Mary and Martha (11:17–40) - part 1 of 2

Mary and Martha (11:17–40)

Jesus cared about Mary and Martha's faith (John 11:26, 40) as well as His own followers'. Every instance of suffering and adversity should enhance our faith; however, this form of spiritual development is not automatic. We need to respond well to the work of the Word and the Spirit of God. John 11:4 says that Jesus had sent a promise to the two sisters. Now He would find out how they had received it.

Luke 10:38–42 shows that Mary and Martha were completely unique people. Martha was the one who did things and was busy, while Mary was the one who thought about things and sat at Jesus' feet to hear what He had to say. Jesus did not criticize Martha's work, but He did tell her that she was "torn apart" by too many things. She had to set priorities and focus her activities on things that God would like. We need to have a balanced life.

We would expect Martha to run out to meet Jesus while Mary stayed inside, crying with her friends. Mary repeated Martha's greeting later on. It is likely that the sisters said these words to each other a lot while they waited for Jesus to come (John 11:32). The statement may have shown disappointment, but it also demonstrated faith, since no one ever died in Jesus Christ's presence. "If" is a big word! How pointless it is to contemplate what could have happened if things had been different.

Martha quickly said that she believed in Jesus Christ (John 11:22), and Jesus answered her faith by promising that her brother would rise again. He was thinking about the present, but she thought His words meant the future resurrection on the last day (Dan. 12:2–3; John 5:28–29). In John's gospel, this passage is another example of people misunderstanding Jesus because they were not spiritually perceptive.

The fifth "I am" statement is what our Lord said. Jesus did not say that Martha was wrong about the resurrection in the future. The resurrection of the human body is a fundamental tenet of orthodox Judaism. But when our Lord said "I am," He entirely changed the doctrine of the resurrection, which gave Martha immense comfort. He first brought the idea of the resurrection out of the dark and into the light.

The Old Testament's revelation about death and resurrection is not clear or complete; it is, as it were, “in the shadows.” Some parts of Psalms and Ecclesiastes make it seem like death is the end and there is no hope after it. False teachers like to use these verses to back up their incorrect teachings, but they don't pay attention to (or misinterpret) the clear teachings in the New Testament. Jesus Christ, not David or Solomon, "brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2 Tim. 1:10).

Jesus clearly taught the resurrection of the human body through His teachings, miracles, and His own resurrection. He has emphasized that death is real, that there is life after death, and that God will one day raise the body.

He changed this teaching in a second way: He took it out of a book and put it into a person, Himself. "I am the resurrection and the life" (John 11:25)! We thank God for the Bible's teachings (Martha only had the Old Testament), but we know Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, saves us, not a book. We don't have to be afraid of death's shadow when we know Him by faith.

When you're sick, you don't want a medical book or a formula; you want a doctor. When someone is suing you, you need a lawyer, not a law book. When you face your last enemy, death, you want the Savior, not a book of rules. Every doctrine becomes personal in Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:30). You have everything you need in life, death, time, and eternity when you belong to Him!