John 11:35).
Measure of Christian lament

We often see how inconsolable Christians are when they have lost someone close to them, as if they are not burying Christians, as if there is no Kingdom of Heaven and there will be no general resurrection. It happens, on the contrary, that the death of loved ones does not touch hardened human hearts.

Both behaviors are unnatural to human nature, as the God-man showed by shedding tears over his friend, “offering us images of heartfelt love.” The Monk Andrei of Crete, the creator of the quoted song of the canon, reveals its meaning in the “Conversation on the Four Days of Lazarus”: “‘ Jesus shed a tear’. And thus he showed an example, an image and a measure of how we should cry for the dead. I shed tears, seeing the damage to our nature and the ugly appearance that death gives to a person.” The same is true of St. Basil the Great: Christ “enclosed the necessary passionate movements within a certain measure and limits, preventing lack of compassion, because it is bestial, and not allowing one to indulge in grief and shed many tears, because it is cowardly.”

« When I heard that [Lazarus] was sick,
then I spent two days in the place where I was"(John 11:6).
Humble behavior

The Almighty Lord postponed His coming to Bethany not only so that Lazarus would die, be buried and begin to decay, but also so that “no one would consider it indecent that He hastens to show a miracle at the first rumor.” Christ teaches us how carefully and unconceitfully we should dispose of God’s gifts: “Christ, Thy Godhead, giving Thy image to Thy disciples, Thou humbled Thyself among the people, though He hid Himself.”

How unsafe it is to be vain about the gifts of grace received from God can be seen from the story described in the “Ancient Patericon” about a monk of high life who publicly performed a certain miracle:

Abba Anthony heard about a young monk who performed such a miracle on the way: when he saw some elders who were traveling and tired on the way, he ordered wild donkeys to come up to them and carry the elders on themselves until they reached Anthony. When the elders told Abba Anthony about this, he told them: “It seems to me that this monk is a ship full of blessings, but I don’t know whether he will enter the pier.” After some time, Abba Anthony suddenly began to cry, tear out his hair and sob. The disciples asked him: “What are you crying about, Abba?” The elder answered them: “Now the great pillar of the Church has fallen!” He was talking about the young monk. “But go to him yourself,” he continued, “and see what happened!” The disciples go and find the monk sitting on the mat and mourning the sin he has committed. Seeing Anthony’s disciples, the monk tells them: “Tell the elder to beg God to give me only ten days of life, and I hope to cleanse my sin and repent.” But after five days he died.

Caiaphas, " being high priest that year,
predicted that Jesus would die for the people"(John 11:51).
Respect for the Holy Order

Caiaphas, who received the position of high priest for money and condemned the Lord to death, pronounced a prophecy that signifies the very essence of the redemptive feat of Jesus Christ: “ It is better for us that one man should die for the people than that the whole nation should perish"(John 11:50). Why did the Spirit speak through the mouth of the wicked? “Because,” Chrysostom answers, “Caiaphas, despite all his crimes and evil character, was legitimate bishop: “Having been fully worthy of the bishopric, although he was unworthy, he prophesied, without himself understanding what he was saying. Grace took advantage only of his lips, but did not touch his unclean heart... However, even at this the Spirit was still inherent in them. Only when they raised their hands to Christ did He leave them and move on to the apostles.”

Likewise, a clergyman, no matter how badly he lives, is an instrument of the Spirit of God and a performer of His Sacraments until the priesthood is removed from him. That is why it is so scary to fall into condemnation of priests, even if they lead an ungodly life, although this is often just an appearance, for, as St. Ignatius writes, “the dishonor inflicted on the servants of the altar relates to the altar, to the God present and worshiped in it.”

VII. The Raising of Lazarus as an Allegory of the Healing of the Soul

Lazarus, a four-day inhabitant of the dark land of the dead, is the image of our soul, dead in virtues and emitting the stench of sinful habits. Few of the Christians who read the holy lines about the resurrection of the four-day dead did not then sigh with the reverend hymnographer about their own resurrection and forgiveness of sins: “You raised up Lazarus with the Divine Christ with the verb: and raise up me for many sins, I pray”, “You raised up the stinking Lazarus Christ of the four days, raise me up, having died now for my sins, and laid in the ditch, and darker than the shadow of death, and as if you were gracious, deliver and save me”, “deliver me from my passions, as before the four days of Your friend Lazarus”, “A stinking dead man, bound with a hook “O Master, you raised me up, and raised me up, bound by the captivity of sins.”

St. Andrew of Crete sees in the resurrection of Lazarus the triumph of grace over the deadening letter of the Law: “ Jesus, again grieving internally, comes to the tomb. It was a cave - the dark heart of the Jews , and the stone lay on her - gross and cruel disbelief . Jesus said: Take away the stone. Heavy - disobedience - roll away the stone to bring out what is dead from the letter of Scripture. Take away the stone- unbearable by the yoke of the Law, so that they can receive the life-giving Word of grace. Take away the stone- covering and burdening the mind."

