lazarus and jesus were very close. he was described as his friend. he whom he loved. >> jesus may have had roots and family in judea in jerusalem, and maybe even in bethany. lazarus could have had a friendship that long predated jesus' public ministry. >> early christians didn't just invent people out of thin air the way our hollywood biopic would today. the fact that lazarus and his siblings, mary and martha, are all mentioned shows that they were fairly prominent figures in the early christian movement. the relationship between jesus and lazarus, it's a completely different order than the relationship he has with anyone else. he loves him.