Sunday School Lesson
September 20
Lesson 3 (KJV)
VICTORIOUS LOVE
DEVOTIONAL READING: Psalm 51
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Genesis 42
GENESIS 42:6–25
6 And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.
7 And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.
8 And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him.
9 And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
10 And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come.
11 We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies.
12 And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come.
13 And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not.
14 And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies:
15 Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither.
16 Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies.
17 And he put them all together into ward three days.
18 And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:
19 If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:
20 But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.
21 And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.
22 And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.
23 And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.
24 And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
25 Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them.
KEY VERSE
Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.—Genesis 42:22
LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER
Unit 1: Struggles with Love
LESSONS 1–4
LESSON AIMS
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
- Outline the events that occurred when Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt to buy grain.
- Explain the possible motivations behind Joseph’s treatment of his brothers.
- Resolve an estrangement gracefully.
HOW TO SAY IT
Canaan Kay-nun. Pharaoh
Fair-o or Fay-roe. Reuben Roo-ben.
Simeon Sim-ee-un.
Zaphnathpaaneah Zaf-nath-pay-uh-nee-uh.
Introduction
- Surprise Encounters
What’s the best surprise you ever experienced? The announcement of a forthcoming grandchild? The renewed health of a loved one? A broken relationship repaired? For some, the answer will be an unexpected family reunion. Those who have been deployed for service overseas seem very happy to surprise their loved ones with an early return after a lengthy absence. Sometimes arrangements are made for the returnee to show up unexpectedly at a ball game or other public event where the person’s family is in attendance.
The looks of astonishment and then unbridled joy are very touching. Though families expect that their loved ones will return eventually, their reactions reveal that the emotions of an anticipated reunion are magnified when that reunion happens without warning. Part of the joy in watching such a reunion is in seeing what happens when there hasn’t been time to prepare psychologically for the reunion. And so it was with Joseph.
- Lesson Context
When the Egyptians began to feel the effects of the predicted famine (see lesson 2), they cried out to Pharaoh for relief. Pharaoh sent them to Joseph (Genesis 41:55), whom he had appointed to prepare Egypt for the years of famine. The famine, however, affected lands other than Egypt as well. As a result, “all countries” came to Egypt to buy food (41:57). Joseph’s homeland was among those, and Jacob urged his sons to travel to Egypt and purchase food (42:1–2). Exactly how much of the seven-year famine had occurred before the brothers went to Egypt is not clear. Later, when Joseph revealed his identity (see lesson 4), he told them that only two of seven total years had passed (45:6).
For the first journey to Egypt, Jacob did not permit Benjamin—one of two sons of Jacob’s beloved wife Rachel, the other son being Joseph (Genesis 35:24)—to go. Jacob had already lost his favorite son, Joseph; Jacob did not want to risk losing his second favorite, Benjamin (42:3–4). Thus 10 brothers traveled to Egypt without him.
- Doubt
(GENESIS 42:6–17)
- Brothers’ Arrival (vv. 6–8)
6a. And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land. Joseph had been appointed as governor and second in command to Pharaoh after his proposal for how to prepare Egypt for the coming years of famine (Genesis 41:33–43; see lesson 2). His tasks of preparation for the famine were complete; now the tasks of distributing aid were his primary responsibility. At this point, the people still had enough money to purchase the food that they needed (contrast 47:13–26).
6b. And Joseph’s brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth. Showing respect for a foreign dignitary, the brothers bowed appropriately before Joseph. This almost fulfills Joseph’s dream of some two decades earlier recorded in Genesis 37:9. We say almost because only 10 of the 11 “stars” (brothers) were doing the bowing at this point.
7–8. And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food. And Joseph knew his brethren, but they knew not him. Joseph recognized his brothers immediately, even though about 20 years had passed since he last saw them (compare Genesis 37:2 and 41:46; see lesson 2). One can only imagine the look on Joseph’s face at this surprise encounter! Perhaps he had thought he would never see them again. But there they were! How should he treat them? What should he say? The recognition is not two-way, however, as indicated by the phrase but they knew him not. Contributing factors are Joseph’s Egyptian clothing and a closely trimmed beard in keeping with Egyptian custom (compare 41:14). Above all, none of the brothers expected to encounter Joseph anywhere, let alone in the position of governor of Egypt!
