107-623: Lazarus of Bethany (Latinised from Lazar , ultimately from Hebrew Eleazar , "God helped") is a figure within the Christian Bible , mentioned in the New Testament in the Gospel of John , whose life is restored by Jesus four days after his death. This is seen by Christians as one of the miracles of Jesus . In the Eastern Orthodox Church , Lazarus is venerated as Righteous Lazarus,
214-461: A flying story, which an occurrence of some kind had given rise to, but which was without any foundation in truth." In 1892, agnostic speaker Robert G. Ingersoll found the narrative historically implausible, writing that, if Lazarus had in fact died, potentially participating in an afterlife , and then subsequently had been resurrected, the experiences Lazarus could have shared with others would likely have been more interesting than everything else in
321-558: A great part of Jerusalem, which, all these things they departed among them. In such wise that Mary had the castle Magdalo, whereof she had her name Magdalene. And Lazarus had the part of the city of Jerusalem, and Martha had to her part Bethany. And when Mary gave herself to all delights of the body, and Lazarus entended all to knighthood, Martha, which was wise, governed nobly her brother's part and also her sister's, and also her own, and administered to knights, and her servants, and to poor men, such necessities as they needed. Nevertheless, after
428-809: A hymn of praise Isa 42:14 , Isa 49:14–15 or Isa 66:12–13 . In the New Testament , the Christian concept of God the Father may be seen as a continuation of the Jewish concept, but with specific additions and changes, which over time made the Christian concept become even more distinct by the start of the Middle Ages . The conformity to the Old Testament concepts is shown in Matthew 4:10 and Luke 4:8 where in response to temptation Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13 and states: "It
535-561: A lively image of our future resurrection ." French Protestant minister Jakob Abbadie wrote that Jesus had intentionally delayed his return to Bethany for, "four days, that it might not be said, he [ Lazarus ] was not really dead." In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI said that the Gospel story of the raising of Lazarus, "shows Christ's absolute power over life and death and reveals His nature as true man and true God" and that "Jesus' lordship over death does not prevent him from showing sincere compassion over
642-527: A slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. In Christianity the concept of God as the Father of Jesus is distinct from the concept of God as the creator and Father of all people, as indicated in the Apostles' Creed . The profession in the creed begins with expressing belief in the "Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth" and then immediately, but separately, in "Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord", thus expressing both senses of fatherhood within
749-409: A thousand years, no attempt was made to portray God the Father in human form, because early Christians believed that the words of Exodus 33:20 "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see Me and live" and of the Gospel of John 1:18: "No man hath seen God at any time" were meant to apply not only to the Father, but to all attempts at the depiction of the Father. Typically only a small part of
856-471: A unique position in the church year, as days of joy and triumph between the penitence of Great Lent and the mourning of Holy Week . During the preceding week, the hymns in the Lenten Triodion track the sickness and then the death of Lazarus, and Christ's journey from beyond Jordan to Bethany. The scripture readings and hymns for Lazarus Saturday focus on the resurrection of Lazarus as a foreshadowing of
963-612: Is a male given name or a surname. An abbreviation of the Hebrew name אֶלְעָזָר Eleazar or אֱלִיעֶזֶר Eliezer meaning 'God has helped' which first appeared in Jewish Aramaic (see Lazarus and Eleazar ben Shammua .) As a forename, it is more common in Slavic countries. As a surname, however, it is more common in Hungary and Romania. Slovak female form is Lazarová . God
1070-430: Is addressed as the Father, in part because of his active interest in human affairs on the earth, in the way that a father would take an interest in his children who are dependent on him and as a father, he will respond to humanity, his children, acting in their best interests. Many believe they can communicate with God and come closer to him through prayer – a key element of achieving communion with God. In general,
1177-673: Is for two more days before beginning the journey. The disciples are afraid of returning to Judea , but Jesus says: "Our friend Lazarus is asleep, but I am going to awaken him." When the apostles misunderstand, he clarifies, "Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe." When Jesus arrives in Bethany, he finds that Lazarus is dead and has already been in his tomb for four days. He meets first with Martha and Mary in turn. Martha laments that Jesus did not arrive soon enough to heal her brother ("if you had been here, my brother would not have died") and Jesus replies with
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#17328696699861284-482: Is given a prominent place in the gospel." The name Lazarus is frequently used in science and popular culture in reference to apparent restoration to life; for example, the scientific term Lazarus taxon denotes organisms that reappear in the fossil record after a period of apparent extinction, and also the Lazarus sign and the Lazarus syndrome . There are also numerous literary uses of the term. A distinct character of
1391-425: Is identified with Mary Magdalene ): Mary Magdalene had her surname of Magdalo, a castle, and was born of right noble lineage and parents, which were descended of the lineage of kings. And her father was named Cyrus, and her mother Eucharis. She with her brother Lazarus, and her sister Martha, possessed the castle of Magdalo, which is two miles from Nazareth, and Bethany, the castle which is nigh to Jerusalem, and also
