In yesterday’s study, we noted that Jesus returned to Bethany after a delay of two days. Upon arriving, He was told that Lazarus had been dead four days. This meant that Lazarus must have died before Jesus had even received the message that Lazarus was sick. And this means that Jesus knew of Lazarus’ death from the beginning and delayed His return for a specific purpose.

Now trouble came into the family of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, and Jesus was not there to help them. He had been there a few days previously, but He had gone away, telling them where he was going. While He was gone Lazarus took sick, and the sickness was serious enough for the sisters to send for Jesus. The messenger who bore the report told Jesus, “Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.” There is a lesson at this point, and we should acknowledge it before we go further.

During the first pre-Christian century a famous letter was written by Sulpicius Severus, a Roman, to Cicero, the great orator, on the occasion of the death of Cicero’s beloved daughter Tullia. The letter expresses deep sympathy and reminds the orator that his daughter had only experienced the common lot of mankind and had only passed away when the freedom of the republic itself was failing. It is warm and moving, but it contains nothing of a sure hope of life beyond the grave. In reply, Cicero thanks his friend for his sympathy and enlarges upon the magnitude of his loss.