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So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."
And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you." As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him.
- John 11:17-29
Yesterday, we read that a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well." However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him." Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go , that we may die with Him."
So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Here, my study bible points out that there existed a rabbinical opinion that the soul lingered about the body for three days, but after four days resuscitation would be impossible.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Many people have come from Jerusalem, even those among the temple leadership, to mourn with Martha and Mary. My study bible says, "Mourning began on the day of a person's death. Weeping and wailing lasted three days; lamentation lasted one week; and general mourning lasted 30 days."
Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. My study bible notes: "Not unlike the incident of Luke 10:38-42, the two sisters react differently to Christ's arrival. Martha, being inclined to active service, rushes out to meet Jesus, while Mary remains in mourning until called by Christ [see the ending verse of today's reading]. Sitting was the traditional posture when mourning and receiving other mourners (Job 2:8, 13; Ezekiel 8:14)."
Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." My study bible suggests that while Martha possesses great faith, her statements indicate there is a lack of understanding about Christ. When she says, "if You had been here, my brother would not have died," she reveals she doesn't fully see that Christ is God, thinking that He needs to be present to effect healings (see the healing of the nobleman's son, John 4:46-54).
Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." My study bible says, regarding Jesus' statement, I am the resurrection and the life: "To correct Martha's misunderstanding, Christ declares His divine authority to raise the dead at the last day as well as here in this world. Such is the power of these words that Martha is immediately led to her great confession of faith. Do you believe this? is a question directed not only to Martha, but to all of us."
And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you." As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. Again, we see the roles the two sisters play consistently through all references to them in the Gospels. Martha is the active one, engaged in hospitality. Mary sits in mourning, but when she's called by Christ, she responds immediately.
We're given a glimpse into family life, in some sense, here in John's Gospel. It's a kind of tender and touching scene, getting to know these two sisters, and seeing into their home. Their brother has just died, and their sadness is palpable through the simple words of the story. Mary's grief as she sits in mourning must be overwhelming. Many have come to mourn with them. Martha must be taxed, as it is consistently her "job" in the Gospels to be the one actively engaged in the necessity and customs of hospitality. She goes out to meet Jesus as He approaches her home. But in each encounter, there's something even more intimate, and that is time alone with Jesus. Think of it, time alone with Jesus. How many people do we read about in the Gospels that actually have time alone with Him? There comes to mind the Samaritan woman at the well -- a startling encounter. There is perhaps the time Nicodemus came by night to be taught, regarding baptism and the Spirit. There are those who have been healed, or requested healing: but often, we can imagine, those intimate conversations actually occur in the midst of crowds. It may perhaps even be true that there were disciples listening to Jesus speak to Nicodemus. But today's story is quite special in that we see the intimate types of relationships that exist among these beloved friends. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus play a very special role in Jesus' human life -- it's not just the other way around! These are people He considers friends and whom He loves exceptionally as close friends. Yet even they must learn from Him and about Him. He must reveal Himself and what He has to teach to them, as well as to the rest who may follow Him. As we prepare for the seventh final -- and most overwhelmingly powerful -- sign in John's Gospel, let us remember the love that is here in these intimate details of life in this household, among truly beloved friends. It tells us of the fullness of Jesus' experiences as human being, and at the same time His essential maintenance of real identity. Let us also be grateful for these friends, to be shown the tenderness and depth of Jesus' love, not only for us all, but to each one. The uniqueness and difference in character of each sister teaches us about how He approaches each, what it is to truly love the way that Jesus does.
