Exposition of John, Chapter 11 · Verse 26
Verſe 39. Jeſus ſaid, Take ye away the ſtone. Martha the ſister of him that was dead, ſaith unto him, Lord, by this time he ſtinketh: for he had been dead foure dayes.
40. Jeſus ſaith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that if thou wouldeſt beleeve, thou ſhouldeſt ſee the glory of God?
In theſe verſes, we have the firſt thing which occurred at the grave; to wit, a reproofe of Martha's fit of unbelief, when Chriſt begins to prepare for the miracle. He commanding to remove the ſtone, her unbelief objects that it was needleſſe, ſeeing he was ſo long dead, and it would raiſe a noiſome ſmell now to open his grave, ver. 39. And he reproves this her unbelief, as being very odious, ſince he had given her a promiſe, that upon her beleeving, ſhe ſhould ſee the glory of God manifeſted in this miracle, ver. 40. Albeit we finde not theſe expreſſe words mentioned by Chriſt, yet if we compare his general encouragement, ver. 4. with the doctrine he required her to beleeve, ver. 23, 25, 26. we will finde the ſame in ſubſtance.
From ver. 39. Learn, 1. Whatever haſte Chriſt make, to releeve his needy people. Yet he will ſo order his working, as to take leiſure to decipher the hidden unbelief that is in the hearts of any of his; Therefore, when he cometh to the grave, he doth not at firſt raiſe the dead man, but takes time to have the ſtone taken away, that ſo Martha (who very probably expected a very ſuddain miracle, or none at all) ſeeing him employ no divine power, but only the help of men, to take away the ſtone, that he may look on a ſtinking body; may diſcover the unbelief of her heart. 2. Chriſts miracles were ſuch, and ſo clear, as all beholders might be witneſſes of the truth of them, and that there was no juggling in the matter; Therefore, he who could have put away the ſtone, commands them, Take ye away the ſtone, to prevent all ſuſpition of colluſion or fraud in this matter. 3. Albeit the Lords people may expect wonderful proofes of his power and love, in their need, in ſo far as is for their good; Yet in any diſtreſſe, we are not to expect that, where ordinary means may availe, Chriſt will work wonders and miracles for us; Therefore, albeit he who could raiſe the dead, could have alſo removed the ſtone, yet, ſaith he to ſome about, Take ye away the ſtone; For that was a work which men could do, and therefore he will not appear in it; whereas none could raiſe the dead but himſelfe. 4. When Chriſt is about to do good unto and for his people, they are ready to obſtruct their own mercy by unbelief; as Martha's example doth teach. 5. In times of great ſtrait, Saints may expect to have frequent and ſore toſſings, and that after their faith is ſettled, they may yet be ſhaken of new; for, Martha, whom Chriſt had brought to beleeve after her doubtings, doth now begin to doubt again. 6. Saints who have had their confidence fixed, when impediments are at a diſtance, may yet be in hazard of ſtaggering, when it comes to the puſh, and faith is to grapple with theſe impediments; for, Martha, who cloſed her debate with Chriſt by beleeving, doth now doubt again, when the miracle comes to be done, and the grave to be opened. 7. It is a great impediment unto faith, and the exerciſe thereof, when either new impediments, not foreſeen, do come in, and make a new battel; or when carnal reaſon bears ſway in the heart, and judgeth of all things according to its diſcerning; for, both of theſe concurre here in her doubting; She had not thought, in her former conference, of this impediment, and her reaſon ſuggeſts that it was to no purpoſe to meddle with a man who ſtinketh in the grave. 8. When the Lord is bringing the difficulties of his people neareſt an end, he may then give unto them moſt humbling diſcoveries of their own unbelief and diſtruſt ever to ſee an iſſue; that ſo he alone may have the glory of bringing it about; for, immediately before the miracle is wrought, Martha's unbelief doubts if ever it ſhall be. 9. Such is the frailty and lothſomneſſe of mens bodies, that however they have beauty and vigour while the ſoul poſſeſſeth and acteth them; Yet a few dayes ſeparation of the ſoul by death will alter them ſo, that deareſt friends cannot endure them; Therefore, ſaith ſhe, By this time he ſtinketh, and that albeit he hath been dead but foure daies.
From ver. 40. Learn, 1. God doth ſo order the affairs and conditions of his people, as his glory may be manifeſted in and about them, and this is his chiefe aime and end in all he doth; Therefore doth he deſcribe the miracle from this, as his chiefe end in it, that it is a manifeſtation of the glory of God. 2. It is the duty of the Lords people, to be more affected with the glory of God ſhining in his works, then with any particular advantage redounds to them thereby; Therefore, alſo, doth he hold out the glory of God, to be ſeen in this miracle, as rather to be taken notice of by her, then the raiſing up of her brother. 3. It may encourage Gods people to expect the performance of his promiſe, how impoſſible ſo ever it ſeem, that by ſo doing, he will not only do them good, but will get occaſion of ſetting forth his own glory, and that his glory is engaged to do them good; for, this, further is imported in this deſignation of the miracle, as a manifeſtation of the glory of God, that ſince his glory is engaged, ſhe needs not be ſo anxious. 4. The way preſcribed by God, wherein Saints may meet with experimental manifeſtations of his glory, for their good and comfort, is, firſt to give him glory by beleeving him and his Word, the want whereof doth juſtly provoke him not to let forth himſelfe; for, if thou wouldeſt beleeve, thou ſhould ſee the glory of God. See Mark. 6 6. Matth. 13.58. Luk. 1.20, 45. Joh. 1.50. 5. Albeit faith for preſent have many diſadvantages to grapple with, yet the ſweet fruits that will follow upon beleeving, may invite us to beleeve that we may partake of them; for, albeit now the ſtinking body of her brother do marre her faith, yet it pleads ſtrongly for faith, that if in that caſe ſhe will hazard to beleeve, her beleeving ſhall lead her to ſee the glory of God. 6. Faiths ground, whereupon it may thus hazard, and expect this fair fruit, is Gods Word, and not carnal reaſon; for, I ſaid unto thee, and therefore thou ſhould beleeve to ſee. 7. Where God hath paſt his word, and it is not credited, there is …uſt ground of ſharp rebuke and chalenge; Therefore, ſaith he, Said not I unto thee, if thou wouldeſt beleeve, thou ſhouldeſt ſee? See Numb. 23.19. 8. Albeit unbelief go masked, oft-times, under a fair ſhew of humility, or the like commendable diſpoſition; Yet, in Chriſts account, it is an evil not to be tolerated, but ſharply reproved, and an evil that would be quickly removed, that it get not leave to take root; Therefore doth he ſo ſharply and ſo ſpeedily rebuke it.