The Raising of Lazarus from BL Eg 1139, f. 5

Miniature of the Raising of Lazarus. Image taken from f. 5 of Psalter (The 'Melisende Psalter') with canticles, prayers, and litany. Written in Latin.

The Raising of Lazarus is a story from the New Testament, recorded in the Gospel of John (John 11:1-45). According to the story, Lazarus, a friend of Jesus, had fallen ill and died. When Jesus arrived in Bethany four days after Lazarus' death, he was approached by Lazarus' sisters, Mary and Martha, who told him of their brother's death and asked him to come to their home to heal him.

When Jesus arrived at the tomb where Lazarus was buried, he commanded that the stone be removed, and then he prayed to God. After his prayer, he called out to Lazarus, who came back to life and stepped out of the tomb. The raising of Lazarus was a significant event in the life of Jesus and was seen as a powerful demonstration of his divine power and the fulfillment of his mission as the Son of God. The scene is often shown with Jesus standing at the tomb, with Lazarus rising from the dead, with Mary and Martha looking on in amazement.

The Egerton Manuscript Collection is named after its founder, Sir Thomas Egerton (1540-1617), 1st Viscount Brackley, was a lawyer, statesman, and patron of the arts during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I of England. He served as Lord Keeper of the Great Seal and later as Lord Chancellor of England, holding high positions in the legal and political realms.

Sir Thomas Egerton acquired a substantial number of historical and literary manuscripts. In 1617, shortly before his death, Sir Thomas Egerton bequeathed his collection of manuscripts to the British Museum, which was the precursor to the British Library.