Truth Exposed 38 Faith vs Hopelessness, John 11:17-24. (365)

review

Mary and Martha are mentioned elsewhere in Luke 10:38-42. There is also a possible mention in Matthew 26:6-12 and Mark 14:3-9. Jesus was a friend who was frequently a guest in their home.

They sent for Jesus, and he was delayed. The Disciples were less than enthusiastic to return to the vicinity of Jerusalem, where the religious leaders wanted to kill them. Their attitude stemmed from misunderstanding the euphemism that Lazarus was asleep. If he’s asleep, he’ll get better, right?

Once Jesus was determined to go to Bethany, the disciples found the courage to face the danger.

John 11:17-24

Timeline:

• Messengers take 2 days to reach Jesus.
• Lazarus dies around this time.
• Jesus delays 2 days, then travels 2 days.
• Lazarus has been dead for 4 days.

Significance:

In Jewish, and other middle eastern traditions, a body is buried within 24 hours of dying. Jews allowed up to 3 days, to allow for a coma that may lift, resulting in the person reviving.

Bethany is about 20 miles from Jesus’ refuge in Perea, according to the Expositors Bible Commentary. This is the place he is reported to have gone in John 10, About a day’s travel away.

John 10:39-40
39 Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.
40 ¶And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there.

• Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary: They were part of A highly connected family in the Jewish elite,
• The Jews came to console them concerning their brother: They were well known and well-loved, having lots of families.
  With the crowd of family and friends,

Paid mourners were a common practice, but with the family and friends present, they might not have been hired. Regardless of whether paid mourners were present, grieving would go on for days.

The personality profiles of Martha and Mary match with that in Luke 10:38-42.

Luke 10:38-42
38 Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.
39 She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word.
40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations;
and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”
41 But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;
42 but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Martha: aggressive, worried, bothered, mature, logical, practical.

Mary: quiet, contemplative. Flighty, immature. Content to drop matters to be with Jesus.

Martha: A repressed faith. She was confident in Jesus but felt let down and Disappointed.

Mary: We don’t get to her response today, but she goes from being homebound with grief to racing to the master. Both sisters find comfort in Jesus, even if they don’t yet see the solution Jesus has in store for them.

Despite the disappointment, Martha holds onto faith. She’s confident that God has something good, and he would do it through Jesus whatever it may be.

Jesus tells her what he’ll do. Lazarus will be resurrected. Wait. Dead is dead, right? Is this just some kind of euphemism, a figure of speech to comfort the grieving?

Martha held the belief of the Pharisees, that there was a supernatural realm. She had a clear understanding of the teaching of the resurrection on the final day. Her understanding was in a general resurrection. She was confident Lazarus also believed the same since she planned on seeing him there.

Jesus is about to drop a bombshell.

He didn’t say: I’m in charge of resurrection, or I can orchestrate it. or I’m authorized to handle it. He said I am the resurrection. I am life. Let that sink in. He embodies those things.

Those who believe in him, even if the body dies, they live spiritually. But wait! There’s more!

Everyone. Not some. Not a few. Not the weak, or strong, or the humble, or the elite, or those who accomplish a heroic task. Everyone who lives and believes, these are the ones who live and never die.

The word of Jesus to Martha is also your question to answer.

• Do you believe in Jesus?
• Do you believe that as one of his believers, you will live and never die?
• Do you believe that even if your body dies, he can and will resurrect you?

A challenge to verse 26 is approached by the Big Book of Bible Difficulties. Elsewhere in the bible, it states that all people die. How can it be that Jesus claims that people will be raised? Hint: The word “elsewhere” is a red flag that this is a context issue. Listen in though for a fuller solution.

Martha’s answer was direct, “yes”. She was also emphatic in declaring her faith. She further defined her faith by calling him lord, messiah, son of God, and the one who was to come.

Sometimes life circumstances seem bleak and final. It appears that things are broken beyond repair. The light at the end of the tunnel looks like it just went out.

Faith is assurance that we can find comfort in an eternal future. But when Jesus himself enters the picture and offers an immediate solution, the glimmer of hope is rekindled.

For now, we stop with her response to Martha. Stay tuned for our next installment, as the focus shifts to Mary and her response.