https://www.lds.org/manual/new-testament-seminary-teacher-manual?lang=eng
Lesson 71: John 11
Introduction
Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus
that their brother Lazarus was sick. Jesus delayed His journey and arrived four
days after Lazarus had died. With love and compassion, Jesus raised Lazarus
from the dead. This dramatic display of divine power emphasized that Jesus was
the chosen Messiah and had power over death. After learning of this miracle,
the chief priests and Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus and Lazarus.
I.
John 11:1–46
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead
---Provide each student with a small
piece of paper. Invite students to write on the paper a trial that they or
someone they know has experienced. As students write, inform them that what
they write will be shared anonymously with the class, so they should not write
their names on their papers. Gather the papers, and read aloud some of the
trials. (To avoid the possibility of students being identified with certain
trials, if you have only a few students, ask students to list several trials
that they have seen others experience.)
- What are some ways people’s faith in Jesus Christ may be affected as they experience trials?
---Look for truths as we study John 11 that can help us increase our faith
in Jesus Christ as we experience trials.
---Read John 11:1–3 aloud. Ask the class to follow along,
looking for a trial some friends of Jesus experienced.
- According to verse 1, what trial did Lazarus experience? How might this have also been a trial for Mary and Martha?
- What did Mary and Martha do because of Lazarus’s sickness? What does this response indicate about them?
---Point out that Jesus was in
Bethabara of Perea (see John 1:28; 10:40), which was approximately a day’s journey
from Bethany. Therefore, it would have taken at least one day for a person to
bring this message to Jesus and another day for Jesus to travel to Bethany.
---Read John 11:4–7 aloud. Ask the class to follow along,
looking for the way Jesus responded after hearing of Lazarus’s sickness.
- Knowing that Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, what might the disciples have expected Jesus to do once He heard of Lazarus’s sickness? (Immediately travel to Bethany and heal Lazarus; or perhaps speak and heal him from a distance, as Jesus had done for a nobleman’s son [see John 4:46–53].)
- What did Jesus do instead?
- According to verse 4, what did Jesus say would be accomplished through Lazarus’s sickness?
ind students that Bethany was less
than two miles from Jerusalem in the land of Judea (see John 11:18). Summarize John 11:8–10 by explaining that some of the
disciples advised Jesus not to return to Judea because the Jewish leaders in
that region sought to kill Him (see John 10:31–39 and Joseph
Smith Translation, John 11:16 [in John 11:16, footnote a]). Jesus responded by
indicating that He would use the time remaining in His life to do His work
without faltering.
---Read John 11:11–15 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what Jesus said about Lazarus’s condition.
- What did the disciples mistakenly believe Jesus said about Lazarus’s condition?
- According to verse 15, why was Jesus glad He was not there to heal Lazarus of his sickness? (Invite students to consider marking the statement “to the intent ye may believe” in their scriptures.)
---Point out that the Savior
indicated that what He would do in Bethany would help His disciples increase
their faith in Him.
---In John 11:16 the Apostle Thomas encouraged his
fellow disciples to join him in going with Jesus to Judea even if it meant
dying with Him.
---Read John 11:17 silently, looking for how long Lazarus
had been dead by the time Jesus came to Bethany. Ask students to report what
they find.
---Invite a student to read aloud
the following statement by Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the
Twelve Apostles. Ask the class to listen for the significance of Lazarus having
been dead for four days.
“Decomposition was well under way; death had long since been
established as an absolute certainty. … To the Jews the term of four days had
special significance; it was the popular belief among them that by the fourth
day the spirit had finally and irrevocably departed from the vicinity of the
corpse” (Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 1:533).
- To the Jews, what was the significance of a person being dead for four days?
- If you were Martha or Mary, what might you have been thinking or feeling when Jesus didn’t arrive until Lazarus had been dead for four days?
---Take turns reading aloud from John 11:18–27. Ask the class to look for what
Martha said to Jesus regarding this trial.
