[12] An objection to the historicity of the raising of Lazarus which is
made on the ground that so great a work, if historical, would have been
related by more than one of the Evangelists, yields on reflection the
possibility that Jesus may have effected more than the three raisings
recorded of him. John is the sole narrator of the raising of Lazarus.
But he omits notice of the two raisings recorded by the other
Evangelists, while Matthew and Mark do not record the raising of the
widow's son recorded by Luke. All this suggests that the record may have
preserved for us specimens rather than a complete list of this class of
miracles. (Compare John xxi. 25.)
[13] "We have frequent cases of trance, ... where the parties seem to
die, but after a time the spirit returns, and life goes on as before. In
all this there is no miracle. Why may not the resuscitations in Christ's
time possibly have been similar cases? Is not this less improbable than
that the natural order of the universe should have been set
aside?"--_The Problem of Final Destiny_, by William B. Brown, D.D.,
1899.
[14] On account of the ceremonial "uncleanness" caused by the dead body.
See Numbers v. 2, and many similar passages.
[15] _Buried Alive_ (Universal Truth Publishing Co., Chicago). See also
_Premature Burial_, by D. Walsh (William Wood & Co., New York), and
_Premature Burial_, by W. Tebb and E. P. Vollum (New Amsterdam Book Co.,
New York).
[16] Other writers might be mentioned, as Mme. Necker (1790), Dr. Vigne
(1841). Yet on the other hand it is alleged, that "none of the numerous
stories of this dreadful accident which have obtained credence from time
to time seem to be authentic" (_American Cyclopedia_, art. "Burial").
Allowing a wide margin for exaggeration and credulity, there is
certainly a residuum of fact. A correspondent of the (London)
_Spectator_ a few years since testified to a distressing case in his own
family.
[17] Kings xvii. 17-23.
[18] Kings iv. 32-36.
[19] Mark v. 35-43.
[20] Luke vii. 12-16.
[21] John xi. 11-44.
[22] Was Jesus aware that Lazarus was really not dead? It is impossible
to reach a positive conclusion. In some directions his knowledge was
certainly limited. That he was not aware of the reality might be
inferred from his seeming to have allowed his act to pass for what, in
the view of it here suggested, it was not,--the recall to life of one
actually dead. This, however, assumes the completeness of a record whose
silence on this point cannot be pressed as conclusive. It is, indeed,
unlikely that Jesus knew all that medical men now know. But awareness of
any fact may be in varying degrees from serious suspicion up to positive
certitude. While far from positiveness, awareness may exist in a degree
that gives courage for resolute effort resulting in clear and full
verification. Jesus may have been ignorant of the objective reality of
Lazarus's condition, and yet have been very hopeful of being empowered
by the divine aid he prayed for (John xi. 41) to cope with it
successfully.
[23] See pages 28, 29, Note.
[24] Jesus' works of healing are explicitly attributed by the
Evangelists to a peculiar power that issued from him. In Mark v. 30,
Luke vi. 19, and viii. 46, the original word _dunamis_, which the
Authorized Version translates "virtue," is more correctly rendered
"power" in the Revised Version. Especially noticeable is the peculiar
phraseology of Mark v. 30: "Jesus perceiving in himself that the power
proceeding from him had gone forth (R. V.)." The peculiar circumstances
of the case suggest that the going forth of this power might be motived
sub-consciously, as well as by conscious volition.
[25] Acts ix. 36-42.
[26] Acts xx. 9-13.