These small buildings surmounting the graves may have served as shelter to those who visited the tombs. They also served as monuments,' [4838] of which we read in the Bible, in the Apocrypha, [4839] and in Josephus. [4840] [4841] In Rabbinic writings they are frequently mentioned, chiefly by the name Nephesh, [4842] soul,' person' - transferred in the sense of monument,' [4843] or, by the more Scriptural name of bamah, [4844] or, by the Greco-Aramaic, [4845] or the Hebrew designation for a building generally. But of gravestones with inscriptions we cannot find any record in Talmudic works. At the same time, the place where there was a vault or a grave was marked by a stone, which was kept whitened, [4846] to warn the passer-by against defilement. [4847]
We are now able fully to realise all the circumstances and surroundings in the burial and raising of Lazarus.
Jesus had come to Bethany. But in the house of mourning they knew it not. As Bethany was only about fifteen furlongs - or about two miles - from Jerusalem, many from the City, who were on terms of friendship with what was evidently a distinguished family, had come in obedience to one of the most binding Rabbinic directions - that of comforting the mourners. In the funeral procession the sexes had been separated, and the practice probably prevailed even at that time for the women to return alone from the grave. This may explain why afterwards the women went and returned alone to the Tomb of our Lord. The mourning, which began before the burial, [4848] had been shared by the friends who sat silent on the ground, or were busy preparing the mourning meal. As the company left the dead, each had taken leave of the deceased with a Depart in peace!' [4849] Then they had formed into lines, through which the mourners passed amidst expressions of sympathy, repeated (at least seven times) as the procession halted on the return to the house of mourning. [4850] Then began the mourning in the house, which really lasted thirty days, of which the first three were those of greatest, the others, during the seven days, or the special week of sorrow, of less intense mourning. But on the Sabbath, as God's holy day, all mourning was intermitted - and so they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.'
In that household of disciples this mourning would not have assumed such violent forms, as when we read that the women were in the habit of tearing out their hair, [4851] or of a Rabbi who publicly scourged himself. [4852] But we know how the dead would be spoken of. In death the two worlds were said to meet and kiss. [4853] And now they who had passed away beheld God. [4854] They were at rest. Such beautiful passages as Ps. cxii. 6, Prov. x. 7, [4855] Is. xi. 10, last clause, and Is. lvii. 2, [4856] were applied to them. Nay, the holy dead should be called living.' In truth, they knew about us, and unseen still surrounded us. [4857] Nor should they ever be mentioned without adding a blessing on their memory. [4858]
In this spirit, we cannot doubt, the Jews were now comforting' the sisters. They may have repeated words like those quoted as the conclusion of such a consolatory speech: [4859] May the Lord of consolations ({hebrew}) comfort you! Blessed be He Who comforteth the mourners!' But they could scarcely have imagined how literally a wish like this was about to be fulfilled. For, already, the message had reached Martha, who was probably in one of the outer apartments of the house: Jesus is coming! She hastened to meet the Master. Not a word of complaint, not a murmur, nor doubt, escaped her lips - only what during those four bitter days these two sisters must have been so often saying to each other, when the luxury of solitude was allowed them, that if He had been there their brother would not have died. And even now - when it was all too late - when they had not received what they had asked of Him by their messenger, it must have been, because He had not asked it, though he had said that this sickness was not unto death; or else because he had delayed to work it till He would come. And still she held fast by it, that even now God would give Him whatsoever He asked. Or, did they mean more: were they such words of unconscious prophecy, or sight and sound of heavenly things, as sometimes come to us in our passion of grief, or else winged thoughts of faith too soon beyond our vision? They could not have been the expression of any real hope of the miracle about to take place, or Martha would not have afterwards sought to arrest Him, when He bade them roll away the stone. And yet is not even so, that, when that comes to us which our faith had once dared to suggest, if not to hope, we feel as if it were all too great and impossible, that a very physical cannot be' separates us from it?