Joseph had probably pondered on many a day how he would respond to his brothers if he ever saw them again. As he spoke roughly, or with a tone of harshness and severity, Joseph may have been buying time to ponder his forthcoming “big reveal” in more depth.
- Joseph’s Accusation (vv. 9–14)
9a. And Joseph remembered the dreams which he dreamed of them. Seeing his brothers bow to him brought back to Joseph’s memory his dreams of authority in his family (Genesis 37:5–10; see lesson 1). He surely must also have remembered how much his brothers despised him on account of those dreams (37:8, 11). Ironically, their actions to prevent any ascent to power on Joseph’s part had done the opposite in contributing directly to his current status. Human nature suggests that there may have been some sense of satisfaction on Joseph’s part when he remembered his dreams while his brothers bowed before him.
9b. And said unto them, Ye are spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. Why the memory of his dreams caused Joseph to accuse his brothers of something he knew was false is unclear, but there are some theories. One suggestion is that even though we wouldn’t call this revenge, Joseph can’t resist making his brothers squirm a bit. Another theory is that Joseph uses the line of interrogation we see here to test his brothers’ character. Have they improved any in the two decades since selling him into slavery?
The accusation has a ring of believability. Coming to spy under the guise of buying food is quite plausible: buying food would take resources from the nation while also providing a cover story as the brothers scout out Egypt’s nakedness—places vulnerable to attack by an enemy. Though a payback or revenge motive seems reasonable from a purely human standpoint, Joseph’s true motivation seems to have been more noble than that. The longer he could hide his identity behind a mask of harshness, the more likely it was to elicit truthful statements from his brothers.
What Do You Think?
When someone claims to be honest (Genesis 42:11) but we know of previous dishonesty (37:31–32), what kinds of tests, if any, are legitimate to evaluate reform?
Digging Deeper
How do passages such as 2 Corinthians 8:8; Galatians 6:4–5; and 1 Thessalonians 5:20–22 influence your conclusions?
Joseph surely noticed that Benjamin, his younger brother and the other son of their mother, Rachel, was absent from the group of brothers. He must have wondered if Benjamin was dead. And what about their father, Jacob? It is also possible that Joseph desired to find out more about his brothers. Did they still despise him after all these years? Had they repented of their treatment of him?
- And they said unto him, Nay, my lord, but to buy food are thy servants come. Modern interrogation practice is to interview suspects separately to see if their stories match. But Joseph knows most of the important parts of the story already! His accusation seems to have been intended to put his brothers on the defensive. If so, the desired effect is achieved.
- We are all one man’s sons; we are true men, thy servants are no spies. Joseph may well have found dark humor in the claim of his brothers to be true men, even though he doesn’t yet know that they lied to his father regarding Joseph’s fate (Genesis 37:31–34).
- And he said unto them, Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. Joseph continued in accusation mode. People under stress may make unguarded comments. We may speculate that Joseph hoped that his brothers would do just that, revealing in the process important family information.
- And they said, Thy servants are twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. In their hasty denials, the brothers reveal several pieces of information that Joseph could immediately verify as true. Therefore he had no reason to doubt the parts he could not verify: both his father, Jacob, and his youngest brother, Benjamin, were still alive.
- And Joseph said unto them, That is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies. Still Joseph challenged the men’s truthfulness with a terrifying accusation of spying. How could they prove their innocence if this powerful man was convinced of their guilt?
TRUST, BUT VERIFY
The Cold War was a worldwide concern in the 1980s. The importance of having nuclear arms agreements could not be overstated. As US President Reagan was preparing to meet with U.S.S. R. General Secretary Gorbachev, an adviser informed Reagan of Russians’ love of proverbs. Perhaps learning a few would help aid the negotiations.
Doveryai, no proveryai—“trust, but verify”—caught Reagan’s fancy. It expressed the tension of believing in good faith what one was told while also doing the research to corroborate statements. To Reagan, it expressed well the American attitude toward Soviet assurances.
Before Joseph could trust his brothers, he needed to verify their character. How well does Joseph’s “trust, but verify” method work as a Christian principle? —C. R. B.
