Archives 2004 (1)
At the beginning of this chapter John takes us to the time of the end days when the true church is about to emerge from her captivity to religion. The first sentence gives the whole picture: Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha (John 11:1). It is important to understand what Bethany represents and to whom each of the characters points. Bethany means ‘the house of unripe figs’ and it also means ‘house of affliction’. The fig tree is Israel, and Bethany tells us the state of Israel. Though she has been brought to labor, she has been afflicted by religion, and is unable to bring forth the good fruit of the nation Israel. This is to say that the bride of Christ has been unable to bring forth the man-child, or adopted son of God.
Published in
Archives 2004
Response I.T.
Elinor Montgomery