117.John 12:9-11-The Testimony of Lazarus
The Testimony of Lazarus
(John 12:9–11)
9 A large crowd of the Jews learned that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.
10 But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also,
11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
A Testimony by Life
Scripture records not a single word spoken by Lazarus. We do not know how he described death, what he felt, or how he explained what happened to him. Yet his testimony was so powerful that many believed — and the chief priests decided to kill him.
He became known not through sermons, but through result. Through him people saw not a man’s experience, but God’s action.
“Lazarus was one of those reclining with Him”
The meal setting of that time was a triclinium: a low table surrounded by couches. A person lay almost horizontally, resting on the left elbow and eating with the right hand. This was not a crowd of listeners — it was a circle of close fellowship.
Space was limited, so only honored participants reclined there. And Lazarus was among them — next to Jesus.
He did not merely experience a miracle — he continued living in fellowship with Christ.
Why They Wanted to Kill Him
The chief priests could not deny the resurrection. They could only remove the evidence.
They would hardly want to kill someone spiritually dead. But life was visible in Lazarus — so evident that it strengthened the miracle and pointed to Christ.
The Center Is Christ, Not Lazarus
People came to look at Lazarus — but believed in Jesus.
The Gospel does not focus on Lazarus’ feelings, because the center of the story is not a human experience but the person of Christ. Lazarus became a signpost, not the object of faith.
A Principle for Us
If God has spiritually raised a person, they should not live a dead life. Living in Christ itself becomes a testimony.
What matters is not the method we use, but the reality of our connection with Christ.
Conclusion
A strong testimony is when people notice not us, but Christ through us.