Q. Why do you think it is that Jesus waited several days, until after Lazarus had been dead for a while before coming to Bethany? A. As with many parts in this narrative, there are multiple interpretations of that. First: Jesus is bringing Lazarus something greater than mere physical healing: that is, life. And so, in this interpretation, the delay is immaterial. Second, Jesus wants to make sure that people know that, as he says plainly to Thomas, “Lazarus is... Read more
Q. What has impressed you about the argument that the Beloved Disciple is Lazarus, as in fact John 11 rather plainly says? A. Well, I have you to thank for most of my understanding of that! But I think that the most compelling argument comes in John 21, when the Risen Christ appears to the disciples by the Sea of Galilee. As I’m sure readers of this blog know, the Risen Christ offers Peter the opportunity to say, “I love... Read more
Q. In the Catholic tradition, the Gospel of John often is given the most emphasis in sermons, tracts, devotional books, and other literature. What would you say is the reason for this? To be even more general, in the Catholic tradition of worship, it’s mostly about the Gospels climaxing in the Mass, whereas in the Protestant tradition, the Letters of Paul tend to get the most airtime. How do you think this affects the way worship and faith is viewed... Read more
Q. What was it that prompted you to write this particular book, after writing other more general books on prayer, or on Jesus, or on pilgrimages and various other topics? A. The story of Raising of Lazarus has always held enormous appeal for me. When I was a teenager, I watched the Franco Zeffirelli mini-series “Jesus of Nazareth” on TV. For several years, it would air around Easter and Christmas, sometimes on the major networks. And even though, of... Read more
James Martin, Come Forth. The Promise of Jesus’ Greatest Miracle, (Harper Collins, 2023), 369pp. This book is unique in various ways. It is one part historical exegesis, one part theology, one part spiritual formation, one part art history, and one part personal testimony by Father Jim. And as for the exegesis, the whole book is a careful walking through and exposition of exactly one chapter—John 11, the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. It is written in... Read more
Perhaps you are not old enough to remember Norman Vincent Peale’s classic. The Power of Positive Thinking, even my grandfather was impressed with it and included bits in it in his Sunday school lessons. Peale and his book are the pre-cursory to motivational speakers like Zig Zigler and also Andy Andrews. The basic message is that the power to change the world exists in every person, if only they make the right choices to act on what they take to be... Read more
An interesting interview with Dr. Steve Boyd of Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati. Read more
I’ve been going to North Myrtle Beach since the 1950s when I was a wee lad. And increasingly, I have observed people who come to the beach and their behavior makes no sense. Here’s some of what I’ve observed: People who come to the beach and do not go in the ocean, but instead swim in the hotel swimming pool, even if it is the size of a postage stamp. I mean they could have gone to a pool in... Read more
One part of our Witherington heritage I had not sufficiently explored is our connections to the Mt. Olive Pickle Company which still today is located in Mt. Olive North Carolina, a town of about 5,000 people about half of whom work at this plant, which today is the largest pickle company in the U.S. and probably in the world. The company was founded Jan. 2 1926 (and soon will reach its 1ooth anniversary), and its part of the Witherington heritage... Read more
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