1498-431: Is introduced as a follower of Jesus. He is identified as the brother of the sisters Mary and Martha . The sisters send word to Jesus that Lazarus, "he whom thou lovest," is ill. Jesus tells his followers: "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." Instead of immediately traveling to Bethany, according to the narrator, Jesus intentionally remains where he
1605-521: Is said to have been the first bishop of Marseille . According to Eastern Orthodox Church tradition, sometime after the Resurrection of Christ , Lazarus was forced to flee Judea because of rumoured plots on his life and came to Cyprus . There he was appointed by Barnabas and Paul the Apostle as the first bishop of Kition (present-day Larnaka). He lived there for thirty more years, and on his death
1712-417: Is sick.", writing that "they do not prescribe to Him what they wish Him to do; to a loving friend it is sufficient to intimate our necessities. Such ought to be the nature of our prayers, particularly in regard to health and other temporal blessings, for we do not know in such cases what is expedient for our salvation." New Testament scholars try to establish how John's narrative of the raising of Lazarus and
1819-548: Is so great as to raise doubts about the historicity of this story, especially in view of the unimaginable details in vs. 44. Yet there are features in this story which have the marks of verisimilitude." Other scholars posit that the events leading to Jesus's death in Synoptic Gospels were based on an early account, before the Gospel of Mark was written, in which many characters are anonymous because they were still living and would be subject to persecution, whereas John's account of
1926-506: Is then said to separate and go in different parts of southeastern Gaul to preach; Lazarus goes to Marseille . Converting many people to Christianity there, he becomes the first Bishop of Marseille . During the persecution of Domitian , he is imprisoned and beheaded in a cave beneath the prison Saint-Lazare. His body is later translated to Autun , where he is buried in the Autun Cathedral , dedicated to Lazarus as Saint Lazare . However,
2033-450: Is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve." 1 Corinthians 8:6 shows the distinct Christian teaching about the agency of Christ by first stating: "there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him" and immediately continuing with "and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we through him." This passage clearly acknowledges
2140-564: The Absolute Oneness of God, and totally separates him from other beings (whether humans, angel or any other holy figure), and rejects any form of dualism or Trinitarianism. Chapter 112 of the Quran states: Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “He is God—One ˹and Indivisible˺; God—the Sustainer ˹needed by all˺. He has never had offspring, nor was He born. And there is none comparable to Him.” In Judaism, the use of
2247-518: The Bordeaux pilgrim do mention the tomb of Lazarus. In 390 Jerome mentions a church dedicated to Saint Lazarus, called the Lazarium . This is confirmed by the pilgrim Egeria in about the year 410. Therefore, the church is thought to have been built between 333 and 390. The present-day gardens contain the remnants of a mosaic floor from the 4th-century church. The Lazarium was destroyed by an earthquake in
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#17328696699862354-639: The Church of England with a Lesser Festival and as such is provided with proper lectionary readings and collect. Lazarus is commemorated in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church on 29 July together with Mary and Martha . Lazar (name) Lazar ( JPA : לִיעֶזֶר or לָעְזָר, romanized: Lāzār , Russian : Лазарь , romanized : Lazar ; Serbian , Bulgarian and Macedonian : Лазар, romanized: Lazar , Albanian : Llazar, Lazër)
2461-585: The Divine Liturgy , the Baptismal Hymn, "As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" , is sung in place of the Trisagion . Although the forty days of Great Lent end on the day before Lazarus Saturday, the day is still observed as a fast; however, it is somewhat mitigated. In Russia, it is traditional to eat caviar on Lazarus Saturday. Lazarus is also commemorated on the liturgical calendar of
2568-556: The Eastern Church (known to have come from a later date) began with an affirmation of faith in "one God" and almost always expanded this by adding "the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible" or words to that effect. By the end of the first century, Clement of Rome had repeatedly referred to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and linked the Father to creation, 1 Clement 19.2 stating: "let us look steadfastly to
2675-557: The Eastern Orthodox Church on the fixed feast day of 17 March , while the translation of his relics from Cyprus to Constantinople in 898 AD is observed on 17 October . On the General Roman Calendar , Lazarus is celebrated, together with his sister Mary of Bethany and their sister Martha, on a memorial on 29 July. Earlier editions of the Roman Martyrology placed him among the saints of 17 December. In Cuba,
2782-485: The Gospel of Mark ) in which Jesus raises Lazarus of Bethany from the dead four days after his entombment. The event took place at Bethany. In John, this is the last of the miracles that Jesus performs before the passion , crucifixion and his own resurrection . The biblical narrative of the raising of Lazarus is found in chapter 11 of the Gospel of John. A certain Lazarus, who lives in the town of Bethany near Jerusalem ,