But in general the Fathers attribute the allegorical meaning of the resurrection of Lazarus to the resurrection of our inner man. Blessed Theophylact of Bulgaria writes about this most figuratively, vividly and fully: “Our mind is a friend of Christ, but is often overcome by the weakness of human nature, falls into sin and dies a spiritual and most pitiful death, but on the part of Christ worthy of regret, for the deceased is His friend . Let the sisters and relatives of the deceased mind - flesh, like Martha (for Martha is more bodily and more substantial), and soul, like Mary (for Mary is more pious and reverent), come to Christ and fall before Him, leading with them the thoughts of confession, as those are the Jews. For Judas means confession. And the Lord, without a doubt, will appear at the grave, the blindness lying in the memory will command to be taken away, as if some stone, and will bring future blessings and torments to memory. And he will cry with the great voice of the gospel trumpet: get out of the world, do not bury yourself in worldly entertainments and passions; - just like He said to His disciples: ‘ you are not of the world' (John 15:19), and the Apostle Paul: ' and we will go out to Him for mill’ (Heb. 13:13), that is, peace, - and thus will resurrect from sin the deceased, whose wounds smelled of malice. The deceased gave off a smell because he was four days old, that is, he died for the four meek and bright virtues and was idle and motionless towards them. However, although he was motionless and bound hand and foot, compressed by the bonds of his own sins and seemed completely inactive, although his face was covered with a scarf, so that when the fleshly veil was applied he could not see anything divine, in short, he was in the worst position and “by activity,” which is signified by hands and feet, and “by contemplation,” which is signified by a covered face - so, although he is in such a distress, he will hear: untie him, good angels or priests serving salvation, and give him forgiveness sins, let him go and begin to do good.”

What may the merciful Lord vouchsafe us!

Literature

• Bible. M.: Russian Bible Society. 2004.
• Lenten Triodion. In 2 parts. M.: Publication of the Moscow Patriarchate. 1992.
• John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople. Creations. SPb.: Publishing house. SPbDA, 1898. T. 1, part 2. Reprint.
• John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople. Creations. SPb.: Publishing house. SPbDA, 1902. T. 8, part 1. Reprint.
• Amphilochius of Iconium, saint. Word on the resurrection of Lazarus// http://www.portal-slovo.ru/theology/37620.php
• Basil the Great, saint. About the sorrow and tears of Jesus Christ before the resurrection of Lazarus. Quote By: Barsov M. Interpretation // Sat. Art. on the interpretative and edifying reading of the Four Gospels, with a bibliographic index. St. Petersburg: Synodal Printing House. 1893. T. 2. P. 300. Reprint.
• Ephraim the Syrian, Rev. About the resurrection of Lazarus. Quote By: Barsov M. Interpretation. pp. 292-295.
• Andrey Kritsky, Rev. Conversation on the Fourth Day of Lazarus // Christian Reading. 1826.XXII.
• Ignatiy Brianchaninov, saint. Sermons // Collection. op. in 7 volumes. M.: Blagovest, 2001. T. 4.
• Ignatiy Brianchaninov, saint. Fatherland // Collection. op. in 7 volumes. T. 6.
• An ancient patericon, set out in chapters. M.: Publishing house of the Athos Russian Panteleimon Monastery. 1891. Reprint.
• Evfimy Zigaben, monk Interpretation of the Gospel of John, compiled according to the ancient patristic interpretations of the Byzantine XII century. Kyiv, 1887. T. 2. Reprint.
• Theophylact of Bulgaria, blessed. Interpretation of the Gospel of John // Theophylact of Bulgaria, blessed. Interpretation of the Four Gospels. M.: Sretensky Monastery, 2000. T. 2.

Right there. Song 7.

Andrey Kritsky, Rev. Discourse on the Fourth Day of Lazarus. S. 5.

Theophylact of Bulgaria, blissful. Interpretation of the Gospel of John. T. 2. Ch. 11. P. 197.

Not far from Jerusalem there was a village called Bethany. Lazarus and his sisters Martha and Mary lived there. They were friends of Jesus. One day, while in a secluded place with His disciples, Jesus received sad news. The sick man’s sisters sent him to tell him: “Lord, behold, the one you love is sick.” Jesus, having heard this, said: “This illness is not for death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Then He stayed two more days in the place where He was and went to Bethany, knowing that Lazarus had already died. Many Jews came to the sisters and consoled them in their grief over their dead brother. Martha saw Jesus and said to Him: “Lord, if You were here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you.” Jesus answered: “Your brother will rise again... I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. And whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” Martha said: “Yes, Lord! I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, coming into the world.” Then she went and called her sister Mary. When Jesus saw the weeping Mary and the weeping Jews who came with her, He Himself was grieved in spirit and said: “Where have you laid him?” They answered him: “Lord! Come and see.” Jesus came to the cave where Lazarus was buried. (In that country at that time people were usually buried in a cave, rolling a stone to the entrance). Jesus ordered the stone to be rolled away, but Martha said that Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. Jesus answered her: “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” When the stone was rolled away, Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and said: “Father, I thank You that You heard Me... I knew that You would always hear Me...” Having said this. He called in a loud voice: “Lazarus! come out!” And the dead man came out, wrapped hand and foot in graveclothes...” Many Jews who saw this miracle believed in Him, but the Pharisees and high priests gathered a council to discuss how to kill Jesus.

