Bible notes

As Lent nears its close, these readings remind Christians that God's people can live a kind of 'half-life', and that we need waking up. What God in Christ offers is far more satisfying than our deepest imaginings.

The Gospel: John 11.1-45

The raising of Lazarus is the last of a series of 'signs' performed by Jesus during his earthly ministry ('signs' being John's term for the miracles). In telling the story, John is not primarily interested in the fate of Lazarus, who would have to die again. Rather, his raising is a sign of that deeper, more satisfying life that Jesus comes to bring.

This is another Johannine 'drama', made up of several scenes and highlighting the response of different characters. The disciples, Mary, Martha and the Jews all respond in different ways. The story raises a number of issues:

• Jesus the omniscient Lord may seem a somewhat heartless friend in delaying his visit to Bethany. But he knows what is to happen, and uses the event to point to the eternal life which is found in him.
• The faith of Martha and Mary seems more satisfying than that of the male disciples.
• Jesus' tears are ambiguous. Does he cry, as the Jews suggest, because of his love for Lazarus, or is he grieving at the power of the enemy death, or the unbelief of those around?
• The fact that Lazarus has been in the tomb for four days accentuates the miracle. He is well and truly dead, beyond the stage when the spirit might linger near the body. As Martha says, 'already there is a stench'.
• Though Lazarus' raising points to Jesus' resurrection, it is only a sign, and falls far short of it (whereas Jesus will leave his grave clothes behind in the tomb, Lazarus is still bound by his).

The Old Testament: Ezekiel 37.1-14

Ezekiel writes while Judah is in exile in Babylonia. This description of his rather nightmarish vision is one of a number of visions of return from exile and restoration. God will do what his people cannot do, indeed do not deserve.

Ezekiel is taken by the hand of the Lord to what looks like a battlefield in a valley. For a Jew, this scene is doubly shocking – the bodies have not received the dignity of burial, and the prophet risks ritual impurity by coming into contact with them. But God can bring life out of this hopeless mess caused by humanity.

• This passage reminds us how, throughout Scripture, God's people hear God's voice through visions and dreams as well as through prophets and priests.
• All is God's initiative – the bones can do nothing of themselves except lie lifeless.
• Ezekiel's reply to the question 'Can these bones live?' is nicely ambiguous: 'O Lord God, you know.'
• Although later Jewish and Christian interpretation sees echoes of the resurrection, Ezekiel is focused on the 'raising up' of God's exiled people. It is equally a message of hope and challenge for the Church, in constant need of renewal and repentance.
• The focus on the people in exile is a reminder that God's people are on the move, and cannot settle down wherever they are: God's promise remains that 'I will place you on your own soil'.

The Epistle: Romans 8.6-11

Paul is convinced that the death and resurrection of Jesus have changed human life forever. In Christ, we die to the old way of life, and join a new people. In the Spirit, we are able to live as God intended us to live. Romans 8 broadens the vision beyond the Church and even humanity – God has a plan that includes the whole of creation.

But Paul's own shortcomings, and his pastoral experience, give him a strong dose of realism. He knows that most of us prefer to live lives closed in on ourselves. But there is another way:

• When he talks of 'flesh' and 'spirit', Paul doesn't mean two parts which make up the human person, but two ways of being human.
• One can either live a life closed in on self and therefore hostile to God ('life in the flesh'), or focused on God and open to others ('life in the Spirit').
• Life in the Spirit as a deeper quality of life can be experienced now, though we are still awaiting its fulfilment.
• We cannot live this new life by our own efforts. Only the Spirit of God, by whom Jesus was raised, can make this possible.

Psalm 130