2889-453: The Hebrew Bible , Isaiah 63:16 (JP) reads: "For You are our father, for Abraham did not know us, neither did Israel recognize us; You, O [YHWH], are our father; our redeemer of old is your name." To God, according to Judaism, is attributed the fatherly role of protector. He is titled the Father of the poor, of the orphan and the widow, their guarantor of justice. He is also titled the Father of
2996-451: The Kaddish ). According to Ariela Pelaia, in a prayer of Rosh Hashanah , Areshet Sfateinu, an ambivalent attitude toward God is demonstrated, due to his role as a father and as a king. Free translation of the relevant sentence may be: "today every creature is judged, either as sons or as slaves. If as sons, forgive us like a father forgives his son. If as slaves, we wait, hoping for good, until
3103-490: The Resurrection of Christ , and a promise of the General Resurrection . The Gospel narrative is interpreted in the hymns as illustrating the two natures of Christ: his humanity in asking, "Where have ye laid him?", and his divinity by commanding Lazarus to come forth from the dead. Many of the resurrectional hymns of the normal Sunday service which are omitted on Palm Sunday are chanted on Lazarus Saturday. During
3210-714: The Zachatievsky monastery (Conception Convent), where they were put up for veneration. In the West, according to an alternative medieval tradition (centered in Provence ), Lazarus, Mary, and Martha were "put out to sea by the Jews hostile to Christianity in a vessel without sails, oars, or helm, and after a miraculous voyage landed in Provence at a place called today the Saintes-Maries ." The family
3317-773: The raising of the son of the widow of Nain ). Meanwhile, other elements were removed or replaced; for example, Simon the Leper / Simon the Pharisee was replaced by Lazarus as the host of the feast in Jesus' honour, and Bethany in Judea was chosen as the setting, while most elements of John's narrative correspond to traditions that the Synoptics set in Galilee. Scholars pay particular attention to verse John 11:2 (and verse John 11:1), which may represent an effort by
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3424-443: The "Father" title is generally a metaphor , referring to the role as Life-giver and Law-giver, and is one of many titles by which Jews speak of and to God. The Jewish concept of God is that God is non-corporeal, transcendent and immanent, the ultimate source of love, and a metaphorical "Father". The Aramaic term for father ( Hebrew : אבא , abba ) appears in traditional Jewish liturgy and Jewish prayers to God (e.g. in
3531-627: The 14th century the illustrated Naples Bible had a depiction of God the Father in the Burning bush . By the 15th century, the Rohan Book of Hours included depictions of God the Father in human form or anthropomorphic imagery. Though the depiction remains rare and often controversial in Eastern Orthodox art, by the time of the Renaissance artistic representations of God the Father were freely used in
3638-457: The 6th century, and was replaced by a larger church. This church survived intact until the Crusader era. In 1143 the existing structure and lands were purchased by King Fulk and Queen Melisende of Jerusalem and a large Benedictine convent dedicated to Mary and Martha was built near the tomb of Lazarus. After the fall of Jerusalem in 1187, the convent was deserted and fell into ruin with only
3745-571: The Afterlife , the raising of Lazarus is noted among the Bible's "explicit accounts of persons raised from the dead", and comments on those raisings that, "in God's perfect revelatory wisdom, He has not given us any report of their individual experience in the afterlife". John Calvin notes that, "not only did Christ give a remarkable proof of his Divine power in raising Lazarus, but he likewise placed before our eyes
3852-650: The Farewell Discourse are John 14:20 as Jesus addresses the disciples: "I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you" and in John 17:22 as he prays to the Father: "I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one." A number of Christian groups and communities reject the doctrine of a co-equal Trinity, and generally teach that God the Father is supreme, but nontrinitarian Christian groups differ somewhat from one another in their views regarding God
3959-704: The Father God the Father is a title given to God in Christianity . In mainstream trinitarian Christianity , God the Father is regarded as the first Person of the Trinity , followed by the second person, Jesus Christ the Son , and the third person, God the Holy Spirit . Since the second century, Christian creeds included affirmation of belief in "God the Father ( Almighty )", primarily in his capacity as "Father and creator of
4066-770: The Father and Christ the Son. In Mormonism , including its largest denomination the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), the most prominent conception of "the Godhead" is as a divine council of three distinct beings: the Father (who is also referred to as Elohim ), the Son Jesus (who is identified with Jehovah of the Old Testament), and the Holy Spirit . The Father and Son are considered to have perfected, physical bodies, while
4173-514: The Father and Creator of the universe". Around AD 213 in Adversus Praxeas ( chapter 3 ) Tertullian is believed to have provided a formal representation of the concept of the Trinity , i.e. that God exists as one "substance" but three 'Persons': The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and with God the Father being the Head. Tertullian also discussed how the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and
4280-544: The Father highlights the importance of the distinct yet unified natures of Jesus and the Father, building to the unity of Father and Son in the Trinity. The paternal view of God as the Father extends beyond Jesus to his disciples, and the entire Church, as reflected in the petitions Jesus submitted to the Father for his followers at the end of the Farewell Discourse , the night before his crucifixion . Instances of this in
