Lazarus

AI summary: Lazarus matters because the cross references present him as the occasion for one of Jesus' clearest revelations of himself as the resurrection and the life. His sickness, death, and return to life intensify both faith and opposition, drawing many to belief while also hardening the plans of Jesus' enemies. He is not portrayed as an active teacher or leader, but as the beloved recipient of a sign that transforms the narrative. Taken together, the material presents Lazarus as a central witness through whom the power of Jesus over death is vividly displayed.¹

The brother of Mary and Martha of Bethany. He was raised from the dead after he had lain four days in the tomb (John 11:1-44). This miracle so excited the wrath of the Jews that they sought to put both Jesus and Lazarus to death. ³