Instead of asking students to read, you could show them the
depiction of this conversation between the Savior and Martha in the video “Lazarus Is Raised from the Dead” from The Life
of Jesus Christ Bible Videos [time code 2:02–3:35]. This video is
available on LDS.org.
- Which statements in verses 21–27 indicate that Martha chose to exercise faith in Jesus Christ during this trial? (If you showed the video, you may want to give students one minute to review these verses.)
- Which of Martha’s statements impresses you most? Why?
- What can we learn from Martha’s example about what we can do during trials we experience? (Students may identify a principle such as the following: We can choose to exercise faith in Jesus Christ during our trials.)
---Direct students’ attention to John 11:25–26. Explain that the phrase “never
die” (John 11:26) refers to the second or spiritual
death, or separation from the presence and kingdom of God.
- What truths do we learn from the Savior’s statement to Martha? (Students may identify truths such as the following: Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the Life. If we believe in Jesus Christ, we can obtain eternal life.)
---Take turns reading aloud from John 11:28–36. Ask the class to look for what
Mary said to Jesus and how He responded. You may need to explain that “groan”
in these verses means to grieve or be distressed.
Instead of having students read, you could show the
depiction of these verses in the video “Lazarus Is Raised from the Dead” [time code
3:36–4:50].- How does Mary’s statement in verse 32 reflect her faith in the Savior?
- How did Jesus respond when He saw the weeping of Mary and of those with her?
- Why do you think Jesus wept?
---Read John 11:37 silently, looking for what some people
wondered regarding what Jesus could have done for Lazarus. Ask students to
report what they find.
---Take turns reading aloud from John 11:38–46. Ask the class to look for what the
Savior did next.
Instead of having students read, you could show the
depiction of these verses in the video “Lazarus Is Raised from the Dead” [time code
4:51–7:51].- In verse 40, what did Jesus remind Martha of after she questioned removing the stone covering Lazarus’s grave?
- How was this promise fulfilled? (You may need to explain that Lazarus was not resurrected from the dead and was not immortal; his spirit body was brought back to his physical body, but his physical body was still mortal.)
---Invite a student to read aloud
the following statement by Elder Bruce R. McConkie. Ask the class to
listen for an important purpose the Savior accomplished through raising Lazarus
from the dead.
“He was setting the stage, so as to dramatize for all time,
one of his greatest teachings: That he was the resurrection and the life, that immortality and eternal
life came by him, and that those who believed and obeyed his words should never
die spiritually” (Doctrinal New Testament
Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 1:531).
- How did this miracle foreshadow the Savior’s Resurrection?
- How did this miracle manifest His power to provide immortality and eternal life?
- How can we be blessed by understanding the Savior’s power to provide immortality and eternal life?
---Remind the class that Martha and
Mary initially demonstrated faith in Jesus Christ by sending for Him when
Lazarus was sick and continued to believe and trust in Him even after Lazarus
died. Write the following incomplete statement on the board: If we choose to
exercise faith in Jesus Christ during our trials, then …
- How would you complete this principle based on what we have learned from John 11? (After students respond, complete the statement on the board so that it reads as follows: If we choose to exercise faith in Jesus Christ during our trials, then our faith in Him will be confirmed and deepened.)
---Remind students that some people
wondered if Jesus could have prevented Lazarus from dying (see verse 37), yet Jesus waited to arrive in Bethany
until Lazarus had been dead for four days (see verse 17).
- How might bringing Lazarus back to life after he had been dead for four days have confirmed and deepened Jesus’s disciples’ and Martha’s and Mary’s faith in the Savior? (In raising Lazarus from the dead after four days, Jesus showed that He has power over death in a way that Jews could not deny or misinterpret.)
- When have you chosen to exercise faith in Jesus Christ during a trial and had your faith in Him confirmed or deepened as a result?
