John 11:38–44:
Jesus Raises Lazarus and Reveals the Glory of God

The Correct Interpretation of John 11:38–44

After being deeply moved by Lazarus’s death and the grief of those around Him (John 11:28–37), Jesus arrives at the tomb. There He orders the stone removed and reminds Martha that she will see the glory of God. Then, in front of the crowd, He thanks the Father and explains that He is speaking for their sake so that they may believe that the Father sent Him. Finally, He calls Lazarus by name, and the man who had been dead four days comes out of the tomb. The sign displays Jesus’ authority over death in an extraordinary way and confirms what He had declared: He is the resurrection and the life.

(v. 38)
«Then, groaning within Himself again, Jesus arrived at the tomb.»

John again notes that Jesus is groaning within Himself as He approaches the tomb.

The reaction that began when He saw Mary and those with her weeping has not disappeared. Jesus arrives at the place where Lazarus has been buried still deeply affected by the scene of death before Him.

(v. 39)
«Jesus says, “Remove the stone!” Martha, the sister of the deceased, says to Him, “Lord, he already stinks; it’s been four days!”»

Jesus commands:

“Remove the stone!”

Martha responds by recalling a reality John has already established: Lazarus has been dead for four days.

Her observation, “he already stinks,” underscores the reality of death with particular force. There is no doubt that Lazarus is truly dead and has been in the tomb for some time.

Martha is not necessarily trying to limit Jesus’ power; she is simply reacting to what it means to open the tomb after four days.

(v. 40)
«Jesus says to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe you will see the glory of God?”»

Jesus again directs Martha’s attention to what He had announced from the beginning:

“you will see the glory of God.”

This connects directly with John 11:4, where Jesus had declared that Lazarus’s sickness would serve:

“for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”

Now that promise is about to be fulfilled.

The point is not simply that Martha will witness something extraordinary. What Jesus is about to do will manifest the glory of God and reveal the identity and authority of the Son.

(vv. 41–42)
«41 Then they took away the stone from where the deceased was lying. Jesus raised His eyes and said: “Father, I thank You that You heard me. 42 I know that You always hear me, but I spoke for the sake of the crowd standing around, so that they may believe that You sent me.”»

The stone is removed, and Jesus addresses the Father.

He begins by giving thanks:

“Father, I thank You that You heard me.”

But He immediately clarifies:

“I know that You always hear me.”

The prayer does not arise from uncertainty about whether the Father will answer. Jesus speaks publicly for the sake of those standing there, so that they may understand what the sign reveals:

“so that they may believe that You sent me.”

Therefore, the raising of Lazarus is not merely a demonstration of power. It is also a sign that testifies that Jesus was sent by the Father.

This continues a fundamental theme in John. Jesus’ works testify that the Father sent Him (John 5:36; John 10:25, John 10:37–38).

(v. 43)
«Upon saying these things He shouted with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”»

After speaking to the Father, Jesus cries out:

“Lazarus, come out!”

He performs no ritual and makes no attempt to produce life gradually. He speaks, and His word is directed straight to the dead man.

This strikingly recalls what Jesus had declared earlier in John 5:25: a time was coming—and already was—when the dead would hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who heard would live.

And in John 5:28, He had said that the time was coming when all who were in the tombs would hear His voice.

Here, in a concrete anticipation of that future reality, a dead man hears the voice of the Son and comes out of the tomb.

(v. 44)
«And out the deceased came! Bound hand and foot with bandages, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus says to them, “Loose him and let him go.”»

John describes the result directly:

“And out the deceased came!”

The man who had been in the tomb four days responds to Jesus’ voice and comes out alive.

He is still bound with the burial bandages, and a cloth is wrapped around his face. These details underscore the reality of what has happened: the man who had been prepared for burial is now coming out of the tomb alive.

Jesus then commands:

“Loose him and let him go.”

The sign is complete. Lazarus, whose death had been fully established, has returned to life at Jesus’ word.

This gives concrete expression to what Jesus had declared to Martha:

“I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25).

Implications

• Jesus manifests the glory of God by raising Lazarus: the promise announced in John 11:4 and 11:40 is fulfilled in this sign.
• Jesus’ works testify that the Father sent Him: He Himself explains that He speaks before the crowd so that they may believe this truth.
• Jesus’ voice has authority over death: Lazarus hears His call and comes out of the tomb.
• Jesus gives concrete expression to what He had declared about Himself: the One who said “I am the resurrection and the life” now calls a dead man and gives him life.
• Lazarus’s death was beyond dispute: he had been buried four days, and his sister expected his body to have begun decomposing.
• The relationship between the Father and the Son is manifested in the sign: Jesus acts as the One sent by the Father, and His work reveals the Father.

Applications

• Believe in Jesus because of what His works reveal about Him: the raising of Lazarus testifies that He was sent by the Father.
• Trust Christ’s authority over death: His word reaches even the one who lies in the tomb.
• Remember who Jesus is when you face the reality of death: He has revealed Himself as the resurrection and the life.
• Do not reduce Christ’s works to mere demonstrations of power: they are meant to reveal His identity and lead people to believe in Him.
• See the glory of God in the work of the Son: what Jesus does reveals the glory of the Father and the Son.

Summary

In John 11:38–44, Jesus arrives at Lazarus’s tomb groaning within Himself and orders the stone removed. When Martha points out that her brother has been dead four days, Jesus again reminds her of the promise that she will see the glory of God. He then thanks the Father in front of the crowd and explains that He speaks for their sake so that they may believe that the Father sent Him. Then He cries out, “Lazarus, come out!” and the man who had died comes out of the tomb still bound with the burial bandages. The sign manifests the authority of Jesus’ voice over death, confirms that He was sent by the Father, and makes visible what He had declared earlier: “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Prayer

Our Father, we thank You that in Jesus Christ You have manifested Your glory and revealed His authority over death.

Thank You that the works of Your Son testify that You sent Him and that His word has power to give life.

Help us believe in Jesus for who He truly is and trust in the One who revealed Himself as the resurrection and the life.

Give us firm hope in the face of death, knowing that the voice of the Son has authority to call the dead to life.

We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.