4387-512: The Father in early Christianity was based on two key ideas: first the shared identity of the Yahweh of the Old Testament and the God of Jesus in the New Testament , and then the self-distinction and yet the unity between Jesus and his Father. An example of the unity of Son and Father is Matthew 11:27 : "No one knows the Son except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son", asserting
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4494-409: The Father is greater than the Son in all things, and that the Holy Spirit is not equal to the Father, and is not an actual person, but is God's "power" or "character" in action. They refer to God the Father as " Yahweh ". The Yahweh Assemblies and other Sacred Name groups generally teach that Christ the Son was God's first and prime creation, and was used to create everything else. They believe that
4601-443: The Father is not pantheistic in that he is not viewed as identical to the universe or a vague notion that persists in it, but exists fully outside of creation, as its creator. He is viewed as a loving and caring God, a Heavenly Father who is active both in the world and in people's lives. He created all things visible and invisible in love and wisdom, and created man for his own sake. The emergence of Trinitarian theology of God
4708-476: The Father is not a separate God from God the Son (of whom Jesus is the incarnation ) and the Holy Spirit , the other hypostases of the Christian Godhead . In Eastern Orthodox theology , God the Father is the arche or principium ("beginning"), the "source" or "origin" of both the Son and the Holy Spirit, and is considered the eternal source of the Godhead. The Father is the one who eternally begets
4815-547: The Father". Although the term "Father" implies masculine characteristics , God is usually defined as having the form of a spirit without any human biological gender, e.g. the Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 239 specifically states that " God is neither man nor woman: he is God ". Although God is never directly addressed as "Mother", at times motherly attributes may be interpreted in Old Testament references such as
4922-574: The Four-Days Dead . The Eastern Orthodox and Catholic traditions offer varying accounts of the later events of his life. In the context of the seven signs in the Gospel of John , the raising of Lazarus at Bethany – today the town of Al-Eizariya in the West Bank , which translates to "the place of Lazarus" – is the climactic narrative: exemplifying the power of Jesus "over the last and most irresistible enemy of humanity: death . For this reason, it
5029-578: The Holy Spirit has a body of spirit. LDS Church members believe God the Father presides over both the Son and Holy Spirit, where God the Father is greater than both, but they are one in the sense that they have a unity of purpose. Most denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement also believe God (often referred to as Heavenly Father) has at least one spouse referred to as Heavenly Mother , and together they are called Heavenly Parents . The Assemblies of Yahweh are nontrinitarian , believing that
5136-571: The Jewish teachings on the uniqueness of God, yet also states the role of Jesus as an agent in creation. Over time, the Christian doctrine began to fully diverge from Judaism through the teachings of the Church Fathers in the second century and by the fourth century belief in the Trinity was formalized. According to Mary Rose D'Angelo and James Barr, the Aramaic term Abba was in the early times of
5243-569: The Logos had an essential role in creation and redemption, and is the Messiah, they believe that only the Father is without beginning. They say that the Son was the Father's only direct creation, before all ages. While both Persons are highly honored, taught, and preached, in their interpretations of John 17:3 and John 14:28 , God the Father is emphasized in Jehovah's Witness meetings and services more than Christ
5350-456: The Logos is God's Only-begotten Son, and that the Holy Spirit is God's active force (projected energy). They believe that the Father and the Son are united in divine purpose, administration, legislation , and man's salvation , but are not one being and are not equal in power. While the Witnesses acknowledge Jesus’ pre-existence, perfection, and unique "Sonship" from God the Father, and believe that
5457-547: The Messiah, whom they call " Yahshua " or " Yeshua " or " Yehoshua ", died for man's sins, and is to be honored as the Anointed Lord, but that God the Father (Yahweh) is the True God that all "true worshippers" ultimately serve and worship. They teach that the Father is the only eternal one. In Jehovah's Witness theology, only God the Father ( Jehovah ) is the one true almighty God, even over his Son Jesus Christ. They teach that
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#17328696699865564-473: The New Testament neither markedly a term of endearment , nor a formal word; but the word normally used by sons and daughters, throughout their lives, in the family context. According to Marianne Thompson , in the Old Testament , God is called "Father" with a unique sense of familiarity. In addition to the sense in which God is "Father" to all men because he created the world (and in that sense "fathered"
5671-493: The New Testament, would have drawn widespread attention to Lazarus during his lifetime and might have made him less afraid than others that did not have his experience when Lazarus approached death for a second time. Exegesis in the Interpreter's Bible (1953) comparing the raising of Lazarus to other resurrections in the Bible comments that, "The difference between revival immediately after death, and resurrection after four days,
