Exposition of John, Chapter 11 · Verse 14 – Verse 16
Ver 21. Then ſaid Martha unto Jeſus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not dyed.
22. But I know, that even now whatſoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
In the next place, we have Martha's ſalutation and diſcourſe to Chriſt at meeting; wherein. 1. Her paſſion breaks out in an indirect challenge (ver. 21.) that his preſence might have prevented her brothers death, and therefore regrates that he came not in time. And in this her weakneſſe appears, not only in her indirect challenge; But partly, in her preſumption, beleeving that for which ſhe had no ground. For upon what ground could ſhe know, but Chriſt might have been there, and yet her brother have died, ſeeing there was no promiſe to the contrary? And partly, in her limiting of Chriſts power to his bodily preſence, as if he could not have prevented his death, if he had pleaſed, though he had not been there. 2. After her paſſion hath broken out, ſhe ſettles a little, and corrects it with a profeſſion of her faith, that Chriſt, if he pleaſed, could yet amend all, ver. 22. Though in this alſo her faith came ſhort in, that ſhe beleeves not Chriſt can do this by his own power, but only as an inſtrument employing God, or obtaining power of God to do it, as was the way of men of God in former times.
From ver. 21. Learn, 1. The dear children of God have ſo much weakneſſe and corruption, as to flee …ut againſt Chriſts way of dealing towards them, when they are in trouble; for, ſo much doth this indirect challenge teach. 2. Albeit Saints may have much ſubmiſſion at their engaging in a trial, yet they may be ready to ſtagger, if Chriſt put them to it, to give a real proofe of that ſubmiſſion; for, albeit their meſſage to Chirſt ver. 3. ſpoke much ſubmiſſion, and a referring of all to his will; yet here the declares that the cannot digeſt that it hath pleaſed him to let her brother die. 3. It is not eaſie for Saints to take up Chriſt, and faſten their faith upon him aright; And in particular, it is ſometime their fault, that they give more credit to the preſumptuous drams of their own hearts, for which they have no warrant, then to what Chriſt reveals of himſelfe; for, ſhe ſtrongly aſſerts if thou hadſt been here, my brother had not died, for which ſhe had no ground at all. And, generally, it is the fault of men, that in the point of truſt and diffidence, they make a Bible of their own thoughts, apprehenſions, and fears, without regarding what the Scripture ſaith. 4. It is alſo the fault of Saints, that in beleeving Chriſts power and good will to do for them, they yet limit him to their own conceived way of working, out of which they do not expect any thing from him: And particularly, it is their great fault to limit his effi…acy and power to his bodily preſence; for herein alſo ſhe failed, never expecting the preſervation of her brothers life, unleſſe Chriſt had been there, whereas he could have done it at never ſo great a diſtance.
From ver. 22. Learn, 1. Paſſion, when it is a tentation in Saints, is haſty, and firſt out, and takes the ſtart of their better reſolutions; for, here it hath broken firſt out, whereas ſhe hath better ſtuffe within, here produced. And therefore, as we are in ſtraits, to ſuſpect that which poſtes firſt to the doore, to get out; Pſal. 116. 11. and 31, 22. So Saints paſſions, though they ought not to be juſtified, yet they ought not to be too narrowly examined and cenſured, as being but a violent tentation, treading upon grace for a ſeaſon. 2. It is ſinful in any, and particularly unſeemly in a childe of God, to perſiſt in his paſſion, when it hath burſt forth; but he ought to revoke and correct it by faith: As here Martha ſubjoynes a correction to the former expreſſions. 3. There is nothing can fall out, nor can the child of Gods condition come to ſuch an height, nor can the fruits of delayes and diſappointments be ſo deſperate and deadly but faith will ſee that it may all be yet amended and made up againe, Therefore, albeit it was a ſore daſh that Chriſt came not till he was dead, yet ſaith ſhe, I know that even now, all may be well enough. 4. It may exceedingly encourage Saints to beleeve, when they conſider that Gods power is not limited, and that the Interceſſour, whom they employ, will not be refuſed in any thing he craves: for, on this doth ſhe build; I know that whatſoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee, 5. Faith, even when it goeth very far on in giving glory unto Chriſt, doth yet ordinarily come far ſhort of what is his due; and when faith ſleeth a very high pitch, it may yet be full of weakneſſe; for, ſo was it in her faith, and her correcting of her former diſtemper. She beleeves only if he ask, God will give; whereas, albeit indeed as Mediatour and man, he did employ the Father by prayer, of which we will hear, ver. 41, 42. Yet as God, he wrought miracles by his own power, communicate with his eſſence from the Father, by eternal generation.
