“Did I Not Say…?”
John 11:38–57 – The Glory, The Grave, and The Gathering Storm
Everything has been building to this moment. Lazarus is dead. The stone is in place. The mourners are watching. And yet Jesus stands before the tomb — not panicked, not pressured, but positioned for glory. What happens next will not just shake a grave — it will shake the religious establishment and accelerate the path to the cross.
💭 Verses 38–44: Lazarus, Come Forth!
Jesus arrives at the tomb and tells them to roll away the stone. Martha, ever the practical one, warns Him: “Lord, by this time there is a stench…” But Jesus responds with one of the most faith-awakening declarations in all of Scripture:
“Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” (v. 40)
This wasn’t just about Lazarus — it was about showing the world who Jesus is.
He prays aloud, not for His own sake, but for the crowd to believe.
Then He cries out: “Lazarus, come forth!”
And the man who had been dead walked out — bound, but alive.
Even in this miracle, Jesus teaches us something deep:
Sometimes resurrection still requires unbinding.
He tells them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
🔮 Verses 45–52: The Prophecy of Caiaphas
The miracle splits the crowd: some believe, but others report Jesus to the Pharisees. The chief priests and council begin plotting — afraid that if Jesus continues, they’ll lose political power and Roman control.
Then Caiaphas speaks:
“It is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” (v. 50)
He was speaking politically — but God used his mouth to prophesy eternal truth.
“He did not say this on his own authority…” (v. 51)
God will speak His will — even through people who oppose Him.
Caiaphas unknowingly confirms that Jesus would die not just for Israel, but to gather into one the children of God scattered abroad (v. 52). That includes you and me.
🪔 Verses 53–57: The Plot Thickens
From that day on, they planned to put Jesus to death. He withdraws to Ephraim for a time. But the stage is now set for Passover, and with it, the cross.
✨ Reflection Thought:
Resurrection power brings resistance.
Every glory-revealing moment comes with new opposition.
But Jesus wasn’t moved by plots or panic — He was moved by purpose.
And that same voice that said “Lazarus, come forth”
is still calling dead things to life — in you.
📓 Journal Prompts:
What “stone” in my life needs to be rolled away so I can see God’s glory?
Am I willing to obey even when it makes no sense — like removing the stone from a sealed tomb?
What in my life has been called back to life, but still needs to be “unbound”?
🙏🏽 Prayer Prompt:
Lord, You are the resurrection and the life. Call forth what’s been buried in me. Remove the stone of unbelief, fear, or delay. Let me see Your glory — not just in miracles, but in moments of faith and obedience. Use even the resistance around me to confirm Your will. I believe. Help me walk free. In Jesus’s name, Amen.
