Mary’s “weeping” in verse 33 means loud wailing. It was Jewish custom to have three days of very heavy mourning then four of heavy mourning, followed by lighter mourning for the remainder of 30 days. It was usual for friends and family to visit and offer comfort at a time like this. The tombs had a small entrance that was closed by rolling a big stone against it.

There might be a number of niches in the tomb where the bodies of family members were placed. Months after today’s story, Jesus’ body would be prepared in this same way ( John 19:39-40 and 20:3-7).

The linen strips were then wrapped around the body over the clothing. They placed a cloth over the head and wrapped the hands and feet separately in strips of linen. The body was washed and anointed with spices. It was customary for a person to be buried on the same day as they died. This was the amount of time that Lazarus was dead before Jesus came to him. Add the travelling time of the messengers and Jesus together with the two days and you come up with four days. Jesus waited two days to go to Lazarus because he knew that this sickness would not end in death (verse 4). Lazarus must have died just after Mary and Martha sent messengers to tell Jesus of his sickness. It was a small settlement at the edge of the Judean desert on the slope of the Mount of Olives.Īt the time Lazarus got sick, Jesus was preaching on the eastern side of the Jordan near the place where John the Baptist had baptised him. This is not the woman in Luke 7:36-50.īethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem. John identifies Mary as the one who anointed Jesus’ feet with oil and wiped them with her hair ( John 12:1-8). Lazarus’ two sisters, Mary and Martha, are mentioned in Luke 10:38-42. It is another Lazarus in Jesus’ story in Luke 16:19-31. In fact, despite the fact that Jesus was very good friends with him, we only read about Lazarus in John chapters 11-12. This story is only recorded in the gospel of John.

Lazarus bible crafts