In the story of the raising of Lazarus, two women disciples take centre stage, namely Martha and Mary. Jesus entered into a dialogue with Martha who went out to meet him, when he arrived after Lazarus had died. This Martha was very different to the somewhat petulant woman of Luke 10:38-42, who was so preoccupied with serving that she could not see that her sister was sitting in a privileged position, like a male disciple, at the Lord’s feet. In John’s account, however, Martha spoke as a disciple to her Rabbi. He led her gently, as he had led the Samaritan woman, to an understanding of who he was. Like Peter, she proclaimed him as the Messiah. Her sister Mary remained behind in the house, but in the next chapter it is she who anoints him, preparing him for his burial, as he himself predicted.
The story of Lazarus being raised from the dead can be seen as a prefiguring of Jesus’ own death and Resurrection. Lazarus emerged from the tomb in his grave clothes, but his release from death was temporary: one day he would die. Jesus emerged from the tomb leaving his grave clothes in the tomb. He did not need them any more because he would never die again.