Lazarus

Lazarus (a contraction of Eleazar, meaning God has helped) is the name of two New Testament figures. (1.) The brother of Mary and Martha of Bethany, whose resurrection by Jesus after four days in the tomb (John 11:1–44) is the seventh and climactic sign in John's Gospel, directly precipitating the Sanhedrin's decision to seek Jesus' death (John 11:47–53). Lazarus later reclined with Jesus at the Bethany dinner (John 12:2), and the chief priests plotted to kill him as well because his living presence was causing many to believe (John 12:10–11). (2.) The poor beggar in Jesus' parable (Luke 16:19–31), carried by angels to Abraham's bosom at death while the unnamed rich man suffered in Hades — a parable addressing the finality of post-mortem states and the sufficiency of Scripture to produce saving faith.