John 11:17-27

I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE

Text 11:17-27

17

So when Jesus came, he found that he had been in the tomb four days already.

18

Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off;

19

and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.

20

Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary still sat in the house.

21

Martha therefore said unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

22

And even now I know that, whatsoever thou shalt ask of God, God will give thee.

23

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

25

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me though he die, yet shall he live;

26

and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die. Believest thou this?

27

She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I have believed that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, even he that cometh into the world.

Queries

a.

Who were the Jews consoling Martha and Mary?

b.

What is Martha's attitude toward Jesus in John 11:21-22?

c.

Does Jesus adequately answer Martha's longing in John 11:23-26?

Paraphrase

So when Jesus arrived in Bethany, He found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Quite a number of the Jews of the city of Jerusalem had come out to Martha and Mary, Bethany being only about two miles from Jerusalem, to console them and mourn with them over their brother's death. When Martha was told that Jesus was on His way, she went cut alone to meet HimMary stayed in the house. When Martha met Jesus she said to Him, Master, if you had only been able to get here in time my brother would not have died from his sickness. But even now, with my brother dead, I am sure that whatever you might ask of God, God will grant it. Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. Martha replied, Yes, Master, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day. At this, Jesus said to her, I am even now the source of resurrection and the life that is eternal. Though a man may die physically, if he has believed in Me and obeyed Me he will live forever. Yes, whoever lives a life of obedient faith in Me never really dies. Do you believe this, Martha? She replied, Yes, Master, I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of Godeven the One whom the prophets foretold would come into the world.

Summary

Jesus finally arrives near Bethany four days after Lazarus-' burial. Martha, informed of His approach, goes forth to meet Him. She expresses faith in Jesus, but in her sorrow her faith needs to be strengthened. Jesus challenges her to complete trust in Himshe confesses her faith in His deity as the Son of God.

Comment

There is no need to speculate on when Lazarus died (whether before the messenger arrived where Jesus was in Perea, or whether he died after the messenger returned to Bethany). We know that Jesus purposely waited until he was dead (cf. John 11:14-15), that Jesus knew when Lazarus was dead; we therefore assume that He purposely did not hurry from Perea to Bethany, waiting until the body of Lazarus would start its decomposition in order that the miraculous raising would have even greater significance.

The statement of John 11:19 that many of the Jews had come to the home of Mary and Martha may indicate two things. First, it may infer that Lazarus and his sisters were well thought of by many people. Second, it may mean that his funeral was a big funeral. Those families who could afford it usually hired mourners for Jewish funerals (cf. Ecclesiastes 12:5; Jeremiah 9:17; Amos 5:16). Generally a meal was prepared for those attending the funeral after the entombment when they would eat the bread of mourners (cf. 2 Samuel 3:35; Hosea 9:4;Ezekiel 24:17; Ezekiel 24:24). We know that all those attending the funeral were not friends of Lazarus. Some had undoubtedly been sent there by the rulers of the Jews to see if Jesus would come from His hiding place at the death of His beloved friend. Others of the Jews, neither avowed enemies nor avowed friends of Jesus, may have been there out of mere curiosity. Knowing, however, our Lord's estimation of Lazarus, we believe the greater portion of those at the home of the sisters were there out of their respect for the deceased who was undoubtedly a man of compassion and good works. John's explanation for one of the causes for a great crowd was the relatively short distance (15 stadia) of Bethany from Jerusalemabout two miles.

Martha, upon hearing that Jesus was arriving, probably hurried to meet Him outside the village in order that she might speak to Him privately. Her first words were, If you had been here (or gotten here in time) my brother would not have died. Martha, knowing His past miracles of healing the sick, believed firmly in Jesus-' ability to heal her sick brotherif only He had been there before Lazarus had died.

The next statement, John 11:22, hints of her belief that even in the face of her brother's death Jesus will somehow rectify the situation. This short conversation of Martha with Jesus indicates that Martha had a beautiful, tenacious faith in Jesus as the Messiah. It had not yet blossomed into full trust in Him as the Resurrection and the Life and it was to this end that Jesus coaxed and fanned the flame of faith within her heart. She certainly recognized that God was working through Jesus. Martha may have been the one who was before cumbered about much serving, but she certainly maintained a strong belief in Jesus.

Watch now as Jesus seeks to lead Martha to a more perfect faith in His deity. It is as R. C. Foster says in his Syllabus, A good teacher does not work everything out for the pupil, but gives just enough help to stimulate the utmost intellectual effort. So with the Great Teacher. He began to give obscure replies to her, as to His disciples beyond the Jordan. It was ever thus that He sought to draw out and enlarge the faith of those whom He would help. So Jesus simply said, Your brother will rise again.

Martha quickly responded with her affirmation of belief in the final resurrection, John 11:24. There are some of the liberal schools of theology who maintain that the Jews in the Old Testament did not believe in the future life. Or, if they did, they received their beliefs of the future life from heathen philosophies. For an excellent refutation of this impossible theory we refer you to Bro. R. C. Foster's essay entitled, The Future Life. A few sample references from the Old Testament should suffice: 1 Kings 17:22; 2 Kings 4:35; 2 Kings 13:21; 2 Kings 2:11; Psalms 23:1-6; Isaiah 14:9; Isaiah 25:8; Isaiah 26:19; Isaiah 53:10-12; Isaiah 66:24; Daniel 12:2. Further, Hebrews, th chapter, teaches that the O. T. saints looked forward to heaven.

Jesus takes another step. He is slowly but firmly laying the groundwork for the stupendous miracle that will soon take place. His statement, I am the resurrection and the life, is one of the most significant and comprehensive statements He made, Here the Lord Jesus identifies Himself as the source of the resurrectioneven of life itself (cf. John 1:4; Colossians 1:16-17). Jesus is saying to Martha, in a veiled way, that even though her brother is physically dead he is alive. Death for the believer (physical death, which is the mere separation of the soul from the body) is the mere beginning of life that is life indeed (cf. Philippians 1:21-23; 2 Corinthians 5:1-8). Jesus claimed the same power months before at the Passover (John 5:19-29). Certainly He is the resurrection and life at the last daybut He is even now the granter of life to her brother because of her brother's belief in Him. This is what Jesus challenges Martha to believe by asking, Believest thou this?

We doubt that Martha fully understood the significance of Jesus-' claim (even as we do not fully understand it), but there can be little doubt as to her unreserved surrender to Jesus. To the challenge to simply trust Him she answers, Yes, Lord, I believe. Considering the state of mind Martha must have been in, this confession expresses a great faith. Further consider that the miracle of her brother's resurrection had not yet occurred. How her faith and love for Jesus must have increased after the miracle.

Quiz

1.

Why the mention of the fact that Lazarus had been dead four days?

2.

How may the many people at Martha's home be explained?

3.

What does John 11:22 hint concerning Martha's faith in Jesus?

4.

Why does Jesus make the obscure statement of John 11:23?

5.

Does the Old Testament teach a belief in the resurrection?

6.

What is the significance of the statement, I am the resurrection and the life?

7.

What of Martha's confession?