- Joseph’s Alternative (vv. 15–17)
15–16. Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be kept in prison, that your words may be proved, whether there be any truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are spies. Joseph gave the men what seemed to them to be a chance to prove that they were who they claimed. But Joseph already knew they were telling the truth. His agenda was therefore different from what it seemed to be to the brothers, an agenda that becomes clearer as the story unfolds. Perhaps to emphasize how serious he was, Joseph swore twice by the life of Pharaoh. The ruse of pretending to be thoroughly Egyptian continued.
- And he put them all together into ward three days. Why this three-day “time out”? It may have been a tactic to emphasize Joseph’s power to impose his will. Alternatively, it could have been that Joseph needed more time to consider how best to convince his brothers it was necessary to bring Benjamin to him.
- Decision (GENESIS 42:18–25)
- Joseph’s Requirement (vv. 18–20)
- And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God. On the third day, apparently after more thought, Joseph was ready to dictate a different set of conditions. Before revealing his new plan, however, Joseph gave the rationale for his decision: his fear of God.
From our viewpoint, Joseph clearly referred to his fear of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 32:9; 50:24; see also Exodus 3:6). Such a statement might have tipped his brothers off that something was different about this Egyptian governor. However, his brothers should be excused for not understanding what Joseph was asserting. For one thing, the name used to refer to God is a plural word that often refers to the true God (over 1,000 times in the Old Testament) but can also refer generically to supernatural beings who may be mistaken for gods (example: Psalm 82:1).
Though God could be differentiated from false gods easily by identifying Him as the Creator and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He has not yet revealed His name (Exodus 3:14–15). So context could cause the brothers to think that Joseph feared some god, but which one remained a mystery.
To further muddle the situation, Joseph looked Egyptian, had an Egyptian name (Zaphnathpaaneah; Genesis 41:45), and was married to the daughter of the priest of Ra (41:50; see lesson 2). Joseph’s brothers probably assumed Zaphnathpaaneah worshipped Ra and other Egyptian gods.
- If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses. Only one brother rather than nine would be required to stay in Egypt as a ransom; the others would carry corn (and Joseph’s orders) back to Canaan. The Hebrew word translated corn is a general term for grain since maize as we know it probably doesn’t exist in the Egypt of Joseph’s day.
20a. But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. Joseph did not tell them when to come back, only that they must bring the youngest brother with them. Judging from Joseph’s words, the punishment for espionage was death.
20b. And they did so. The following verse continues as though this sentence never happened. This represents a significant jump in the narrative (see Genesis 43:1–16).
- Brothers’ Remorse (vv. 21–23)
21a. And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear. Though the biblical account does not mention Joseph’s anguish at the time (Genesis 37:26–28), we are unsurprised to learn that Joseph’s suffering was evident to his brothers. So intense was their hatred and contempt that Joseph’s cries for mercy went willfully unheard.
Yet, those cries echoed back to them in this moment, confirming their guilt and heralding that punishment was finally at hand for their crime (or so they believed). It is striking that these 10 men were blaming themselves for the death of the man who was standing before them!
What Do You Think?
Without giving directive advice, how would you counsel someone who seems to be mentally enslaved by guilt of a past misdeed?
Digging Deeper
How would your counseling differ between a believer and an unbeliever? Why?
21b. Therefore is this distress come upon us. The brothers believed that when one encountered distress or troubles, it was a punishment for some previous wrongdoing. That thinking is reflected throughout the Bible (examples: Job 11:13–18; John 9:1–2). We may still feel that our struggles are God’s judgment on us for our past sins. But, like the brothers, we see only part of each story and should be wary of interpreting too confidently God’s intentions in any situation.
Ironically, this trouble has visited them because of Joseph—not as punishment but because God has worked through their sin to save them (Genesis 45:5, 7–8; see lesson 4). Though the brothers believe God is punishing them, in fact He is about to deliver their whole family from famine.
What Do You Think?
In what ways do you see God advancing his plan in spite of the character flaws of those who carry out that plan?
Digging Deeper
Who can you choose as an accountability partner to help you identify and overcome your own character flaws?
- And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required. Reuben is Jacob’s firstborn (Genesis 49:3). Before this moment, Joseph knew nothing of what Reuben had said in his defense (37:21–23). Reuben’s statement that Joseph’s blood is required confirmed that he believed Joseph had died and that he considered all of the brothers present to be guilty of that death.
