Neville Goddard on John 11:1-5 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read John 11 in context

Scripture Focus

1Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

3Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

4When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

5Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

John 11:1-5

Biblical Context

Lazarus, beloved by Jesus, is sick; his sisters Mary and Martha inform Jesus. Jesus says the sickness will display God's glory, and that he loves them.

Neville's Inner Vision

Think of Lazarus as a state of consciousness you have taken for dead or past its usefulness. The sisters Mary and Martha symbolize the heart-cord of your outer life bringing a plea to the higher self. When Jesus speaks, 'This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby,' the inner voice reveals that the appearance of sickness is not the end, but a signpost pointing to the glory of your true nature. The 'Jesus' who loves them is the I AM within you, the living truth who answers in alignment with divine purpose. The line about love confirms that your inner circle of awareness already stands supported by life itself. The lesson: Providence reveals itself when you refuse to identify with limitation and instead dwell in the awareness of your oneness with God. Your imagination is the instrument by which the Son of God is glorified; by choosing the truth of I AM now, you convert the seeming defeat into the demonstration of life.

Practice This Now

Close your eyes and assume Lazarus is already alive in your life by the I AM within. Revise with a present-tense affirmation: 'This sickness is for the glory of God; I am life made manifest,' and dwell in the feeling of that truth until it feels real.