ISRAEL. Bethany: the resurrection of Lazarus

Bethany


In this town, Jesus raised Lazarus.

Story that happened here two thousand years ago, was unique even for contemporaries of Jesus who has seen a lot of miracles of God through Him. After Jesus raised not just only that the deceased person, and Lazarus, whose body lay for four days already in the grave, because no one had any doubts in the death of the deceased. Remember how it was:

Certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village where they lived Mary and her sister Martha. 
Mary, whose brother Lazarus was sick, was the one who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom you love is sick. 
When Jesus heard that, said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God may be glorified through it the Son of God. Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days in the place where he was. After that, said to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again. The disciples said to him, Rabbi, , the Jews sought to stone thee, and goest thou thither again? Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? who walks by day will not stumble, because he sees the light of this world; as he walks by night that he stumbles, because the light is not in him. 
Having said this, said to them, then: Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I'm going to wake him up. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Jesus spoke of his death: but they thought that he meant natural sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead; And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe; but let us go to him. Then Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to his disciples, Let us go and we may die with him. Jesus came, he found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him; But Mary sat at home. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord! if you had been here, would not have died my brother. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you. 
Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise. Martha saith unto him, I know he would rise again in the resurrection at the last 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. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Do you believe this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord; I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. Having said this, she went and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Teacher is here and is calling for you. As soon as she heard that, she got up and went to him. Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha had met him. The Jews who were with her ​​in the house, and comforted her, seeing that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb - to weep there. Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord! if you had been here, would not have died my brother. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled 
And said, Where have ye laid him? They say unto him, Lord! Come and see. Jesus wept. 
Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him. And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying? Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Sister of the deceased, Martha saith unto him, Lord, already stinks; For four days in the grave.
Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? 
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father! I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that you always hear me; but said this for the people standing here, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. Having said this, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus! come forth. And the dead man came out, bound hand and foot with strips of linen, and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. Then many of the Jews which came to Mary and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. John, 11

According to the subsequent legends, after the resurrection of Lazarus lived another thirty years. He became a disciple of Christ and served as a bishop in Cyprus.