John 11:17-27

¹⁷So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.

 ¹⁸Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off;

 ¹⁹and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them concerning their brother.

 ²⁰Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house.

 ²¹Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

 ²²“Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

 ²³Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

 ²⁴Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.”

 ²⁵Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,

 ²⁶and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

 ²⁷She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.”

In addition to family and friends (v. 19), there were probably professional mourners (Mark 5:38) according to rabbinical law.

Martha, consistent with her temperament (v. 20), rushed out to meet Jesus. Mary, consistent with hers, sat still.

Martha’s words (v. 21) show faith, disappointment, and a touch of reproach (or at least evidence that she underestimated His power), but she knew. Like Abraham in Romans 4:18.

God will give You (v. 22) Martha considered Jesus to have little more power than a prophet.

Martha looked to an event (v. 24), the resurrection. Jesus told her to look to Him, a person. He is the resurrection.

will never die (v. 26) — won’t experience the death that lasts forever. For the believer, eternal life is now.

I have believed (v. 27) = I have believed and continue to believe. She didn’t fully believe. (See John 11:39).

The greatest evidence that Jesus was who He said He was took place two miles from Jerusalem. The Jewish leaders had no excuse for their unbelief. The delay enabled a crowd to gather to witness Jesus’ miracle.