Question:
I have some things that I don't really understand regarding yesterdays Gospel John 11:1-45.
First of all was Lazarus dead or was he in an apparent death? The reason I ask is because I was told that Lazarus was not resurrected but resuscitated.
The definition of resurrected means to raise from the dead, bring back to life and resuscitated means to revive from an apparent death or from unconsciousness. However, the Gospel says verse 14 "Then Jesus told them plainly, he is dead."
I ask this is because the question was asked as to where was the soul of Lazarus for the 4 days he was in the tomb.
Was he in Sheol or where? The reply was the he was not in Sheol because he was resuscitated and not resurrected.
So the questions are:
1. Where was the soul of Lazarus after he died?
2. Was he resuscitated or was he resurrected? If he was resuscitated that means he was in a state of unconsciousness and not really dead but the Bible says he was dead.
and
3. The bible says his was bound hands and feet so how did he come out of the tomb? Did he float out or did he roll out? He would be unable to walk if his feet were bound and he face too and would not have been able to see where he was going.
In my opinion he was not only dead but really, really dead, ("Wizard of Oz" anybody?) And for God nothing is impossible and Lazarus' soul remained in his body for 4 days since for God a second can be one thousand years and a thousand years a second.
Sorry for so many questions about this one event but thanking you in advance.
Donald
Dear Donald:
Jesus delayed going to the grave so that no one could say that Lazarus was not dead. There would have been no miracle to glorify the Father, and no confirmation that Jesus was truly sent by the Father, had Lazarus not be truly dead. Whoever said that Lazarus was not dead apparently cannot read since the Scripture is clear on this.
Besides, Jesus said he was dead and Jesus does not lie.
As to the location of the soul of Lazarus during the few days that he was dead, I would presume he went to Hades (the word in Greek) / Sheol (the word in Hebrew), the place of the dead. But, Lazarus would have gone to that part of Hades/Sheol called Abraham's Bosom, where all Old Testament saints went until the Christ set them free after He died on the Cross and brought them to heaven.
Lazarus bound hands and feet refers to the burial wrappings. This is not a binding to restrain him as dead men need no restraint 
. I am not familiar with the details, but the burial shrouds may not have bound the feet together in a way that would make it impossible for the resurrected Lazarus to walk at least a little bit. In any event, Lazarus apparently could walk sufficiently to make it to the entrance of the tomb.
The reason by Lazarus was presented to the people bound (still in the burial shrouds) is explained by St. Chrysostom, (hom. lxiii. in Joan):
Lazarus comes forth bound from the sepulchre, that he might not be thought to be a phantom; and that the bystanders might themselves loose him, and touching and approaching him, might know for certain that it was he.
God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary
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