Jesus Christ said to Martha: ... “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11: 25 -26). These words spoken by Jesus Christ are quite comforting to the few who understand but, on the other hand, very confusing to most! But that need not be the case if only we are willing to let the Bible reveal the true meaning of these words. What is the meaning of these written words found in the Holy Scripture? 


Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary, had been sick and so they sent word to Jesus, saying that Lazarus was sick (John 11: 2 -3). They had been close friends of the Lord Jesus and had seen Him perform many miracles. But Jesus responded by saying to His disciples: “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby” (John 11: 4). Jesus was saying that Lazarus’s sickness was not simply going to end in the death of Lazarus but that the events that would follow would result in the glory of God and His Son – Jesus Christ. Notice that verse six (John 11: 6) tells us: “When He (Jesus) heard therefore that he (Lazarus) was sick, He (Jesus) abode two more days still in the same place where He was”. Jesus was in no hurry to go to Lazarus! After two days had passed, Jesus said to His disciples: “Let us go into Judaea again” but His disciples began to caution Him about the dangers of going to Judaea because of the Jews who had recently tried to stone Him (John 11: 7 – 8). Jesus then lectured His disciples about the importance of working while He still can, then:  ... “after that He sayeth unto them, our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go that I may awake him out of sleep” (John 11: 11).  Notice that Jesus refers to death as “sleep” and that He would “awake him (Lazarus) out of sleep”. The first death is simply a sleep from which every human being who was ever born will be awaken (1 Cor. 15: 21 – 23). However, His disciples did not understand, so they said to Him: … “Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit, Jesus spoke of his (Lazarus) death: but they thought that He had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless, let us go unto him” (John 11: 12 – 15). 


When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she then runed out to meet Him and said to Jesus: “Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not (would not have) died” (John 11: 21). In verses twenty-three to twenty-six (John 11: 23 – 26): “Jesus said unto her, thy brother shall rise again. Martha said unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at that last day. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me,