---Invite students to write in their
class notebooks or scripture study journals what they will do to help them
choose to exercise faith in Jesus Christ during trials they are experiencing or
may experience.
II.
John 11:47–57
The chief priests and Pharisees counsel together to kill Jesus
---Read John 11:47–48 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for the way the chief priests and Pharisees responded to reports
of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Ask students to report what they find.
---In John 11:49–57 Caiaphas, the high priest, advocated that
Jesus should be killed to prevent their nation’s destruction by the Romans. He
also unwittingly prophesied of the effects the death of Jesus would have on
God’s children. The Jewish leaders determined to put Jesus to death and
commanded that those knowing of His whereabouts should notify them so He could
be taken.
---Conclude by testifying of the
truths discussed in this lesson.
Commentary
and Background Information
John
11:11. “Lazarus sleepeth”
The Savior referred to Lazarus’s
death as a sleep. Sleep is a fitting metaphor for death because all mortals
must sleep, sleep is a temporary condition from which we wake, and after
sleeping the body is renewed. Similarly, all mortals must die, death is a
temporary condition that ends when we are resurrected, and in the Resurrection our bodies are made new.
It is likely that Lazarus had
already died by the time Jesus was informed that Lazarus was sick. It was
approximately one day’s journey from Bethany to where Jesus was in Perea (see John 10:40). By choosing to wait two days before
departing and then traveling for one day, Jesus arrived in Bethany after
Lazarus had been dead for four days.
John
11:43–44. Important purposes accomplished in raising Lazarus from the dead
“The raising of Lazarus from the
dead was one of the most remarkable miracles in history. Before this miracle
occurred, the Savior had brought two individuals back to life: the daughter of
Jairus (see Luke 8:41–42, 49–56) and the son of the widow of
Nain (see Luke 7:11–17). However, the raising of Lazarus
was different from these miracles and had important purposes, as explained by
Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles:
“‘With “our friend Lazarus” it was
different. … Two reasons in particular stand out. (1) As our Lord neared
the climax of his mortal ministry, he was again bearing testimony, in a way
that could not be refuted, of his Messiahship, of his divine Sonship, of the
fact that he was in very deed the literal Son of God; and (2) He was
setting the stage, so as to dramatize for all time, one of his greatest
teachings: That he was the resurrection and the life, that immortality
and eternal life came by him, and that those who believed and obeyed his words
should never die spiritually’ (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols.
[1965–73], 1:530–31)” (New Testament Student Manual [Church Educational System
manual, 2014], 236).
The raising of Lazarus from the dead
was evidence that Jesus was literally the Son of God, a title Jews associated
with the Messiah (see Psalm 2:7; John 11:41–42).
John
11:25. “I am the resurrection, and the life”
When the Savior stated, “I am the
resurrection, and the life,” He made a declaration about His divine identity
and power. By this statement, Jesus taught that resurrection and eternal life
are represented in His person. He is the source of resurrection and eternal
life and the reason that these are possible for Heavenly Father’s children. As
President Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
explained, “the keys of the Resurrection repose securely with our Lord and
Master” (“Life after Life,” Ensign, May 1987, 10).
President Ezra Taft Benson explained
why the power of resurrection resided in the Savior:
“He is the Resurrection and the Life.
(See John 11:25.)
“This power to revive His own life
was possible because Jesus Christ was God—even the Son of God. Because
He had the power to overcome death, all mankind will be resurrected. ‘Because I
live, ye shall live also’ (John 14:19.)” (“Jesus Christ: Our Savior and Redeemer,” Ensign,
Nov. 1983, 7).
Jesus Christ provides life by
enabling spiritual rebirth (see John 3:3–5) and by empowering others to live His
way of life, which is the way to eternal life (see John 14:6). Those who are spiritually reborn and
faithfully follow the Savior receive forgiveness
of their sins, and their hearts are gradually sanctified from sin. If they
continue faithful to the end of their lives, they will come forth in the
“resurrection of life” (John 5:29), meaning they will have eternal life.
