Lazarus Trivia Quiz

Answer: Nothing

It is surprising that only one of the Gospels mentions this very important miracle.

Fortunately, John gave us many details in chapter 11.

Answer: Bethany

Nazareth is where Jesus lived most of his life, Cana is where Christ performed his first miracle at a wedding, and Jerusalem is where Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead.

Answer: Mary and Martha

In the 10th chapter of Luke, we are fortunate to meet Mary and Martha in another scenario.

Christ is visiting the two sisters while Martha is busy with the chores of serving food. Martha becomes frustrated that while she works her sister Mary sits at Christ's feet and does nothing to help her. Martha asks Jesus to tell her lazy sister to start working. Here is what he says:
"Martha, Martha, thou are careful and troubled about many things; But one thing is needful; and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:41-42)

Answer: He waited two days before going to them

John 11:6 tells us, "When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was."

Before they travelled to Bethany, Jesus told his Apostles that Lazarus was asleep. The confused Apostles thought that Lazarus was actually slumbering; then Christ, to end the confusion, clearly told the Apostles that Lazarus had died. Jesus explained further that the death of Lazarus would help to strengthen the Apostles' faith.

Answer: "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."

John 11:25-26 reports, "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.'"

Martha and Mary almost certainly thought that Christ spoke of his eternal gift to his followers, not of the physical resurrection of Lazarus.

Answer: Jesus wept.

"Jesus wept." How beautiful. How kind.

For Christians, Jesus is not a distant superhuman; no, he is a real person, who feels and expresses the most tender human emotions.

The only other place in the Bible that shows Jesus weeping is Luke 19:41. Here, as Christ entered Jerusalem, he cried for the Holy City, knowing the sad fate that awaited her.

Answer: The body would stink.

John 11:40-41 reports that Jesus said, "Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?"

Then they took the stone away from the place where Lazarus had been lain.

Answer: "Lazarus, come forth."

John 11:42 says what happened next: "And he that was dead came forth, bound head and foot with grave clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, 'Loose him, and let him go.'"

Fantastic!

Christ gave Lazarus new life and set Lazarus free!

Answer: Supper

John 12:2 says, "There they made him supper; and Martha served; but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him."

While supper was being eaten, Mary, Lazarus' sister, anointed Christ's feet with perfumed oil and then wiped his feet with her hair.

Clearly, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus were all close disciples of Jesus.

Answer: Because of Lazarus' resurrection, many people were believing in Jesus.

Fortunately, the Bible does not speak again of this plot against Lazarus. Several church traditions tell of him becoming an early Christian missionary and bishop.

It is a clear contrast that while the love of Jesus gave Lazarus new life, the hatred of the chief priests desired to give Lazarus death.