Come Forth

The Promise of Jesus's Greatest Miracle

By: James Martin

Narrated by: James Martin

“James Martin—arguably our greatest writer-priest—has penned a genius meditation on the Raising of Lazarus. I came away with a renewed hope that grace alone can call me out of whatever tomb I’ve buried myself in.” —Mary Karr, author of The Liar’s Club and Lit: A Memoir

One of America’s most beloved spiritual leaders and the New York Times bestselling author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything and Learning to Pray examines one of the most intriguing events in the New Testament—the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead—and explains its significance for us today.

In this wise and compassionate book, Father James Martin, SJ explores the story of Jesus’s greatest miracle—the raising of Lazarus from the dead—and what Jesus means when he calls each of us to “come forth.” Meditatively and carefully, Martin leads us verse by verse, offering profound reflections on Jesus’s lessons on love, family, sadness, frustration, fear, anger, freedom, and joy. Come Forth combines:

• Compelling analysis of the biblical text
• Insights about the historical setting of the story
• Spiritual lessons for today’s readers
• Meditations on Lazarus in art and the larger culture
• Stories from Martin’s travels through the Holy Land

As he explores these strands in depth, Martin helps us let go of the limiting beliefs that prevent us from experiencing God’s presence in our lives. We need only to open ourselves to the transformative story of Lazarus and trust that God can use it to free us to experience, like Lazarus, new life.

Informative and Accessible

Fr. Jim Martin combines scripture scholarship, personal stories and information about the site to tell a compelling story about Lazarus, Martha, Mary and their friend Jesus. He really makes the Gospel story come to life. The questions at the end of each chapter are useful for personal thoughts or group discussions. Great book!

Wonderful perspectives and deep insights.

Thoughtful presentation with relevant meaning. Referencing other authors was helpful to gain further understandings and context.

Excellent listen

An amazing book! Well done and so much to learn about a story I thought I knew a lot about, thank you!

A must read for everyone!

I expected a well-researched tome on Lazarus, but this book is so much more. It is a spiritual journey along with Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mary. Father Martin has created a compelling spiritual guide that is accessible and inviting to all, and that carefully covers scholarly works and artistic depictions of Jesus’s greatest miracle. He leads the reader on a pilgrimage to Lazarus’s tomb where we are encouraged to “leave behind” that which is hindering us, as we “Come Forth” with Lazarus. A must read for everyone!

Deep dive into an important Biblical story

This book is for anyone who loves scripture and wants to learn more about the Gospel. It is written in a way you will be able to gain from, no matter your experience with Bible study, Bible commentary, or Bible reflection.