5778-409: The Secret Mark version represents an earlier form of the canonical story found in John. The miracle of the raising of Lazarus is the climax of John's " signs ". It explains the crowds seeking Jesus on Palm Sunday , and leads directly to the decision of Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin to plan to kill Jesus. Theologians Moloney and Harrington view the raising of Lazarus as a "pivotal miracle" which starts
5885-437: The Son, and the Father through the Son eternally breathes the Holy Spirit. As a member of the Trinity, God the Father is one with, co-equal to, co-eternal, and consubstantial with the Son and the Holy Spirit, each Person being the one eternal God and in no way separated: all alike are uncreated and omnipotent. Because of this, the Trinity is beyond reason and can only be known by revelation. The Trinitarian concept of God
5992-453: The Son, as they teach that the Father is greater than the Son. Oneness Pentecostalism teaches that God is a singular spirit who is one person, not three divine persons, individuals or minds. God the Father is the title of the supreme creator. The titles of the Son and Holy Spirit are merely titles reflecting the different personal manifestations of the One True God the Father in the universe. Although similarities exist among religions,
6099-500: The Son. While the expression "from the Father through the Son" is also found among them. The Nicene Creed , which dates to 325, states that the Son (Jesus Christ) is "born of the Father before all ages", indicating that their divine Father-Son relationship is seen as not tied to an event within time or human history. To Trinitarian Christians (which include Roman Catholics , Eastern Orthodox , Oriental Orthodox , Anglicans , and most but not all Protestant denominations ), God
6206-458: The altar, during renovation works in the church of Church of St. Lazarus at Larnaka, and were identified as part of the saint's relics. In June 2012 the Church of Cyprus gave a part of the holy relics of Saint Lazarus to a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church, led by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia , after a four-day visit to Cyprus. The relics were brought to Moscow and were given to Archbishop Arseniy of Istra, who took them to
6313-412: The ascension of our Lord, they sold all these things. The 15th-century poet Georges Chastellain draws on the tradition of the unsmiling Lazarus: "He whom God raised, doing him such grace, the thief, Mary's brother, thereafter had naught but misery and painful thoughts, fearing what he should have to pass". ( Le pas de la mort , VI). Lazarus is honored as a saint by those Christian churches which keep
6420-410: The author or a later redactor to stress a connection between these stories that is, however, not found in the older canonical gospels. They further note that the actual anointing will not be narrated until verse 12:3, and that neither Mary, nor Martha, nor the village of these sisters, nor any anointing is mentioned in the Gospel of John before this point, suggesting that the author (or redactor) assumes
6527-409: The benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." He then calls Lazarus to come out ("Lazarus, come forth!") and Lazarus does so, still wrapped in his grave-cloths. Jesus then calls for someone to remove the grave-cloths, and let him go. The narrative ends with the statement that many of the witnesses to this event "believed in him". Others are said to report the events to
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#17328696699866634-471: The body of Father would be represented, usually the hand, or sometimes the face, but rarely the whole person, and in many images, the figure of the Son supplants the Father, so a smaller portion of the person of the Father is depicted. In the early medieval period God was often represented by Christ as the Logos , which continued to be very common even after the separate figure of God the Father appeared. Western art eventually required some way to illustrate
6741-440: The celebration of San Lázaro on 17 December is a major festival. The date is celebrated with a pilgrimage to a chapel housing an image of Saint Lazarus, one of Cuba's most sacred icons, in the village of El Rincon, outside Havana . Lazarus is commemorated in the Calendars of some Anglican provinces. Lazarus is remembered (with Martha and Mary ) under the title "Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, Companions of Our Lord", on 29 July in
6848-404: The chain of events that leads to the Crucifixion of Jesus . They consider it as a "resurrection that will lead to death", in that the raising of Lazarus will lead to the death of Jesus, the Son of God , in Jerusalem which will reveal the Glory of God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that the miracle performed by Jesus returned Lazarus to ordinary earthly life as with the son of
6955-413: The church under the Holy of Holies. In the 16th century, a Russian monk from the Monastery of Pskov visited Lazarus's tomb in Larnaca and took with him a small piece of the relics. Perhaps that piece led to the erection of the St. Lazarus chapel at the Pskov Monastery ( Spaso-Eleazar Monastery, Pskov ), where it is kept today. In November 1972, human remains in a marble sarcophagus were discovered under
7062-399: The collective memory of the Christ-movement.' The author did not strive to give a historically accurate account of what had happened, but instead, for theological purposes, combined various existing narratives in order to construct Lazarus, Mary and Martha of Bethany as a prototypical Christian family, whose example is to be followed by Christians. Zangenberg (2023), however, doubts that John 11
7169-425: The commemoration of saints, although on different days, according to local traditions. In Christian funerals the idea of the deceased being raised by the Lord as Lazarus was raised is often expressed in prayer. The Eastern Orthodox Church and Byzantine Catholic Church commemorate Lazarus on Lazarus Saturday , the day before Palm Sunday , which is a moveable feast day. This day, together with Palm Sunday, hold
