Literary Themes.  Let's look at how themes can weave themselves through the same book of the Bible.  We'll look at the theme of life in the gospel of John.

³⁸ While Jesus and his followers were traveling, he went into a town, and a woman named Martha let him stay at her house. ³⁹ She had a sister named Mary. Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to him teach. ⁴⁰ But her sister Martha was busy doing all the work that had to be done. Martha went in and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

⁴¹ But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are getting worried and upset about too many things. ⁴² Only one thing is important. Mary has made the right choice, and it will never be taken away from her.”

Do you think this is the same Mary and Martha mentioned in the Gospel of John?

What do you think Martha is like?  What do you think Mary is like?

What was the relationship between Mary, Martha, and Jesus like?

First, let's look at Chapter 5 of John.  This comes well before the Lazarus story.  How does it prepare us to think about the idea of life and resurrection?

²⁴ “I assure you, anyone who hears what I say and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life. They will not be judged guilty. They have already left death and have entered into life. ²⁵ Believe me, an important time is coming. That time is already here. People who are dead will hear the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. ²⁶ Life comes from the Father himself. So the Father has also allowed the Son to give life. ²⁷ And the Father has given him the power to judge all people because he is the Son of Man.

²⁸ “Don’t be surprised at this. A time is coming when all people who are dead and in their graves will hear his voice. ²⁹ Then they will come out of their graves. Those who did good in this life will rise and have eternal life. But those who did evil will rise to be judged guilty.

According to the text, who has life?  Who gives life?  What do you think the writer means by "rise" in verse 29?  Why "rise" used positively and negatively?

How does the mention of tombs foreshadow the story of Lazarus? 

Do you see any other things that connect this passage to the story of Lazarus?