Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
Martha affirmed her confidence that her brother would rise with the righteous in the final resurrection at the last day. She spoke in answer to Christ's promise that her brother would rise again, without understanding that He meant to raise Lazarus then and there. Christ used her answer to turn her faith from a distant event to Himself as the resurrection and the life, who has life in Himself and authority to conquer death and give eternal life. The raising of Lazarus that followed was a visible pledge that He will call all the righteous dead from their tombs to immortal life at His return. That final rising is not a return to mortal life as with Lazarus, but a restoration to everlasting life where sorrow and death are no more.
Martha's Faith and Setting
Martha's words were a confident affirmation that her brother Lazarus would rise in the general resurrection of the righteous, the resurrection of the just at the last day. She held unbroken faith in that future resurrection, but her faith looked to the future while missing the present meaning of what stood before her. The raising of Lazarus that was about to take place would be a representation of that general resurrection.
She spoke in answer to Jesus' promise that her brother would rise again, without comprehending its full meaning for the present and not seeing that He meant the immediate raising of Lazarus. His words, Thy brother shall rise again, were not meant to promise only an immediate change but were intended to carry her thoughts past the present restoration of her brother and fix them on that final resurrection. Jesus then used her answer to direct her thoughts to Himself and to strengthen her faith in His power as the resurrection and the life, the Author and source of resurrection and life. Though soon to die on the cross, He stands as conqueror of the grave with the keys of death, having power over death and the grave and right and power to give eternal life.
The saying belongs to the account at Bethany, where Jesus by divine wisdom delayed His visit, then called Lazarus's death sleep and raised him from the tomb. In His immediate presence disease was always rebuked, and He could not witness suffering, disease or death without combatting Satan's power and bringing relief. The death of Lazarus was permitted so that through his resurrection the last and crowning evidence might be given that Jesus is the Son of God. Lazarus had lain four days in the tomb with his body seeing corruption when Jesus called him forth, an act that filled his sisters with joy and showed Christ's power over death.
That raising was Christ's crowning miracle and convincing proof of His Messiahship and divinity, revealing the Father through Him and demonstrating His character as Saviour and Lifegiver. It had a powerful effect on minds, drawing a large and enthusiastic multitude to see Jesus and leading many to believe in Him. Yet even His mighty works could not win hearts hardened by prejudice and hatred, and those who had rejected the light remained hardened in unbelief despite the evidence, with the religious leaders who witnessed this evidence of His authority not recognizing Him. In the same account Jesus showed both power over death and deep care for those who grieve, restoring Lazarus to Mary and Martha and weeping at the grave in sympathy with the bereaved. Though strong to save the whole world, He wept also at the thought that He could not save everyone whom Satan's power had laid low in death.
In raising the dead to life He was just as certainly fulfilling His mission as the Pattern Man as when He toiled as a carpenter at Nazareth hiding His divine mission, when He trod the waves on the Sea of Galilee, and when He died on the cross as man's sacrifice to lift the whole race to a new and perfect life. When He raised Lazarus He knew He must pay the ransom for that life on the cross of Calvary, with every such rescue bringing Him deepest humiliation, for He was to taste death for every man. He gave Himself a ransom for many, even all who would avail themselves of coming back to loyalty to God, for whom the Father gave His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for sin and transgression, to lift the race to new life.
Last Day Resurrection Promise
The raising of Lazarus that was about to take place was a representation of the general resurrection of the righteous, and was meant to be seen as a pledge that all the righteous dead will be raised by the Saviour's power. The promise, Thy brother shall rise again, was not meant to speak only of an immediate change but to carry thought past the present restoration of the brother and fix it on that final resurrection. In this way the immediate raising would direct faith beyond the future event itself to Christ as its source, as the one having power over death and the grave and the right to give eternal life.
That resurrection at the last day is a resurrection to everlasting life with immortality, when Christ restores the life that was lost through sin. He has life in Himself to quicken whom He will and is invested with the right to give immortality, and the life He laid down in humanity He takes up again and gives to humanity. Those He raises are brought to be with Him where He is, to nevermore see death or experience sorrow, receiving life more abundantly as a well of water springing up into everlasting life. At His return His voice will call the dead in Christ from their tombs to glorious immortal life to remain with the Lord, the hope looked forward to with joy, as was shown when Lazarus was called from the tomb after four days by Christ's power to raise the dead.