7276-498: The common language and the shared concepts about God and his title Father among the Abrahamic religions is quite limited, and each religion has very specific belief structures and religious nomenclature with respect to the subject. While a religious teacher in one faith may be able to explain the concepts to his own audience with ease, significant barriers remain in communicating those concepts across religious boundaries. Greco-Roman pagans believed in an original triad . Over time,
7383-645: The creator as "He" and "Father". This is because the Granth is written in north Indian Indo-Aryan languages (mixture of Punjabi and dialects of Hindi) which have no neutral gender. Since the Granth says that the God is indescribable, God has no gender according to Sikhism. God in the Sikh scriptures has been referred to by several names, picked from Indian and Semitic traditions. He is called in terms of human relations as father, mother, brother, relation, friend, lover, beloved, husband. Other names, expressive of his supremacy, are thakur , prabhu , svami , sah , patsah , sahib , sain (Lord, Master). For about
7490-438: The creed. Since the second century, creeds in the Western Church have included affirmation of belief in "God the Father (Almighty)", the primary reference being to "God in his capacity as Father and creator of the universe". This did not exclude either the fact the "eternal father of the universe was also the Father of Jesus the Christ" or that he had even "vouchsafed to adopt [the believer] as his son by grace". Creeds in
7597-428: The eternal relationship of Father and Son, through Jesus Christ. Christians call themselves adopted children of God: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!” So you are no longer
7704-482: The faith of His disciples, and more especially of His apostles, might be strengthened, and 'that they might believe' and not doubt when they saw their Lord and Master in the hour of His abasement; and most of all to enable them to hope, when they saw His Body laid in the sepulchre, that He who had raised up Lazarus would Himself rise again." In Roger Baxter 's Meditations , he reflects on the verse "His sisters therefore sent to Him saying, Lord, behold he whom Thou lovest
7811-646: The inhabitants of Marseille claim to be in possession of his head which they still venerate. Pilgrims also visit another purported tomb of Lazarus at the Vézelay Abbey in Burgundy . The Abbey of the Trinity at Vendôme was said to hold a tear shed by Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus. The Golden Legend , compiled in the 13th century, records the Provençal tradition. It also records a grand lifestyle imagined for Lazarus and his sisters (note that therein Lazarus' sister Mary
7918-462: The inscription "Lazarus the friend of Christ" . Emperor Leo VI of Byzantium had Lazarus' remains transferred to Constantinople in 898. The transfer was apostrophized by Arethas, bishop of Caesarea , and is commemorated by the Eastern Orthodox Church each year on 17 October . In recompense to Larnaca, Emperor Leo had the Church of St. Lazarus , which still exists today, erected over Lazarus' tomb. The marble sarcophagus can be seen inside
8025-419: The king, as the teacher and helper over the judge of Israel. According to Alon Goshen-Gottstein, in the Old Testament "Father" is generally a metaphor ; it is not a proper name for God but rather one of many titles by which Jews speak of and to God. According to Mark Sameth, references to God the Father convulsing in labor, giving birth, and suckling (Deuteronomy 32:13, 18) hint to a priestly belief, noted in
8132-418: The miracle of the raising of Lazarus, which seems as if it could have been a demonstration of the miraculous powers of Jesus. The Synoptic Gospels do include passages concerning the activities of the sisters of Lazarus but fail to mention their brother's resurrection. Spooner wrote that this seemed to indicate that the author of the Gospel of John, "was actually dishonest, or that he took up, believed and recorded
8239-520: The mutual knowledge of Father and Son. The concept of fatherhood of God does appear in the Old Testament, but is not a major theme. While the view of God as the Father is used in the Old Testament, it only became a focus in the New Testament, as Jesus frequently referred to it. This is manifested in the Lord's Prayer which combines the earthly needs of daily bread with the reciprocal concept of forgiveness. And Jesus' emphasis on his special relationship with
8346-547: The names and gods of the triad were changed—except for Jupiter , which means "Father Jove" and comes from Proto-Italic Djous Patēr , from Djous (“day, sky”) + Patēr (“father”), from Proto-Indo-European Dyḗws (literally “the bright one”), root nomen agentis from Dyew - (“to be bright, day sky”), and Ph₂tḗr (“father”). A syncretic sect created by Hong Xiuquan , founder of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom , that mixed Protestantism and Chinese folk religion ,
8453-812: The objective of this sect was to overthrow the Manchus and restore power to the Han . God consisted of a triad made up of Shangdi (the Supreme Emperor in ancient Chinese worship), Christ as the eldest son and Hong as the youngest son. In Hinduism , Bhagavan Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita , chapter 9, verse 17, stated: "I am the Father of this world, the Mother, the Dispenser and the Grandfather", one commentator adding: "God being
8560-462: The pain of this separation." Matthew Poole and others saw Lazarus' ability to move despite having his hands and feet wrapped together as a second miracle, but Charles Ellicott disputed that Lazarus' movement would have been restricted by his burial garments. Justus Knecht wrote that the object of this miracle related to the fact that, "the time of our Lord's Passion and Death was at hand, and He wrought this mighty miracle beforehand in order that
