I am the resurrection and the life

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. Then 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

In today's reading, we continue with the story of Lazarus and his two sisters, Martha and Mary. Yesterday, we read that the sisters sent word to Jesus about Lazarus, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." Jesus delayed His trip to their home in Bethany for two days. He told His disciples that this occasion was for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified. He will return to Bethany which is in Judea (where the authorities want to stone Him) after Lazarus' "death." He tells His disciples, "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe."

So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. A note in my study bible reads: "There existed a rabbinic opinion that the soul lingered about the body for three days, but from the fourth day on there was no hope of resuscitation." We remember that Jesus intentionally delayed His trip to their home for two days, in order to ensure "the glory of God," that "the Son of God may be glorified through it."

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. My study bible says, "Official mourning began on the same day as death and burial (immediate burial was necessary in warm climates). Weeping and wailing lasted three days; lamentation lasted the rest of the week; general mourning lasted 30 days following death. During this time mourners constantly came and went from the home of the deceased." So, we have a picture of death and mourning that is complete - with many people involved in this scene, and many witnesses.

Then 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 what occurs. As the one busily responsible for the duties of hospitality, Martha heads out to meet Jesus, while Mary remains at home. Sitting is the correct posture when mourning and greeting mourners (see Job 2:8, 13; Ezek. 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." Martha expresses here her faith in Jesus - that whatever He asks of God will be given to Him. But there is more that Christ will ask of her faith.

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?" My study bible notes, "Your brother will rise again (v. 23) is misunderstood by Martha as indicating the final resurrection. Thus Jesus declares, I am the resurrection and the life (v. 25). Whoever believes in Christ already has eternal life and therefore shall never die (v. 26) spiritually." These three people, Mary, Martha and Lazarus, are among His closest friends. Yet even with them, He is still teaching, and still asking more of their faith. He is the resurrection and the life. This is the fullness of faith that He asks, before awakening Lazarus.

She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." Martha's confession of faith here is similar to Peter's - whose confession, we were told, could only have come through revelation by the Father. Reflecting the themes in this story of Lazarus, Martha and Mary, Peter said to Jesus (in John's Gospel version of his confession), "You have the words of eternal life." It is not only the Apostles who share this faith, but also the faithful who follow Jesus, among whom were many women from the beginning.

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. Martha goes out to greet Jesus and speaks with Him, but Mary comes when she is told that He is calling for her. Mary is the one, we recall, who sat at his feet while Martha served, in Luke's gospel story. So, from these two different episodes reported in the gospels, we can conclude that Mary is exceedingly devoted and obedient to Him. But Martha offers her own opportunity for Him to teach her.

I find it quite fascinating that we are given the juxtaposition of characters in this important relationship with this family in Jesus' life. It's one of the few pictures of his interaction with a kind of domestic life that is not only a part of his ministry and teaching. Although we are dealing with a death in all its devastation and mourning and sadness, this picture of life in this home, and its inhabitants' interaction with their friend and Teacher, Jesus, is quite a beautiful one. We just don't have many pictures like this to draw upon, except through these examples. They are not only disciples, who call Him Teacher, but they are friends to whom He, too, is devoted - and we will see Jesus' emotional response to Mary in tomorrow's reading. All three of these people in this home are important precisely because of their differences in character. Lazarus' resurrection will play a decisive role in the authorities' determination to finally and thoroughly condemn Jesus. Lazarus himself will become a symbol and a hunted man. But the distinct differences we are given in the Gospels in the portrayal of Martha and Mary teach us something else very important: that each one of us comes to the Lord with our own relationship, through our own characters and personalities. There is no one "right" formula for all of us. This is how, we are taught, love works. Martha and Mary could not be more different in character, but Jesus has His own relationship with each of them - and so He does with each of us. John's Gospel will go on to illustrate this even more clearly in its final touching scene with the resurrected Jesus, and Peter and John. Let us understand, then, the importance of these women and Jesus' closeness to them, even as they followed His ministry, and would go on to play a key role in the events to come.