Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die. And whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26
This is the fifth I Am statement that Jesus made, and it comes in the middle of tragedy. Whatever you are going through, have been through, or will go through, the John 11:25-26 meaning can give you hope.
Let’s dive into what “I am the resurrection and the life” means for us today.
The Context Of John 11:25-26
Before we can understand the John 11:25-26 meaning we need to understand the context. If you noticed, this passage starts off with “Jesus said to her.” This context will help us better understand this passage, and it will help it come to life.
In the verse leading up a tragedy is unfolding. Jesus finds out his friend, Lazarus, is sick and eventually dies. As he makes his way to the family he is greeted by Martha, Lazarus’ sister.
Obviously distraught, she tells Jesus that if he had only been there her brother would still be alive. (John 11:21)
Jesus is quick to reassure her, that her brother will again raise. But she doesn’t really get what Jesus is saying. And let’s not blame her, we have the benefit of hindsight she doesn’t.
In response to her confusion Jesus clarifies and reassures her of who he is and what he can do. “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die. And whoever lives by believing in me will never die.”
There’s so much more to this story, like Jesus weeping and Lazarus raising from the dead. We don’t have time here to dive into all of it, but I have written about it in more detail and you can find that here: Why Did Jesus Weep? (the POWERFUL truth of John 11:35)
The John 11:25-26 Meaning
Now that we know what lead up to this words let’s dive into the John 11:25-26 meaning and see what we can learn.
I Am The Resurrection And The Life Meaning
This I Am statement is personal. It’s Jesus describing that he is there to rescue, to restore life. The reality is we are all on our way toward death. We are drowning, and in the midst of our hopelessness is Jesus.
Don’t miss what Jesus is saying here. He’s not saying that he is here to proclaim the way to life. He is saying he IS THE WAY. A person who is drowning has little need for someone to shout instruction on how to swim. They need someone to dive in to rescue them. Jesus dove into our messiness to save us.
Jesus is the resurrection and the life. It’s in him that we can find salvation and the life that we are all searching for.
The One Who Believes In Me Will Live Meaning
Jesus continues, it’s the one who believes who will live. In other words, whoever puts their hope in Jesus will live.
That’s it, that’s the requirements. There’s nothing we have to do or earn, simply place our trust in Jesus. He will take care of the rest.
Even Though They Die Meaning
This might seem like a twist, Jesus said we would live forever, now we will die. What’s the deal?
Remember the context here. Lazarus has died. He’s dead dead. But he will raise again. This real event symbolizes what we will go through. The mortality rate right now is hovering around 100%, each of us will die a physical death.
But Jesus here is talking about something different. Though we die a physical death, we will be raised again spiritually. Our death on this earth is a gateway to eternity free from the pains of this life.
Whoever Lives By Believing In Me Will Never Die Meaning
In this last section of this verse Jesus further alludes to the life we can have after death. By placing our hope in Jesus we attain the promise of salvation.
Jesus here is comforting Martha by assuring her that in the end things will be made right. Even though things might seem bleak right now, followers of Jesus can always have hope.
The John 11:25-26 meaning is both a message of salvation and the hope of eternal security.
What The Resurrection Of Life Means For Us Today
So what does it mean for us today that Jesus is the resurrection of life?
In short, this is a promise that Jesus made that he is with us and he will save us. He is the resurrection and the life. And in him our salvation is secured.
Dr Tom Constable says, “When you are sick, you want a doctor and not a medical book or a formula. When you are being sued, you want a lawyer and not a law book. Likewise, when you face your last enemy, death, you want the Savior and not a doctrine written in a book. In Jesus Christ, every doctrine is made personal.”
Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in him will live, even though they die.
In response to this Jesus asks Martha, “Do you believe this?” Jesus was asking Martha to affirm her belief in him. To place her hope in the one who will raise the dead and gives salvation.
And I think that’s the perfect question for us to answer today. Do you believe in the resurrection of life? Not do you have the right doctrine and know all the right answers. But do you know the resurrection of life, the person?
It’s in the resurrection of life that true life is found.
BA in Biblical Studies - Ozark Christian College (2012)
MA in Theology - Regent University (2019)
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