8667-530: The presence of a crowd of Jewish mourners, Jesus comes to the tomb. Jesus asks for the stone of the tomb to be removed, but Martha interjects that there will be a smell. Jesus responds, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" Over the objections of Martha, Jesus has them roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb and says a prayer. They take the stone away then Jesus looks up and says: " Father , I thank you that you have heard me. I know that you always hear me, but I said this for
8774-606: The presence of the Father, so through successive representations a set of artistic styles for the depiction of the Father in human form gradually emerged around the tenth century AD. By the twelfth century depictions of a figure of God the Father, essentially based on the Ancient of Days in the Book of Daniel had started to appear in French manuscripts and in stained glass church windows in England. In
8881-408: The present one, but there is every reason to believe that it was in this general location." While there is no further mention of Lazarus in the Bible, the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions offer varying accounts of the later events of his life. He is most commonly associated with Cyprus , where he is said to have become the first bishop of Kition (Larnaka), and Provence , where he
8988-599: The raising of Lazarus, the longest coherent narrative in John aside from the Passion , is the culmination of John's "signs". It explains the crowds seeking Jesus on Palm Sunday , and leads directly to the decision of Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus. A resurrection story that is very similar is also found in the controversial Secret Gospel of Mark , although the young man is not named there specifically. Some scholars believe that
9095-431: The readers already have knowledge of these characters, this location and this event, and wants to tell them that these were connected (which he apparently knew the readers did not commonly know/believe yet) long before giving the readers more details. Elser and Piper (2006) posited that verse 11:2 is evidence that the author of the Gospel of John deliberately mixed up several traditions in an 'audacious attempt (...) to rework
9202-587: The religious authorities in Jerusalem. The Gospel of John mentions Lazarus again in chapter 12. Six days before the Passover on which Jesus is crucified , Jesus returns to Bethany and Lazarus attends a supper that Martha, his sister, serves. Jesus and Lazarus together attract the attention of many Jews and the narrator states that the chief priests consider having Lazarus put to death because so many people are believing in Jesus on account of this miracle. The miracle of
9309-415: The same events was written much later and could name the anonymous characters and could also include the raising of Lazarus because all of the individuals had died, and were no longer subject to persecution. The reputed first tomb of Lazarus is in Bethany and continues to be a place of pilgrimage to this day. Several Christian churches have existed at the site over the centuries. Since the 16th century,
9416-495: The same name is also mentioned in the Gospel of Luke in Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus , in which both eponymous characters die, and the former begs for the latter to comfort him from his torments in hell. The raising of Lazarus is a story of the miracle of Jesus recounted in the Gospel of John ( John 11 :1–44) in the New Testament , as well as in the Secret Gospel of Mark (a fragment of an extended version of
9523-518: The sinful woman's feet-anointing (and hair-wiping) of Jesus in Galilee ( Luke 7 ; these first two may have a common origin, the Lukan account likely being derived from Mark), Jesus' visit to Martha and Mary in the unnamed Galilean village ( Luke 10 ), Jesus' parable of the rich man and Lazarus ( Luke 16 ), and possibly others involving Jesus' miraculous raising of the dead (the raising of Jairus' daughter and
9630-480: The site of the tomb has been occupied by the al-Uzair Mosque. The adjacent Roman Catholic Church of Saint Lazarus, designed by Antonio Barluzzi and built between 1952 and 1955 under the auspices of the Franciscan Order , stands upon the site of several much older ones. In 1965, a Greek Orthodox church was built just west of the tomb. The entrance to the tomb today is via a flight of uneven rock-cut steps from
9737-519: The sixteenth and nineteenth centuries by Guillaume Postel and Michelangelo Lanci respectively, that “God the Father” is a dual-gendered deity. In Christianity fatherhood is taken in a more literal and substantive sense, and is explicit about the need for the Son as a means of accessing the Father, making for a more metaphysical rather than metaphorical interpretation. There is a deep sense in which Christians believe that they are made participants in
9844-619: The source of the universe and the beings in it, He is held as the Father, the Mother and the Grandfather". A genderless Brahman is also considered the creator and Life-giver, and the Shakta goddess is viewed as the divine mother and life-bearer. Unlike in Judaism, the term "father" is not formally applied to God by Muslims, and the Christian notion of the Trinity is rejected in Islam. Even though traditional Islamic teaching does not formally prohibit using
9951-539: The southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives, not far from the accepted site of Bethphage, and near that of the Ascension. It is quite certain that the present village formed about the traditional tomb of Lazarus, which is in a cave in the village. The identification of this cave as the tomb of Lazarus is merely possible; it has no strong intrinsic or extrinsic authority. The site of the ancient village may not precisely coincide with