What Do You Think?
Under what kinds of modern circumstances, if any, is “I told you so” adequate to let someone off the hook for failing to oppose a wrong more strongly? Why?
Digging Deeper
Discuss the concept of “the lesser of two evils” in light of this question.
- And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter. Because of Joseph’s cunning use of an interpreter, the brothers have been speaking frankly before him without realizing he could understand their “private” conversation. For long years, he must have wondered whether they felt any guilt or remorse for their actions against him. Though he had clearly found great purpose in his Egyptian life, part of Joseph wanted to know if his brothers had ever overcome their hatred of him.
- Joseph’s Reaction (vv. 24–25a)
24a. And he turned himself about from them, and wept, Joseph was not prepared for what he heard. The brothers’ words of remorse, coupled with Reuben’s personal expression of regret, proved more than Joseph could handle.
BIG BOYS DON’T CRY
It is sometimes said that “big boys don’t cry.” To whatever extent this is true, it is (excuse the pun) a crying shame. Tears help express and even expel strong emotions, especially painful ones. For me, losing my first wife has been the cause of many tears. Pat, my wife of 58 years, succumbed to cancer more than 6 years ago.
Even now, there are still occasions when a tender memory catches me off guard, and I find myself choking up, unable to express my feelings except through tears. Unexpectedly hearing a song we shared, or finding an object that belonged to her, makes me cry. For
Joseph, the strong leader of Egypt, hearing remorse was a crying moment. Can character be evaluated by what brings a person to tears and what doesn’t? —C. R. B.
24b. And returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes. After composing himself, Joseph probably voiced again the terms necessary for safe return to Egypt (Genesis 42:19–20). Joseph imprisoned Simeon as a surety until the brothers returned with the youngest one.
Joseph probably had meant to detain the oldest son, Reuben, due to his status as firstborn son, but changed his mind after hearing Reuben’s confession. Simeon is the second oldest of Jacob’s sons (Genesis 29:32–33).
- Then Joseph commanded to fill their sacks with corn, and to restore every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provision for the way: and thus did he unto them. Before sending his brothers back to Canaan, Joseph took certain calculated steps. Because it was within his authority to set prices for corn, Joseph decided to send the food back with his brothers at no charge. But he refunded their money without telling them.
This strategy served Joseph in at least two ways. First, he blessed his brothers by not accepting their payment, thus allowing that money to be used for other purposes as necessary.
Second, by not telling them what he would do, Joseph’s actions made them fear God (Genesis 42:28). Would the governor see them as thieves as well as spies? Was this finally God’s plan to punish them for Joseph’s death? How much worse could things get?
Conclusion A.
The Importance of Tears
Joseph had settled into life in Egypt, secure in his powerful position. He had married and started a family. He had taken over the responsibility of providing grain for those who had traveled from near and far to Egypt because of the severe famine that had ravaged many countries. It was business as usual for Joseph until he looked up and saw a group of 10 men dressed like he used to be when he lived in Canaan. And then he realized—these were his brothers! They too had come to Egypt to buy grain.
That Joseph’s motives for acting as he did toward his brothers were not rooted in selfishness or vindictiveness is seen most of all in his tears. He could not control his emotions when he learned that Reuben had actually intended to spare his life. Though the brothers did not know it, the governor of Egypt was already planning how to see his father again and keep his whole family safe.
What Do You Think?
What guardrails can we erect to keep from crossing the line between legitimate testing (evaluation) and desire for revenge?
Digging Deeper
Where in Scripture, if anywhere, do you see that line being crossed? While Joseph was hiding his true identity from his brothers, his declaration that “I fear God” was the truth. The brothers did not realize what a comfort that declaration should have been to them. Joseph’s tears revealed his heart for all time.
- Prayer
Our Father, thank You that You use even our most desperate circumstances to serve Your loving purposes. Let our fear of You guide us as Joseph’s fear guided him. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.
- Thought to Remember
Fear of God must guide our decisions.