All of this is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Supplemental
Teaching Idea
John
11. Jesus Christ is the source of resurrection and eternal life
Consider replacing the teaching idea
used to begin the lesson with the following:
Bring to class some batteries and a
cup of water. Before class, draw a picture of the sun on the board. Direct
students’ attention to the picture of the sun and the items you brought to
class.
- What is each of these items a source of?
Display a picture of Jesus Christ.
Ask students to ponder what He is a source of in their lives. Ask students as
they study John 11 to look for what Jesus taught He is
the source of for all of God’s children.
Later in the lesson, after students
identify the truths such as Jesus Christ is the Resurrection and the Life and if
we believe in Jesus Christ, we can obtain eternal life, remind them of the
items displayed earlier in the lesson. Point out that similar to how we rely on
each of these items to provide some sort of life and power in our lives, we
rely on the Savior as the source of immortality and eternal life.
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extras
Reading
long scripture passages in class
When asking students to read long
scripture passages, consider inviting one student to read one verse and then
asking that student to call on another student to read the following verse.
This activity can continue throughout the lesson. Be careful not to embarrass
those who do not read well or who are very shy. Students who prefer not to read
aloud should not be forced to do so.
Lesson 72: John 12
Introduction
Mary of Bethany, the sister of
Martha and Lazarus, anointed Jesus’s feet as a symbol of His impending burial. The
next day Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and foretold of His
death. Despite Jesus’s miracles, some people did not believe in Him. He taught
of the consequences of believing and of not believing in Him.
I.
John 12:1–19
Mary anoints Jesus’s feet, and Jesus makes His triumphal entry into
Jerusalem
---Invite several students to draw
on the board a depiction of one of the Savior’s miracles recorded in the New
Testament. After each student finishes drawing, invite the class to guess the
miracle depicted. Ask the student who drew it to explain why he or she chose to
depict this miracle.
---Ask students to ponder how
witnessing one of these miracles might influence their belief in the Savior.
Invite them to look as they study John 12 for different ways in which people
may respond to the miracles of the Savior, as well as for truths that can help
us understand these responses.
---John 12:1–9 says that six days before the
Passover, Jesus ate supper with some friends in Bethany. Mary, the sister of
Martha and Lazarus, anointed Jesus’s feet with expensive ointment. Many people
heard that Jesus was in Bethany and came to see Him and Lazarus, whom Jesus had
previously raised from the dead.
---Read John 12:10–11 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what the chief priests wanted to do to Lazarus. You may need
to point out that raising Lazarus had been indisputable evidence that Jesus
Christ had power over death.
- What did the chief priests want to do to Lazarus? Why?
- How do these verses help us understand the wickedness of these chief priests and Pharisees? (You may want to remind students that these Jewish leaders also wanted to kill the Savior [see John 11:47–48, 53].)
---In John 12:12–16 the day after Mary anointed Jesus’s
feet, He made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. (The initial details of the
triumphal entry were taught in Matthew 21:1–11.)
---Read John 12:17–19 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what people who had heard about Jesus raising Lazarus from
the dead did during the Savior’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
- What did these people do during the Savior’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem?
- According to verse 19, how did the Pharisees respond to what was taking place?
II.
John 12:20–36
Jesus foretells His death
---John 12:20–22 says that “certain Greeks” (verse 20)—possibly converts to Judaism—had
come to Jerusalem to observe the Passover and requested to visit with Jesus.
When Jesus learned of their request, He taught about His approaching suffering,
death, and Resurrection. Invite students to read John 12:27–33 silently, looking for what Jesus
taught about His Atonement. You may want to invite students to mark what they
find.
- According to verse 27, what was Jesus willing to do even though His “soul [was] troubled”? (Even though He sensed the weight of His impending suffering, Jesus resolved to move forward in accomplishing His purpose.)