10058-409: The street. As it was described in 1896, there were twenty-four steps from the then-modern street level, leading to a square chamber serving as a place of prayer, from which more steps led to a lower chamber believed to be the tomb of Lazarus. The same description applies today. The first mention of a church at Bethany is in the late 4th century, but both the historian Eusebius of Caesarea (c. 330) and
10165-523: The subsequent feet- anointing of Jesus by Mary of Bethany (John 11:1–12:11,17) was composed by seeking to explain its apparent relationships with the older textual traditions of the Synoptic Gospels ( Mark , Matthew , and Luke ). The author of John may have combined elements from several – apparently originally unrelated – stories into a single narrative. These include the unnamed woman's head-anointing of Jesus in Bethany ( Mark 14 , Matthew 26 ),
10272-477: The term "Father" in reference to God, it does not propagate or encourage it. There are some narratives of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in which he compares the mercy of God toward his worshipers to that of a mother to her infant child. Islamic teaching rejects the Christian father-son relationship of God and Jesus , and states that Jesus is a prophet of God, not the Son of God. Islamic theology strictly reiterates
10379-411: The title Father (capitalized) signifies God's role as the life-giver, the authority , and powerful protector, often viewed as immense, omnipotent , omniscient , omnipresent with infinite power and charity that goes beyond human understanding. For instance, after completing his monumental work Summa Theologica , Catholic St. Thomas Aquinas concluded that he had not yet begun to understand "God
10486-532: The tomb and barrel vaulting surviving. By 1384, a simple mosque had been built on the site. In the 16th century, the Ottomans built the larger al-Uzair Mosque to serve the town's (now Muslim) inhabitants and named it in honor of the town's patron saint, Lazarus of Bethany. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913, there were scholars who questioned the reputed site of the ancient village (though this
10593-462: The universe". Christians take the concept of God as the father of Jesus Christ metaphysically further than the concept of God as the creator and father of all people, as indicated in the Apostles' Creed where the expression of belief in the "Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth" is immediately, but separately followed by in "Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord", thus expressing both senses of fatherhood. In much of modern Christianity, God
10700-415: The verdict, your holy majesty." Another famous prayer emphasizing this dichotomy is called Avinu Malkeinu , which means "Our Father Our King" in Hebrew. Usually the entire congregation will sing the last verse of this prayer in unison, which says: "Our Father, our King, answer us as though we have no deed to plead our cause, save us with mercy and loving-kindness." The Guru Granth consistently refers to
10807-416: The well-known statement, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die." Martha affirms that she does truly believe and states, "Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who has to come into the world." Later the narrator here gives the famous simple phrase, " Jesus wept ." In
10914-540: The widow of Nain and Jairus' daughter and that Lazarus and the others who were raised from the dead would later die again. The Russian Orthodox Church 's Catechism of St. Philaret writes that among the miracles performed by Jesus was the raising of Lazarus from the dead on the fourth day after Lazarus' death. In the Southern Baptist Convention 's 2014 resolution On the Sufficiency of Scripture Regarding
11021-546: The world), the same God is also uniquely the law-giver to his chosen people . He maintains a special, covenantal father–child relationship with the people, giving them the Shabbat , stewardship of his prophecies , and a unique heritage in the things of God, calling Israel 'my son' because he delivered the descendants of Jacob out of slavery in Egypt according to his covenants and oaths to their fathers, Abraham , Isaac and Jacob . In
11128-485: Was buried there for the second and last time. Further establishing the apostolic nature of Lazarus' appointment was the story that the bishop's omophorion was presented to Lazarus by the Virgin Mary, who had woven it herself. Such apostolic connections were central to the claims to autocephaly made by the bishops of Kition—subject to the patriarch of Jerusalem —during the period 325–431. The church of Kition
11235-577: Was declared self-governing in 431 AD at the Third Ecumenical Council . According to tradition, Lazarus never smiled during the thirty years after his resurrection, worried by the sight of unredeemed souls he had seen during his four-day stay in Hell. The only exception happened when, seeing someone stealing a pot, he smilingly said: "the clay steals the clay." In 890, a tomb was found in Larnaca bearing
11342-405: Was dependent on the other synoptic stories, finding the evidence for this theory insufficient. He also argues that John displays an accurate knowledge of Jewish burial customs at the time, as attested by archaeology and ancient Jewish texts. Earlier commentators include deist Lysander Spooner , who wrote in 1836 that it was unusual that the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) do not mention
11449-466: Was discounted by the Encyclopedia's author): Some believe that the present village of Bethany does not occupy the site of the ancient village; but that it grew up around the traditional cave which they suppose to have been at some distance from the house of Martha and Mary in the village; Zanecchia (La Palestine d'aujourd'hui, 1899, I, 445ff.) places the site of the ancient village of Bethany higher up on
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