KID’S CORNER
Being Prepared to Believe
Sunday, September 20, 2020
John 11:28-37
John 11:28-37
(John 11:28) When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”
In John 11:27, Martha proclaimed her faith in Jesus as “the Messiah” (the Anointed One or Christ) that God promised to send to redeem His people and save them from their sins—God fulfilled His promise when He sent Jesus. She proclaimed her faith in Jesus as “the Son of God” as Jesus had taught in John 5:21 and other verses in the Bible. Jesus declared, “Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes.” Jesus would soon prove that statement to be true when He raised Lazarus from the dead and gave him life when He chose to do so. In John 5:23, Jesus also taught the importance of honoring Him as the Son of God, “Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.” Martha also proclaimed her faith in Jesus as “the one coming into the world,” coming from outside this world into this world. Jesus came from heaven to earth. As the Son of God, Jesus came from the Father into the world as “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42).
After declaring her faith in Jesus, Martha went back and told Mary privately that Jesus wanted to speak to her (probably also privately, away from all the mourners in the home with her, for Jesus waited right outside Bethany for her to come). In speaking to her sister, Martha also called Jesus “The Teacher,” which reminds us that out of all teachers Jesus was the best teacher as the crowds who heard Him recognized: “He taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:29). In Jesus’ day, rabbis would not teach women, but Jesus would teach everyone: no wonder Mary sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what He was saying whenever He taught in her home (see Luke 10:39). As one who listened intently to whatever Jesus taught, Mary must have felt overwhelmed when she learned that the Teacher was calling specifically for her.
(John 11:29) And when she heard it, she *got up quickly and was coming to Him.
Mary responded immediately to the call of Jesus, just as the disciples that Jesus called responded immediately and followed Him—even leaving their occupations behind them to follow Jesus. Because Jesus is the Person that Martha described, those Jesus chose and called responded immediately and followed Him, though they did not always obey Jesus perfectly or know where He was eventually leading them. Both Mary and Martha serve as examples of those who try to learn all Jesus had to teach so they could do whatever Jesus asked of them. No wonder John makes it a point to reveal that Jesus loved them and they loved Him. Later, in John 14:15, Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” and in John 15:14, He said, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”
(John 11:30) Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha met Him.
John explained the situation in detail and emphasized that Jesus remained outside Bethany because He wanted to take the time to speak to both Mary and Martha directly, privately, and personally rather than before a crowd of mourners where they could not concentrate on His teaching. Jesus wants to communicate with all His followers directly, privately, and personally, especially as the Holy Spirit helps them in their study of the Bible.
(John 11:31) Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
Usually a crowd of mostly women would stay for seven days with a grieving family to console them at the loss of a loved one. In some cases, paid mourners would also loudly wail and weep when near the person who had died, when the dead body was being carried to their burial plot, or when family members were walking to and from a graveside to mourn. In a situation such as this, to talk quietly and comfort Martha and Mary, Jesus planned to wait outside the village and have Martha privately tell Mary to come to Him. She quickly went out to find Jesus but observing the custom of that day (a custom still practiced in some cultures) the mourners followed her. So, she would not have had much private time with Jesus.
(John 11:32) Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
To find Jesus quickly, Mary probably followed Martha. She probably had only enough time to tell Jesus what Martha had also told Jesus about wishing He had been there to heal their brother before he died. She too expressed her faith that Jesus had the power to heal her brother, and like Martha, she had no expectation that Jesus would raise their brother from the dead that very day. She did not yet know that Jesus also had the power of resurrection as well as the power of healing and the power of raising those recently died. She probably held the same core beliefs about Jesus that Martha expressed to Jesus earlier.
(John 11:33) When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled,
Some scholars teach that the word weeping includes feelings of sorrow and some feelings of anger at death. Jesus was angry at death and the sorrow death brings, but He was not angry with himself as the Creator and the Giver of life. Jesus’ humanity moved Him to feel deeply the sorrow that humans feel, especially what His beloved friends felt when facing death. Jesus knows exactly, from personal human experience, the feelings humans have when death separates them from a loved one. Jesus may also have been greatly disturbed in spirit (not in the Holy Spirit) because He knew that He would soon die as He hanged on a cross as a substitutionary sacrifice in our behalf to mercifully, justly, and lovingly forgive us for our sins; therefore, believers in Jesus do not need to suffer eternal death. He may have been deeply moved thinking of the everlasting good and life that His death for our sins would bring to all His followers and the world.
