Lazarus of Bethany

Lore & Background

Lazarus of Bethany is introduced in the Gospel of John as a follower of Jesus and the brother of Mary and Martha. When Lazarus falls ill, his sisters send word to Jesus, who intentionally delays his journey for two days. By the time Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been dead and entombed for four days. Jesus weeps at the tomb, then prays and calls Lazarus forth, and Lazarus emerges still wrapped in grave-cloths. This miracle leads many witnesses to believe in Jesus and prompts the religious authorities to plan Jesus's death.

Reader's Guide

The raising of Lazarus is the climactic narrative among the seven signs in the Gospel of John, exemplifying Jesus's power over death. It directly leads to the decision by Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin to put Jesus on trial. The name Lazarus has been adopted in science and popular culture to denote apparent restoration to life, such as the Lazarus taxon in paleontology and the Lazarus syndrome in medicine. A distinct character named Lazarus appears in the Gospel of Luke's parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The Eastern Orthodox Church venerates him as Righteous Lazarus, the Four-Days Dead, while Catholic and Orthodox traditions offer varying accounts of his later life.

Did You Know?

• The name Lazarus is the Greek rendering of the Hebrew Eleazar, meaning 'God has helped'.
• The town of Bethany is today known as Al-Eizariya in the West Bank, Palestine, which translates to 'the place of Lazarus'.
• A North Korean cybercrime gang is called Lazarus Group.
• The raising of Lazarus is also recounted in the controversial Secret Gospel of Mark.