by VM44 85 Replies latest watchtower bible
Why is it that the story of the resurrection of Lazarus of Bethany only is mentioned in the book of John and not in the other three gospel accounts of the life of Jesus?
The resurrection of Lazarus was a major event in the life of Jesus, but three writers failed to mention it, why?
My guess, the Jewish religious leaders had been seeking Lazarus and Jesus to kill them when this happened. Lazarus was probably still alive when the other 3 accounts were written. Perhaps he was in a "witness protection program." By the time John wrote about it, Lazarus may have already died (again).
The writers of the gospels all have different audiences and different points they are trying to make. Matthew was geared towards the Jews and wanted to show Jesus as the messiah. John's goal was to show the divinity of Jesus. My guess is that John included the story of Lazarus rising from the dead because it showed Jesus' divinity.
Historically, the gospels were written a few hundred years the life of Jesus on Earth. So I don't think it was that Lazarus was still alive.
Here is the the things about Lazarus's resurrection, it is NOT mentioned anywhere but in John's Gospel, yet in it John gives details that one would omit if doing a parable or even if trying to "Fake" soemthing.
John mentions names, Lazarus, Mary and Martha, mentions WHERE they live, in detail ( Bethany) mentions the many people that were there and mentions how the jewish leaders od the time contemplated killing Lazarus.
Now, even if Mary, Martha and Lazarus were dead by the time of the writing/putting together of the GOJ, there is no reason to believe that their town was gone, which means that a story like this would have been quickly refuted by those living there.
Jesus raised more than Lazurus, but the significance was how long Lazarus was dead and that it was done publicily.
Why the other Gospels don't mention it is a good question but one that we don't have an answer for, though we may speculate.
So I take it Zanna neither was John....kind of a pointless original question then.
I think the Gospel of Matthew is the only gospel that mentiond at Jesus death all the tombs opend and the dead saints came alive and went into Jerusalem.
To me this must have been some event.Why were the other gospels silent to this -
Acolytes
I think the Gospel of Matthew is the only gospel that mentiond at Jesus death all the tombs opend and the dead saints came alive and went into Jerusalem.
To me this must have been some event.Why were the other gospels silent to this -
A fair question and one that needs us to remember that the Gospels were basd and written off Oral tradtions and of written works that were put togehter to make a book.
Mark's is incomplete, Matthew's was targeted at a specific audience, Luke's was a collection of all the traditions he knew and John's was more of a euology that included what they others didn't, then it was a "biography".
That said, it's hard to know why some Gospels had certain things an omitted others, why some went into greater detail about an event then others.
We can chalk it up to author style at times but there is probably more to it than that.
Maybe Matthew included that part because he wanted to make a statement about Jesus's death that a very jewish crowd would understand or maybe Matthew SAW this and Peter, who told Mark, didn't.
Remember, after Jesus ascended the apostles went their own ways to preach, only Peter and John Stayed in Jerusalem, then were joined by James, and Peter only stayed there for a bit and then we went to "Babylon" (probably Rome).
Each one told their story according to what they knew, saw and felt.
WHich event?
The dead saints and the tombs opning as recorded in Matthew.
