拉撒路 Lazarus , a friend of Jesus

拉撒路 Lazarus , a friend of Jesus

Lazarus, who was raised from the dead (4 days) and was a friend of Jesus Christ

A few weeks ago, I collected some information from various websites after a bible study in my cell group about John Chapter 11.  It was noted that his tomb was found in Cyprus.  He became the first Bishop of Kittium, Cyprus.  He died at an age of 60.  In 890, while digging the foundation of a church in Cyprus, his tomb was found inside a room near the foundation.  Some words marked in Greek were found on the coffin: Lazarus, Four Days Dead and the friend of Christ.

Tomb of Lazarus in Cyprus 塞浦路斯

Tomb of Lazarus in Bethany 伯大尼

Hyperlink:

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/cyprus/larnaca-ayios-lazaros.htm

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Lazarus

轉貼網上文章，所有版權屬原作者所有

According to Scripture and the tradition of the Cyprian church, Lazarus was compelled to seek refuge away from Jerusalem to avoid the anger of the high priests and the pharisees, who wanted to kill him, ...the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed in Jesus (John 12:10-11). Many christians too ... were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about. Stephen travelled as far as Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and Antioch ...; just like Stephen, Lazarus would have had to leave Judea to seek refuge in another country.

This location was Kittium (today Kittium is called Larnaca) of Cyprus. When Apostle Paul and Apostle Barnabas travelled to Cyprus, they ordained Lazarus as the first Bishop of Kitium. That is why all episcopal thrones in Larnaca have the icon of St. Lazarus instead of Christ, which is the standard custom of the church.

Little more is known about Lazarus after Our Lord's Resurrection and Ascension except that during his thirty year he never smiled or joked except for one occcassion. One day, he saw someone stealing a clay pot and he laughed saying, "the clay steals the clay".

Another famous tradition connected to Lazarus is the discovery of Mount Athos in 52AD. Lazarus was very close to the Virgin Mary and he was very grieved that he could not return to Jerusalem to visit her (he was still in fear of the Jews). The Theotokos learned of his sorrow and sent him a letter to comfort him. She asked that he might send a ship to her that she might visit him in Cyprus. With great joy, Lazarus sent a ship to the Holy Lands to bring the Virgin Mary and John, the beloved disciple to Cyprus for a visit.

On their journey, a great storm blew them off course and carried them to the shores of Ephesus and then the ship to the shores of Athos, Greece. Unaware that divine providence had brought her to this area, the Virgin Mary completely taken by the beauty of the area, prayed to her son that this could be her garden devoted to prayer to "fight the good fight of faith". Having converted, blessed and established a new Christian community from the local idolaters they set sail for Cyprus and met with Lazarus. It is said, that she had sewn the omophorion and epimanikia as a present for Lazarus.

The first tomb of Lazarus in Bethany remains as a site for pilgrims to this very day. The second tomb, on the island of Cyprus, was found in Kittium sometime in A.D. 890, with his relics inside and bearing the inscription "Lazarus, the Friend of Christ."  Subsequently a church dedicated to Saint Lazarus has been built on this site.

轉貼網上文章，所有版權屬原作者所有

There are some Christians who were afraid of the following bible verses.

馬太福音 7:21-23

21.不是每一個對我說：‘主啊，主啊！’的人，都能進入天國，唯有遵行我天父旨意的人，才能進去。22. 到那日，必有許多人對我說：‘主啊，主啊！難道我們沒有奉你的名講道，奉你的名趕鬼，奉你的名行過許多神蹟嗎？’23. 但我(耶穌)必向他們聲明：‘我從來不認識你們；你們這些作惡的人，離開我去吧！

馬太福音 25:6-12 (十個童女的比喻)

6: 半夜，有人喊叫：‘新郎來了，快出來迎接他。’ 7. 那些童女都醒過來，整理她們的燈。 8. 愚蠢的對聰明的說：‘請把你們的油分一點給我們，我們的燈快要滅了。’9. 聰明的回答：‘這些恐怕不夠我們大家用，不如你們自己到賣油的地方去買吧！’ 10. 她們去買油的時候，新郎來了；準備好了的童女就和他一同進去參加婚筵，門就關上了。 11. 後來，其餘的童女也來到，說：‘主啊，主啊，給我們開門吧！’ 12. 新郎卻回答：‘我實在告訴你們，我不認識你們。’

Are you afraid of being rejected or refused to enter the kingdom of God?

I believe that if you have been born again (you have repented and accepted the Lord Jesus) and you followed him with clean hands and a pure heart (was living in a life with holiness), Jesus is your friend and savior, similar to Lazarus. You need not worry about the two verses. You talked to Jesus and walked with Jesus everyday. You prayed to God everyday. You read the bible and meditated on His words. You are His children and Jesus’s friend.

In a family, I think that the elder brother will not say that he does not know the younger brother or sister since they are living together so closely. They knew each other regarding their characteristics, habits and hobbies. They are from the same blood stream.  Unless you are no longer in the family and you are now a prodigal son, wandering in the wilderness and you don’t know the day of your return to the Father’s house, you then should be worried about the above two bible verses.

In my heart, I love to be a member of the family of God. Jesus is the first born of all the children of God.  Jesus is coming back to the earth to receive the bride (新娘), the church on the earth. I am waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus. I am prepared and be filled with the Hoy Spirit ( oil ) regularly.  I know Jesus as our bridegroom (新郎) and my friend.

Some words marked in Greek were found on the coffin: Lazarus, Four Days Dead and the friend of Christ.  It is obvious that Lazarus is a friend of Jesus Christ.  My friend, how about you?

約 翰 福 音 15

14.你們若行我所吩咐你們的，就是我的朋友了。 15. 我不再稱你們為僕人，因為僕人不知道主人所作的事；我已經稱你們為朋友了，因為我從我父那裡聽見的一切，都已經告訴你們了。

Frankie