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 #6: Jesus rose from the dead to validate his own claims

One of the main reasons Jesus rose from the dead was to confirm the truth about what he said about himself.

John chapter 11 is an amazing chapter in the Bible. It is the story of Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead.

The whole chapter is worth study, reflection and meditation.

Let's focus our attention on the converation between Jesus and Marth, one of Lazarus' two sisters, as Jesus enters the town of Bethany (very close to Jerusalem).

We read that "When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home." (verse 20). Martha right away goes out to meet Jesus. The kind of person she is causes her to do this.

Her opening words seems to be words of hope mingled with heartache and incredible loss: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” (verses 21-22).

Jesus reassures her with these weords: “Your brother will rise again.” (verse 23)

Martha's worldview causes her to hear these words only as a promise about a future resurrection: “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Now what Martha has said is true. Yes, one day Lazarus will rise at the resurrection of the last day.

But Jesus means something much more immediate than that.

So Jesus says to Martha: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (verse 25-26).

Jesus does raise Lazarus from the dead (amazing!) but his claim that he himself is the resurrection and the life demands that Jesus too be raised to life.

If Jesus is not resurrected from death he cannot claim to be "the resurrection and the life." 

If he did not rise his claims would be bogus and unfounded.

Jesus rises from the dead to show he is no liar and that he always speaks the truth.