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.  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 int he 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.  My study bible explains that there was 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.   The mourning period began on the day of a person's death.  My study bible reports the schedule as follows:  Weeping and wailing lasted three days; lamentation one week; general mourning lasted thirty days.   Here many of those who come to join the woman and comfort them are members of the religious establishment at Jerusalem (as designated by the term "the Jews" in John's Gospel -- once again, we understand that all the people in this story are Jews).

Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.  The character of the two sisters is illustrated by their different roles.  Martha is the one more active in service and hospitality, and she rushes out to meet Jesus as He approaches.  Mary remains in mourning until she is called by Christ (see below).  Sitting is the traditional posture for mourning and receiving other mourners (Job 2:8, 13; Ezekiel 8:14).   We can see the characters of Martha and Mary expressed similarly in Luke 10:38-42.

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 says that while Martha possesses great faith, her statements reveal a lack of understanding about Christ.  A full understanding of His divinity would make it clear that He did not need to be present for healings to take place.  Nor does He need to ask of God; He has full divine authority to act as He wills.

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."   Jesus corrects Martha's misunderstanding of both His divine nature and authority to raise the dead at the last day, and in this world.  Jesus' direct words have an immediate effect, and lead to Martha's confession of faith.  He asks her directly, "Do you believe this?"  One can only imagine what the impact of such a question from Christ would be.  My study bible says that this question isn't directed 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.  Mary, sitting in mourning, immediately responds when she's told she is called by Christ.

The two sisters are an interesting contrast.  One is dutiful and active.  Martha carries out the necessities of hospitality, of running a home.  And, one could say, that this must be quite a home.  They must be people of some standing, as important people from the religious hierarchy in Jerusalem come here to be present and comfort them in their mourning for Lazarus.  But this family is important in other ways, important to our Gospel.  For the three are beloved by Christ.  They are close to Him, and truly special friends.  The contrast between the two sisters is consistent as reported by Luke, as well.  Mary is the more reserved, sitting in mourning as taught by custom, until she knows she is being called by the Teacher.  It is she who sat at Christ's feet, listening, in the story told by Luke, as is appropriate to one who wishes to learn (be a disciple) from the Teacher.  In the two sisters, we're given a picture of something of the Body of Christ, with each "member" playing a role for the whole, and each beloved.  Both John and Luke give us these portraits of their characters, and we will learn more about Mary and her love for Christ in the following chapter.  The depth of character we're exposed to is important; we see carefully, in a sense, how Christ relates to each.  He asks Martha a very direct question, "Do you believe this?"  He speaks to her very directly and reveals Himself, and she responds with a confession of faith.  Mary will approach with a statement like her sister's, but Christ's response will be different.  As each member has their own character and part to play, perhaps we can see in this story how Christ responds to each as well.  It is not only God who responds, but also a very human Jesus.  The story could not be told without these women and their brother Lazarus.  We are given depth and dimension to Christ, and even a very fully human Jesus -- as He enacts the seventh and final sign that will seal His fate with those visiting from Jerusalem.  Fully God and fully human, here for us, and always with us.   As John writes in the Revelation, He is the one who is and was and (as Martha says above) is to come.