Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, "Lord, he whom you love is ill." But when Jesus heard it he said, "This illness is not unto death; it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by means of it." Thus he spoke, and then he said to them, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awake him out of sleep." The disciples said to him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover." Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, "Lazarus is dead; and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. John 11:1–4, 11–16 (RSV)
Lazarus is a Hebrew name, which means "God has helped". He has fallen ill, so ill that his family is trying to find Jesus. They hope that He will come and heal Lazarus as He had done for so many others. Lazarus was no stranger to Jesus. He loved Lazarus and his sisters, and they loved Him.
The disciples thought it strange that Jesus did not rush back to Bethany to lay hands on his friend. He seemed unconcerned, 'this illness is not unto death,' Jesus told them. They spend two more days where they were. The disciples are uneasy about the delay, Martha and Mary frantic that God does not appear to be helping. Where is Jesus? Why hasn't He come, or at least sent word?
The hours at Bethany seem to stand still waiting for Jesus to come. Jesus finally begins His journey to His friend, who is waiting for God to help him. But the steps toward Bethany are going to confront death. Mary and Martha are weeping hot tears for their pain and Jesus' delay.
'I am going to wake our friend from sleep,' Jesus tells His disciples. They make the same conclusion you or I would make, Lazarus is resting, the crisis is past, all will be well. Jesus clears things for them, 'Lazarus is dead.'
Still, Jesus was right in telling the disciples that Lazarus was asleep. Our brothers and sisters in the Orthodox Church speak of death as being asleep in the Lord. They do not say that someone has 'passed away.' They say that they have reposed in Christ, fallen asleep in the Lord.
Where we see death as the end of life and hope, the Orthodox see nothing more fearful than lying down to sleep. In our Lord Jesus, death has no more hold on us than does our bed. As the sun rising in the East signals the start of a new day, so will our Lord calling our name on the last day. We shall arise from our graves as we would from our bed, only this awakening will be the last we will ever know.
Martha and Mary will come to know that God indeed will help Lazarus. Lazarus is awakened from his sleep, and we still marvel at what the Father does through His Son.