Daily Bible Reading: John 11:17-31 - Jesus Assures Martha of the Resurrection

There is so much in John 11 that I am breaking it up into 3 posts.  The first was posted earlier, verses 1-16, The Death of Lazarus.  This second post concerns Lazarus' sister Martha who went to meet Jesus on his way to Lazarus.  Verses 17-31 give assurance of the resurrection, not only of Lazarus but of all who believe on Jesus: then, now, and until the Lord comes again.

V17-20 As Jesus was coming, he found that Lazarus had been in the grave for four days.  Many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their  brother. Since they were offering comfort, it seems likely that they had heard of the death of Lazarus and that is when they came to comfort Martha and Mary.  As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him but her sister Mary sat still in the house.

V21-24 Martha speaks to Jesus: "Lord, if thou hadst been  here, my brother had not died".  Martha had faith that Jesus would have been able to heal Lazarus of his illness. She further says "I know that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee."  To this Jesus answers "Thy brother shall rise again." Martha thinks that Jesus is speaking of the future resurrection at the last day and so she  says "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." 

V25-27 It is at this point that Jesus tells Martha a wondrous truth.  "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.  And whosoever believeth in me shall never die.  Believeth thou this?"  And next we have Martha's confession of faith, "Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world."  In these verses Jesus is saying that all those who believe on Jesus, though their earthly bodies will die, yet they shall live.  Paul the apostle said that he would rather be absent from the body and present with the Lord.

V28-31 When Martha had finished her confession of faith, she went home and called Mary secretly, saying "the Master is come, and calleth for thee."  And as soon as Mary heard that, "she arose quickly and came unto him."  Martha went to Jesus as soon as she heard he was coming and she received a glorious truth about the resurrection, but Mary chose to stay home until she was called by Jesus.  Perhaps it was better to do as Mary did, and wait to be called  by Jesus but it was in being alone with Jesus that Martha received her comfort concerning the resurrection of her brother.

Jesus had not yet come to the town of Bethany but was still in the place where Martha had met him.  But something more happened, the Jews that had been with Martha and Mary to comfort them saw that Mary got up hastily and went out, and so they followed her thinking that she was going to the grave to weep.  They did not suspect the great wonder that was about to behold them.

The next post will be the raising of Lazarus.
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