Resuscitation vs. Resurrection

Prior to the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Day, there was a similar miracle that took place prior to this. This miracle was the resuscitation of Lazarus, as described in John 11. The big difference between the two miracles is that Jesus rose from the dead, never to die again, and Lazarus rose from the dead, only to die again.

     Below is a chart which shows the similarities and differences between the two miracles. This chart is from my book, That You May Believe; The Miracles of Jesus in the Book of John, pages 128-29.

     For those of you who are followers of Christ, you will one day experience a resurrection from the dead. You will be like Christ in that you will have an imperishable, glorified body. Death was overcome with the resurrection of Jesus Christ and it is a defeated enemy. With this victory, death does not have a hold on us. We will experience the victory ourselves when Christ returns and resurrects our moral bodies into glorified bodies. What a day that will be and we will see Lazarus with his immortal body.

The raising of Lazarus                          The resurrection of Jesus Christ

He arose from the dead, BUT had to die again	He arose from the dead, never to die again
He kept his corruptible body, subject to mortality	He received an incorruptible body, glorified, perfect and immortal
He was buried in a cave with a stone rolled over the entrance	He was buried in a cave with a stone rolled over the entrance
The stone was taken away by a group of men	The stone was taken away by divine power
Jesus called out to Lazarus to come forth from the tomb	Jesus came out of the tomb by His own power and authority
Lazarus was placed in the grave bound from head to foot with grave wrappings	Jesus was placed in the grave bound from head to foot with grave wrappings
Lazarus left the tomb under his own power, though with a shuffle.	Jesus left the tomb in a glorious way, leaving those guarding the tomb stunned.
Lazarus needed to have his grave wrappings removed by others	Jesus’s grave wrappings were left in the tomb, in the place where His body laid.
Many believed that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God	Many are believing, to this day, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.