• ← Return of the Prodigal Son. Continuation
• Return of the Prodigal Son. Continued →

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Raising Lazarus

The holiday of the Jewish Passover was approaching, and with it came the last days of the life of Jesus Christ on earth. The malice of the Pharisees and the rulers of the Jews reached the extreme; their hearts turned to stone from envy, lust for power and other vices; and they did not want to accept the meek and merciful teaching of Christ. They were waiting for an opportunity to seize the Savior and put him to death. And, behold, now their time drew near; the power of darkness came, and the Lord was given into the hands of men.

At this time, in the village of Bethany, Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, fell ill. The Lord loved Lazarus and his sisters and often visited this pious family.

When Lazarus fell ill, Jesus Christ was not in Judea. The sisters sent to tell Him: “Lord, behold, the one You love is sick.”

Jesus Christ, having heard this, said: “This disease is not for death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Having spent two days in the place where he was, the Savior said to the disciples: “Let us go to Judea. Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going to wake him up.”

Jesus Christ told them about the death of Lazarus (about his death sleep), and the disciples thought that He was talking about an ordinary dream, but since sleep during illness is a good sign of recovery, they said: “Lord, if you fall asleep, you will recover.” .

Then Jesus Christ told them directly. “Lazarus died, and I rejoice for you that I was not there, (this is so that) you may believe. But let us go to him.”

When Jesus Christ approached Bethany, Lazarus had already been buried for four days. Many Jews from Jerusalem came to Martha and Mary to console them in their sorrow.

Martha was the first to learn about the coming of the Savior and hurried to meet Him. Maria sat at home in deep sorrow.

When Martha met the Savior, she said: “Lord, if You were here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask God will give You.”

Jesus Christ tells her: “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha said to Him: “I know that he will rise again on the resurrection, on the last day (that is, on the general resurrection, at the end of the world).”

Then Jesus Christ said to her: “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. And whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Martha answered Him: “So Lord! I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world.”

After this, Martha quickly went home and quietly said to her sister Mary: “The Teacher is here and is calling you.”

Mary, as soon as she heard this good news, quickly got up and went to Jesus Christ. The Jews who were with her in the house and consoled her, seeing that Mary hastily got up and left, followed her, thinking that she had gone to her brother’s grave to cry there.

The Savior had not yet entered the village, but was at the place where Martha met Him.

Mary came to Jesus Christ, fell at His feet and said: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

Jesus Christ, seeing Mary crying and the Jews who came with her, was grieved in spirit and said: “Where have you laid him?”

They say to Him: “Lord, come and see.”

Jesus Christ shed tears.

When they approached the tomb (grave) of Lazarus - and it was a cave, and the entrance to it was blocked with a stone - Jesus Christ said: “Take away the stone.”

Martha said to Him: “Lord, it already stinks (that is, the smell of decay), because he has been in the tomb for four days.”

Jesus says to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

So, they rolled away the stone from the cave.

Then Jesus lifted up His eyes to heaven and said to God His Father: “Father, I thank You that You heard Me. I knew that You would always hear Me; but I said this for the sake of the people standing here, so that they might believe that You sent Me.” .

Then, having said these words, Jesus Christ cried out in a loud voice: “Lazarus, get out.”

And the deceased came out of the cave, all entwined on his hands and feet with burial shrouds, and his face was tied with a scarf (this is how the Jews dressed the dead).

Jesus Christ told them: “Untie him, let him go.”

Then many of the Jews who were there and saw this miracle believed in Jesus Christ. And some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. The enemies of Christ, the high priests and Pharisees, became worried and, fearing that all the people would not believe in Jesus Christ, assembled a Sanhedrin (council) and decided to kill Jesus Christ. The rumor about this great miracle began to spread throughout Jerusalem. Many Jews came to Lazarus's house to see him, and when they saw him, they believed in Jesus Christ. Then the high priests decided to kill Lazarus too. But Lazarus, after his resurrection by the Savior, lived for a long time and was later a bishop on the island of Cyprus, in Greece.

NOTE: See the Gospel of John, ch. 11, 1-57 and ch. 12, 9-11.

This great miracle of the Savior, the resurrection of Lazarus, is remembered by St. Orthodox Church on Saturday in the sixth week of Great Lent (the eve of Palm Sunday).