We often think of the sisters Mary and Martha together, and usually we think of the story in Luke 10:38-42 where Mary is sitting and learning and Jesus’ feet, while Martha is frustrated with preparations. Here, in John Chapter 11, it is Martha who runs out to Jesus, while Mary stays at home. This may be for practical reasons of greeting mourners, but it allows us to focus on Martha.
Martha is distressed that her brother Lazarus has died, but in v24 states that she believes he will rise again on the last day. Jesus challenges this belief and says he is the resurrection and the life, and whoever believes this will have eternal life. Martha hears this and believes it to be true in the midst of her grief at the loss of her brother. She makes one of the boldest confessions about who Jesus is found in John’s gospel:
‘I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.’ John 11 :27 [NIV]
As resurrection people we can boldly proclaim as Martha does even when we are in the midst of sorrow and grief. The Jews believed in a resurrection at the end of all things, but could not comprehend that one person would be resurrected in the middle of history when there was still so much pain and suffering in the world. The resurrection of Jesus happens in the middle of history precisely because it is to be the way we view the world. Tom Wright says that the message of the resurrection is ‘that this world matters…that the injustices and pains of this present world must now be addressed with the news that healing, justice and love have won.’ This is the power of the resurrection which we carry with us each day.
Emma Higgins
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