- According to verse 28, what did Jesus pray for? How did Heavenly Father respond? (Explain that “I … will glorify it again” reflects Heavenly Father’s full confidence in His Son that He will complete the Atonement.)
- How do Jesus’s words recorded in verse 32 relate to His Atonement?
---After hearing Jesus’s teachings,
people said that they had learned from the scriptures that the Messiah would
never die, and they asked who the “Son of man” was who would be “lifted up” (John 12:34).
---Read John 12:35–36 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for how Jesus answered their question.
- What did Jesus say in response to the people’s questions? (The Savior referred to Himself as “the light.”)
III.
John 12:37–50
Jesus teaches the consequences of believing in and not believing in Him
---Direct students’ attention to the
drawings on the board depicting some of Jesus’s miracles.
---Invite one student to read John 12:11 aloud and another student to read John 12:37 aloud. Ask the class to follow along,
looking for different ways people responded to the miracles Jesus had
performed.
- How did people respond to Jesus’s miracles?
- What truth can we learn from these different reactions about the relationship between miracles and believing in Jesus Christ? (Students may use different words, but make sure it is clear that miracles alone do not cause us to believe in Jesus Christ.)
- Although miracles alone do not cause us to believe in Jesus Christ, how can they influence our faith in Him?
- Why do you think some people believe in Jesus Christ after seeing or learning of His miracles when others do not?
---John 12:38–41 says that the fact that some people
chose to not believe in Jesus fulfilled prophecies made by the prophet Isaiah
(see Isaiah 6:9–10; 53:1–3). In spite of the Savior’s mighty works,
some people chose to blind their eyes and harden their hearts against Him.
---Read John 12:42–43 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for why some of the Jewish leaders who did believe in Jesus did
not “confess” (verse 42), or openly acknowledge, their
belief.
- Why did some chief rulers not openly acknowledge their belief in Jesus?
- What does it mean to love “the praise of men more than the praise of God”? (verse 43).
- What principle can we learn from these verses? (Help students identify a principle similar to the following principle: Caring more about pleasing others than pleasing God can prevent us from openly acknowledging our belief in Jesus Christ and His gospel.)
---To help students understand this
principle, ask:
- What are some examples of this principle in our day?
- What are appropriate ways to show we believe in Jesus Christ and His gospel?
- What positive consequences can come from showing we believe in Jesus Christ and His gospel?
---To prepare students to identify a
principle taught in John 12:44–46, ask them to think of a time when
they could not see because of physical darkness (for example, a time when they
were inside a dark room or were outside at night). Invite a few students to
describe their experiences, including how they felt, whether they were in any
potential danger, and how having light would have helped them.
---If appropriate, turn off the
lights in the room but still provide some light. Point out that physical
darkness can help us understand what spiritual darkness can be like.
- How is being in physical darkness similar to being in spiritual darkness?
- What dangers can come from living in spiritual darkness?
---Read John 12:44–46 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for how those who believe in Jesus Christ can be blessed.
- According to John 12:46, how can those who believe in Jesus Christ be blessed? (After students respond, turn on the lights in the room if you turned them off earlier. Using students’ words, write the following principle on the board: If we believe in Jesus Christ, we do not have to live in spiritual darkness.)
- How is Jesus Christ a light? How can believing in Him remove spiritual darkness from a person’s life? (See also D&C 50:23–25; 93:36–39.)
---To help students understand how
Jesus Christ dispels spiritual darkness by providing light (or direction and
clarity) in our lives, divide students into groups of two or three. Provide
each group with a copy of the following handout:
Jesus
Christ Dispels Spiritual Darkness by Providing Light
For each of the following topics,
discuss the following questions:
- What might people in spiritual darkness believe about this topic?
- What light do Jesus Christ and His gospel provide about this topic?
Topics:
- The purpose of our physical bodies
- Entertainment and media
- Obtaining peace and happiness
- Marriage and family
- Life after death
© 2015 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
All rights reserved.
