The National tribune., 1891-09-24

I. Bethany to Jerusalem is about two miles.
'fS) Bethany was a town. l3OJ The ceme-
terry was outside the walls, and seemingly north
east Of Bethany.
? Both Martha and Mary meet Christ in a
kind Of chiding tone. l2I, 32.J They thought
he might have come as soon as he heard Of the
illness of Lazarus.
3. Verse 80 shows there is no kiuship be-
tween Christianity and stOcism. Christ be-
came all stirred up over the power Of death !;
the sadness Of the sisters the work Of sin in
wrecking human happiness; the slowHess Of
human belief.
4. 1t is quite likely the Jews had IDEAS akin
TO the doctrine Of the resurrection. y Mae,
20, II, % &c. y 10; 1874 49, Probably at
the time st. John wrote his Gospel, A. ID. o.,
nearly all parties mentioned in the 18th chapter
were dead, including Christ, Lazarus Mary and
Martha.
,. Verso % seems 20 show Martha rather be-
leyed in Christ's microscopy prayer with the
Father in Heaven than in Christ's personal
power to raise the dead She knew from the
case Of Elijah oud Elisha that God could, IN
answer to prayer, resurrect the dead
o. Notice fell down at his feet ,F. 81, and
the amounting Of his feet by this same Mary.
(I2:3J
III. VERSES 3-f6, INCLUSIVE.
Here we have Christ at the grave. The
l
only preliminary.
Verse 35 gives US hints as to method Of burial
in the case Of Lazarus. SepulChcrs were open
| iHgs Of caye-shape in the sides Of hills or
/ mountains, cut generally out Of solid rock.
Upon IT," Y. %, seems 20 imply 0yer it.
AgUilsL it would be a better translation. The
entrance 70 q sepuIcher was at the side, and a
stone was rolled up against the opening and
so at times people called the stone a roller.
For take" V. 30, and took" Z. Al. render
roll Mt, p: co. No collins were used. The
| body was bound around with cloth frightened
with bands. lY ~ The napkin " az did
not probably cover the face, but passed under
the chin. l20:7J Actual burial took place
/ IA most cases, but persons who could afford
/ sapulchcrs constructed them. Bodies placed
Ia such caves were protected against too rapid
decay and otFeusiyeness by being anointed
with various sweet ungueuts. aud wrapped in
| folds OF cloth inciosing aiOes, myrtle, byssop,
rOse-Oil and r0se-water.
Travellers 70 Bethany are today shown what
tradition says was the sepu.cher IN which I.az-
arus rested. Rev. ID. A. Randall in 'The Holy
Land p. 49, says: The tomb is a deep dark
vault, mostly axcavated in the solid rock A
low door al the entrance, and . diapidated
winding stairway led Us down into a chamber,
/ from which another door opened and a descent
OF few steps brought us into an inner cham
Der or small vault in which the body OF LIZA
rus is said % have lain"
Notice the following facts in regard to this
miracle; J. 10 was done publicly, many persons
knowing all the particulars .. Lazarus was
really dead. The corpse was mortified and IN
pleasant Of od0r. The ease was not ono of
merely suspended animation. 3. All believed
Lazarus was dead aud ia this matter there was
no call for deception 4. Christ was all the
time at a distance. There was no col.gsiOu-
no private understanding. .. Many Of the
witnesses were acquainted with al the parties
8. The miracle was performed i'm open day
light. :. Christ told the Disciples beforehand
Of the death, while all we're yet at Bcthabara
;. The case was so evidently superHuman that
completes conviction possessed all beh0Iders Of
the Mess!ahship Of our Savior. O. Christ was
open and frank in the deed. There was no
muttering nor peepingia as IN the case of famil-
lar evil spirits. lsu., 5:I9.) Jesus spOke
outright, and with a loud plain voice. " -.
Compare Matt, p 81 / TIL, 4:I6) 10. The
writer OF the account was one of the witnesses.
II. 10 was o splendid Endorsement of Chris
tiauity; SO much So spInOza declared, that If he
could believe the resurrection Of Lazarus he
would reHOunce Lis whole system Of sllepu-
Cism.
One 0f Rembrandt'5 wonderful paintings is
" The Raising Of Lazarus" Chapter IL Of st.
John is material for q beautiful picture. 1t
fingers sWsctly in the mind.