(John 11:34) and said, “Where have you laid him?” They *said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”
Jesus knew where Lazarus lay in the tomb, but with all the weeping Jews present, He was not going to walk directly to the tomb and leave them wondering how He knew where Lazarus was buried. No, having just arrived, Jesus asked a perfectly natural, human question that anyone would have asked in this situation. So, they led Him to the tomb.
(John 11:35) Jesus wept.
Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (see Isaiah 53:3). Jesus loved Lazarus and He wept that the one He loved needed to go through the process of dying to go to heaven, the kingdom not of this world. He wept for those who had suffered during their separation from Lazarus over the past four days because of his death. Paul wrote, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep,” and Jesus wept as He walked toward Lazarus’ tomb (Romans 12:15). Perhaps Jesus wept because He knew that to glorify God and answer the prayers of Martha and Mary He would need to bring Lazarus back from the glories of heaven and return him to Earth where he would suffer and die once again (we do not learn when Lazarus died again, but the enemies of Jesus plotted his death: John 12:10). To protect Lazarus from an untimely death, perhaps John only wrote about how Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead because Lazarus had already died again. Surely, Lazarus would have wanted to go back to paradise after telling his family and others about all his experiences.
(John 11:36) So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!”
Jesus loved Lazarus (John 11:3). Jesus loved Martha and Mary (John 11:5). He loved them and wept over their suffering, but He also knew that by their suffering and Lazarus’ death, God the Father and the Son of God would be glorified as they deserved and be honored in ways that would draw sinners to repent of their sins and believe in Jesus for salvation from sin (John 11:4). He knew that many would come to believe in Him as the resurrection and the life and they would come to Him to receive the gift of eternal life. If we and those we love must suffer and die in this world before the last day, we can pray that God our Father and Jesus, the Son of God, will be glorified because of or despite suffering and death. Jesus loves all who follow Him even as He loved Lazarus, Martha, and Mary, and He will do what is best for us and all those concerned as we approach death.
(John 11:37) But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?”
Those who were mourning with Martha and Mary knew that they believed Jesus would have healed Lazarus before he died if Jesus had been there. They all had probably discussed the many miracles of Jesus, such as Jesus healing the man born blind (see John 9). As a way of consoling one another, they may have discussed many of Jesus’ teachings, for Mary and Martha along with Lazarus were Jesus’ disciples (students). During the four days Lazarus lay in his tomb and they were consoling one another, Jesus and what He could do and taught would have been a focus of conversation and comfort. Everyone knew that messengers had been sent to Jesus to tell Jesus of Lazarus’ illness, so many of them may have looked expectantly for Jesus to come any day before Lazarus died, and they may have wondered why He was taking so long to get to Bethany. Knowing His life was in danger in Jerusalem, did some of those grieving think Jesus would not dare come so close to Jerusalem as Bethany? Their four days of waiting were probably well used by Martha and Mary to talk about Jesus and declare their faith in His love and power. They would have discussed whether Jesus was the Messiah or not. In their discussions, Martha and Mary planted seeds of faith that did take root in the lives of some of their listeners who came to believe in Jesus after He raised Lazarus from the dead.
Being Prepared to Believe
Sunday, September 20, 2020
John 11:28-37
And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? (John 11:37—KJV).
But some of them said, “Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?” (John 11:37—NASB).
But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” (John 11:37—NRSV).
When Jesus arrived in Bethany and spoke to Martha and Mary, Lazarus had been in the tomb four days, but both expressed their faith, saying, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32). They had sat at Jesus’ feet when He taught about the Father and himself and what it meant to follow Him, because Jesus taught everyone who would listen, whereas the rabbis of the time would not teach women. They knew that Jesus had the power to heal the sick and raise those who had died when He reached them in time. They did not express explicit faith that Jesus could raise someone who had been in a tomb four days. After Lazarus died, mourners who were mostly women came to console Lazarus’ family. Traditionally, they would stay seven days with the family. During that time, we have every reason to suppose that Jesus—who He was, what He had done, and what He could do—had been an important part of their conversations, because Lazarus’ sisters had sent messengers to tell Jesus that Lazarus was ill. Knowing that in Jerusalem Jesus had healed a man born blind, and learning more about Jesus and what He taught from Lazarus’ sisters, the mourners were prepared to believe in Jesus after they met Him and saw Him raise Lazarus from the dead. No doubt the Holy Spirit inspired Mary and Martha to teach about Jesus while everyone eagerly awaited His hoped-for coming. We can do the same for others whether we are rejoicing or suffering as the Holy Spirit leads us!
