John 11:17-26
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On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
Jewish literature shows there was a belief among the Jews that, for three days after death, the soul of the deceased person “hovered” around the body seeking re-entry. On the fourth day when the color of the face has changed, the belief held that the body was decomposing and the spirit went away.
So for a visitor to stay on the fourth day was a breach of etiquette. Bruce Milne wrote, “Jesus deliberately withholds His assistance in time of need until the enemy He is confronting has assumed a fulness of authority and destructiveness. The greater the challenge, the greater the miracle, and the greater the strengthening of His followers’ faith as a result; and above all, the greater the glory accruing to His Father through it.
John 11:18-19
Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.
Why do you think that John points out the location of Bethany to Jerusalem?
Christ’s miracles in Galilee were more numerous
Christ’s miracles in or near Jerusalem were more illustrious: healed one that had been diseased for 38 years; one blind from birth; and now one that had been dead for 4 days
What was the condition that Jesus had last seen His friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus? Perhaps in great health and joy. Things change.
John 11:
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
We are able to learn more about the differences between Mary and Martha in
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Martha
Martha Mary
busy/active at the feet of Jesus
cared about the prep devoted
distracted contemplated
worried/upset
Here in 11:20, we see that Mary stayed. Martha was expecting Jesus’ arrival. She went to where Jesus was. She left tradition and religious ceremony to meet Jesus.
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.
Is this a rebuke for His tardiness?
Is it okay to be upset with Jesus? Or is just Martha stating that you could have taken care of this before you had been here?
Martha believed in the power of Jesus to have cured her brother. Martha affirms her faith in Jesus.
But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
She had a willing hope.
She doesn’t have full confidence in Jesus.
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Is Jesus trying to provide immediate comfort? Often we say in the time of death, “you will see your loved one again.”
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Martha identifies with the larger hope of Jesus.
and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.
This view is shared by the Pharisees but denied by the Saducees.
(The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.)
Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.
Martha does not understand what Jesus is saying here. Her statement indicates this. Does Martha’s tone imply the question: “But was good does this do to me now?”
Sometimes we get caught up in the here and now. Our present discontent sometimes outweighs our future hope.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26
This is the 5th of 7 “I am” statements Jesus makes in this book.
(6:35,48,51; 8:12; 10:7, 9; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5)
Notice that Jesus does not discourage nor dismay.
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.
In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;
A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he leads justice to victory.
Jesus diverts what will happen in the last to a belief that He personally will make it happen!
The claims made here:
Jesus Himself is the resurrection and Life
People that believe in Him will live when they die
People who live and believe in Him and never die
Jesus gives Life:
Materially - Life to water, making it wine
Spiritually - new life to Nicodemus; satisfying thirst to a Samaritan Woman
Physically - to a dying boy; to a paralyzed man; to a blind man
Abundant Life as a shepherd
Eternal Life as a Son
Resurrection is a truth to life. Christ is the Author of that return and of that life to which is a return.
Jesus is the Author of resurrection and life. Any who believe in Him receive with Him the power of the resurrection and overcomes death.
Jesus makes it personal: “Do you believe?”
2 Timothy
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Jesus brings the teachings of the Old Testament that were in the shadows into light. Once and for all, death is conquered.
