Jesus’ prayer precedes God’s power in the raising of Lazarus. John 11: 41 So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank you for hearing me. 42 You always hear me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” 43 Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 And the dead man came out.[1]
Jesus’ prayer is not a plea for a miracle, but rather a thanksgiving for the Father’s hearing of prayer. Jesus began the prayer by calling on the “Father.” This title demonstrates the special relationship between Jesus and the Godhead. It seems the decision to raise Lazarus had already been made, and Jesus now thanked the Father for hearing the previous prayer.
When Did Jesus Begin Praying?
Jesus probably began praying for Lazarus as soon as He received the message that Lazarus was ill. We might even have a clue about what He was praying. John 11: 39 “Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” [2]
Decomposition of a dead body began quickly in the heat of the Middle East. In normal circumstances, Martha would have been correct. Yet I think Jesus prayed that there would be no decay in Lazarus’s body and that He could summon him back to life. I don’t think there was any smell when the grave was open. The Father had answered Jesus’ prayer, and Jesus thanked Him for it.
Jesus was walking towards His own death. He may have also been praying for the Father’s will for His death on the cross and His own resurrection.
Prayer for Jesus’ Identity to be Made Known
Martha knew the truth of Jesus’ identity. John 11: 27 “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.”[3] But many people only thought Jesus was a human teacher. Interestingly, the only mention of Jesus praying before a miracle is in this story. Jesus Himself explained the reason for the prayer. He wanted the people to believe that the Father had sent Him.
We, too, need to know Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. We must look to Jesus because He is the Resurrection and the Life. As believers, we can be assured that we will live forever with Jesus after our life on earth ends. Jesus gives us this promise. John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.[4] Jesus is also a model of prayer for us. If he needed to pray, we do too. Prayer precedes God’s power in our lives. To learn more, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/podpanel/episode/jesus-said-i-am-the-resurrection-and-the-life
[1-4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.
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