Thinking Further
Being Prepared to Believe
Sunday, September 20, 2020
John 11:28-37
Name ___________________________
- Why do you think it might be important to Martha and Mary to call Jesus “The Teacher”?
- Why do you think Jesus stayed outside the village and Martha told Mary privately that the Teacher was calling for her?
- Why do you think Jesus wept? Is weeping a sign of lack of faith?
- What did Mary say that expressed her faith in Jesus?
- What did the crowd say that expressed their faith or lack of faith in Jesus? What was the foundation for their faith?
Discussion and Thinking Further
- Why do you think it might be important to Martha and Mary to call Jesus “The Teacher”? In Jesus day, rabbis refused to teach women. Jesus taught everyone and Mary especially sat at Jesus feet in her home and listened to His teacher whenever He taught. Calling Jesus “The Teacher” probably also meant that Jesus was the supreme teacher above all others. For one reason, He taught with authority and not as the scribes.
- Why do you think Jesus stayed outside the village and Martha told Mary privately that the Teacher was calling for her? Jesus wanted to talk privately to both of them without a large crowd of mourners wailing and weeping so loud that they could not have a meaningful conversation about Jesus being the resurrection and the life and what that could mean to them. He wanted to give them true consolation.
- Why do you think Jesus wept? Is weeping a sign of lack of faith? I think He wept to weep with those who weep, as Paul later advised Christians. I think He wept as He felt the sorrow of Mary and Martha, their family and friends. I think He wept at the knowledge that He would be bringing Lazarus back from the joys of heaven and being with God the Father. No, weeping is not a sign of a lack of faith; otherwise, Jesus would not have wept, and no one ever had as much faith as Jesus demonstrated.
- What did Mary say that expressed her faith in Jesus? “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
- What did the crowd say that expressed their faith or lack of faith in Jesus? What was the foundation for their faith? “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” They knew Jesus had opened the eyes of the blind man (the man born blind).
Word Search
Being Prepared to Believe
Sunday, September 20, 2020
John 11:28-37
Name ________________________________
F T O M B V W N V A P D Y Q A
S D P Y C F O F O D E J U L V
W U X J I W Z Y C B R I V A B
F N S Z Y B N W R I C O F E N
D Y L E W Z E U Z K F T L X Z
Q R F R J N T S L O S U Q P U
T O V K T S V Y T L E N K R Y
D A G N I L O S N O C W S L W
M E P D J T E A C H E R E J P
A O W C A L L I N G J T I D I
W B V O I B N H L R A B J B M
F E S E L G J O N V O K A Y T
J M E T D L V E I K C H V Z M
X I S P S E O R W U J N B E N
E G F N D Q P F D S R O M D T
Privately
Teacher
Calling
Quickly
Went
Jews
Consoling
Followed
Tomb
Weep
Lord
Knelt
Disturbed
Moved
Loved
True and False Test
Being Prepared to Believe
Sunday, September 20, 2020
John 11:28-37
Name ______________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
- To impress others about who they knew, Martha loudly told Mary that Jesus the Messiah was calling for her. True or False
- Jesus talked to Martha by herself before He talked to Mary. True or False
- Mary got up quickly to go see the Teacher. True or False
- Jesus did not enter Bethany until after He spoke to Martha and Mary. True or False
- The Jews followed Mary when she left the house because they wanted to see Jesus too. True or False
- Both Martha and Mary blamed Jesus for not coming sooner to heal their brother before he died. True or False
- When Jesus saw Mary weeping, to comfort and cheer her up He told her that she needed to think happy thoughts. True or False
- Mary’s weeping greatly disturbed Jesus in His spirit. True or False
- Jesus did not know where they had buried Lazarus, so He needed to ask where they had laid him. True or False
- When they saw Jesus weep, the Jews said, “See how He loved him.” True or False
True and False Test Answers
- False
- True
- True
- True
- False
- False
- False
- True
- False
- True
Prayer
Our Father, thank You that You use even our most desperate circumstances to serve Your loving purposes. Let our fear of You guide us as Joseph’s fear guided him. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.