Ver. 23. Jeſus ſaith unto her, Thy brother ſhall riſe againe.
In the third place, we have Chriſts meek anſwer to her diſcourſe; Wherein paſſing over her infirmitie, he comforts her with a promiſe, that her brother ſhall riſe again. Whence learn. 1. Great are the conſolations which God hath laid up for his afflicted people; and he will do great things for them, in ſo far as he ſeeth good; for, ſo much doth this wonderful promiſe, given for Martha's comfort, import. 2. It is a ſatisfactory and proper conſolation againſt the death of theſe we love, to beleeve a reſurrection, wherein they ſhall be reſtored again; for, by this doth Chriſt comfort her, Thy brother ſhall riſe again. 3. Chriſt doth propound this promiſe only in general tearmes, He ſhall riſe again, not mentioning the time when it ſhould be: And this he doth, partly, to ſhew that however he was to raiſe her brother preſently; yet the very general promiſe of a general reſurrection, is full of comfort, 1 Theſ 4.13, 14, &c. And therefore he propounds her encouragement in theſe tearmes, left any ſhould ſtumble, who have no warrand to expect ſuch a particular favour. Partly, he doth it, for the exerciſe of her faith, and to let ſee, in her practice, how far ſhort our expectations may be of what Chriſt will do for his people; (ſhee looks for reſurrection at the laſt day, he is to raiſe her brother preſently) And partly, that he may let in her conſolation by degrees into her narrow mouthed veſſel; For as Saints may be allowed to beleeve and expect a mercy, when yet they cannot reſolve every particular circumſtance, how, or when, or by what means it ſhall come to paſſe, Eſther 4.14. ſo they are ſo ſhallow, as they can take in mercies but here a little, and there a little.
Ver. 24. Martha ſaith unto him, I know that he ſhall riſe againe in the reſurrection at the laſt day.
In the fourth place, we have Martha's exception upon this promiſe and offered comfort; Wherein, albeit ſhe profeſſe faith of a general reſurrection and judgement; yet ſhe ſeems to look on that as not ſufficient for her encouragement, ſeeing it is common to all, and but far off. Whence learn, 1. It ought to be out of all contraverſie among Chriſtians, that there will be a day of judgement at the cloſe of time, and a general reſurrection of all the dead, for that end; for, Martha beleeves this, though the Paedagogy of the law was not yet expired, I know that he ſhall riſe again in the reſurrection, at the laſt day. 2. Such is the weakneſſe of men, and their doating on their particular ſatisfaction, that they are ready to ſleight all the mercies and conſolations of God, unleſſe they get that which they account a mercy; Therefore, albeit the general reſurrection be no ſmall comfort, and the reſurrection of the juſt be far better, then to be reſtored again to the toiles of this life; Yet ſhe undervalues all that, in compariſon of her getting again her brother preſently. 3. It is no ſtrange thing, to ſee men beleeving great things that are far off, and about which they have no preſent exerciſe, when yet their faith proves weak in the matter of their preſent trial, even albeit it be leſſe difficult then that which they profeſſe to beleeve; for, ſhe can beleeve the reſurrection of all men, and of him among the reſt, at the laſt day; when yet ſhe ſtaggers at the matter of his being raiſed preſently, and yet the one is as difficult as the other, and more difficult alſo.