How did the mother of Jesus DIE?
When did Lazarus die a SECOND time?

Q. How did Mary, the mother of Jesus, die? I know that Lazarus was resurrected from the dead by Jesus. When and how did Lazarus die the SECOND time?

(Submitted by: M. C.)

A. Lazarus was the brother of Mary and Martha. The story of Lazarus' death, why Jesus seemed unconcerned and uncaring when told he had died, and the miracle of publically resurrecting him in the face of many who hated him, is a fascinating story of itself:

"Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, 'Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.' When Jesus heard that, He said, 'This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.' . . .

"So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was . . . So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days . . .

"Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died . . . Jesus said to her, 'Your brother will rise again.' Martha said to Him, 'I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.' Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?' She said to Him, 'Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.'

"Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.' Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, 'Where have you laid him?' They said to Him, 'Lord, come and see.'

"Jesus said, 'Take away the stone.' Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, 'Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.' Jesus said to her, 'Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?'

"Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, 'Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come forth!' And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Loose him, and let him go.'

"Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, 'What shall we do? . . .'

"Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death." (John 11:1-4, 6, 17, 20-21, 23-27, 32-34, 39-47, 53)

I know of no Biblical reference to Lazarus' death after Jesus raised him from the grave. The Chief priests consulted together, plotting to kill Lazarus, because he was a LIVE witness of Christ and his miracles. People came from all over to see Lazarus because he was a living miracle. There is no record, however, of Lazarus having been killed by the chief priests.

"But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, [The priests wanted Lazarus to die a SECOND time and were plotting his murder, even as they had been plotting Jesus' death for quite some time.] because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus . . ."

"Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead , bore witness . . . [The fame of Jesus and Lazarus was spreading like wildfire] The Pharisees therefore said among themselves,  'You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!' " (John 12:10-11, 17, 19 NKJV)

There is no mention of Mary's life and death after the death of Christ - Christ gave the responsibility of His mother, Mary, to John while He was dying on the cross. Mary most likely traveled with John even until her death, at which time John probably buried her.