---As a class, discuss one of the
topics listed on the handout, using the accompanying questions. Then invite
students to take several minutes to discuss the remaining topics using these
questions. (You may want to replace some of these topics with ones that are
more relevant to your students.)
---After sufficient time, invite a
student from each group to select one of the handout topics and report on the
group’s discussion of this topic. Then ask the class:
- How can the principle we identified in verse 46 help us understand why we might see certain topics and issues differently than other people?
- In what situations has the light provided by Jesus Christ and His gospel helped you?
---Invite a student to read aloud
the following statement by Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Seventy, in which
he testified of blessings that come from choosing to believe in and follow
Jesus Christ:
“Belief
is a choice [see Mosiah 4:9]. …
“When we choose to believe, we understand and see things in
a different way. When we see and live that way, we are happy and joyful in a
way that only the gospel can bring”
(“Choose Goodness and Joy,” New Era, Aug.
2011, 44).
---John 12:47–50 says that Jesus taught that those
who do not believe His words and who reject Him will be judged by the words He
has spoken, which are the words Heavenly Father gave Him to speak.
--Share your testimony of the
blessings you have experienced as a result of choosing to believe in Jesus
Christ and His gospel. Invite students to write in their class notebooks or
scripture study journals how they will apply one of the principles they have
learned. Encourage students to choose to believe in Jesus Christ.
Commentary
and Background Information
John
12:11, 37. How miracles can influence our faith in Jesus
Christ
President Brigham Young taught how
miracles can influence our faith in Jesus Christ:
“Miracles, or these extraordinary
manifestations of the power of God, are not for the unbeliever; they are to
console the Saints, and to strengthen and confirm the faith of those who love,
fear, and serve God, and not for outsiders” (Teachings of Presidents of the
Church: Brigham Young [1997], 254).
John
12:27–34. “For this cause came I unto this hour”
Elder Neal A. Maxwell of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about how the words of the Savior recorded
in John 12:27 reflect His submissiveness as He
approached the Atonement:
“When the unimaginable burden began
to weigh upon Christ, it confirmed His long-held and intellectually clear
understanding as to what He must now do. His working through began, and Jesus
declared: ‘Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from
this hour.’ Then, whether in spiritual soliloquy or by way of instruction to
those about Him, He observed, ‘But for this cause came I unto this hour.’ (John 12:27.)” (“Willing to Submit,” Ensign, May 1985, 72).
John
12:46. Being protected by the light Jesus Christ gives
Elder Robert D. Hales of the
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about the protection made available by the
light Jesus Christ provides:
“We are engaged in a battle between
the forces of light and darkness. …
“The Lord is our light and,
literally, our salvation (see Psalm 27:1). Like the sacred fire that encircled
the children in 3 Nephi (see 3 Nephi 17:24), His light will form a
protective shield between you and the darkness of the adversary as you live
worthy of it. You need that light. We need that light. Carefully study the
scriptures and For the Strength of Youth and listen to the teachings of your
parents and leaders. Then, by obedience to wise counsel, learn to claim the
protective light of the gospel as your own” (“Out of Darkness into His Marvelous Light,”
Ensign, May 2002, 70).
For more about the “light of Christ”
see D&C 88:7–13. In his talk “The Light of Christ” (Ensign or Liahona, Apr.
2005), President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
taught the difference between the Holy
Ghost and the “light of Christ” (D&C 88:7). The light of Christ is another
source of inspiration that each person possesses. It is sometimes called an
inner light or knowledge of right and wrong, a moral sense, or a conscience.
© 2016 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
All rights reserved.
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Small
group discussions and assignments
Small group activities can often
allow a greater number of students to participate in the lesson and can provide
a safe environment in which students can share their feelings, thoughts, and
testimonies with each other. Students can be better prepared to complete some
group activities if you first guide them through an example of the task they
should complete in their groups.
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