The raisings of the widow of Nain's son, Jairus' daughter, and Lazarus were not that last-day resurrection but only a temporary return to mortal life. Those thus raised were not clothed with immortality and after their raising remained subject to death and decay. This is different from the saints brought forth from the grave at Christ's own resurrection, who were raised to everlasting life never more to see death or sorrow. The dead have no conscious experience to recount, for Lazarus when restored to life had nothing to tell about being dead, and his return to life testified instead to Christ's divine power.
Martha affirmed her confidence that her brother would rise with the righteous in the final resurrection at the last day. She spoke in answer to Christ's promise that her brother would rise again, without understanding that He meant to raise Lazarus then and there. Christ used her answer to turn her faith from a distant event to Himself as the resurrection and the life, who has life in Himself and authority to conquer death and give eternal life. The raising of Lazarus that followed was a visible pledge that He will call all the righteous dead from their tombs to immortal life at His return. That final rising is not a return to mortal life as with Lazarus, but a restoration to everlasting life where sorrow and death are no more.
Martha's Faith and Setting
Martha's words were a confident affirmation that her brother Lazarus would rise in the general resurrection of the righteous, the resurrection of the just at the last day. She held unbroken faith in that future resurrection, but her faith looked to the future while missing the present meaning of what stood before her. The raising of Lazarus that was about to take place would be a representation of that general resurrection.
She spoke in answer to Jesus' promise that her brother would rise again, without comprehending its full meaning for the present and not seeing that He meant the immediate raising of Lazarus. His words, Thy brother shall rise again, were not meant to promise only an immediate change but were intended to carry her thoughts past the present restoration of her brother and fix them on that final resurrection. Jesus then used her answer to direct her thoughts to Himself and to strengthen her faith in His power as the resurrection and the life, the Author and source of resurrection and life. Though soon to die on the cross, He stands as conqueror of the grave with the keys of death, having power over death and the grave and right and power to give eternal life.
The saying belongs to the account at Bethany, where Jesus by divine wisdom delayed His visit, then called Lazarus's death sleep and raised him from the tomb. In His immediate presence disease was always rebuked, and He could not witness suffering, disease or death without combatting Satan's power and bringing relief. The death of Lazarus was permitted so that through his resurrection the last and crowning evidence might be given that Jesus is the Son of God. Lazarus had lain four days in the tomb with his body seeing corruption when Jesus called him forth, an act that filled his sisters with joy and showed Christ's power over death.
That raising was Christ's crowning miracle and convincing proof of His Messiahship and divinity, revealing the Father through Him and demonstrating His character as Saviour and Lifegiver. It had a powerful effect on minds, drawing a large and enthusiastic multitude to see Jesus and leading many to believe in Him. Yet even His mighty works could not win hearts hardened by prejudice and hatred, and those who had rejected the light remained hardened in unbelief despite the evidence, with the religious leaders who witnessed this evidence of His authority not recognizing Him. In the same account Jesus showed both power over death and deep care for those who grieve, restoring Lazarus to Mary and Martha and weeping at the grave in sympathy with the bereaved. Though strong to save the whole world, He wept also at the thought that He could not save everyone whom Satan's power had laid low in death.
In raising the dead to life He was just as certainly fulfilling His mission as the Pattern Man as when He toiled as a carpenter at Nazareth hiding His divine mission, when He trod the waves on the Sea of Galilee, and when He died on the cross as man's sacrifice to lift the whole race to a new and perfect life. When He raised Lazarus He knew He must pay the ransom for that life on the cross of Calvary, with every such rescue bringing Him deepest humiliation, for He was to taste death for every man. He gave Himself a ransom for many, even all who would avail themselves of coming back to loyalty to God, for whom the Father gave His only begotten Son as a sacrifice for sin and transgression, to lift the race to new life.
Last Day Resurrection Promise
The raising of Lazarus that was about to take place was a representation of the general resurrection of the righteous, and was meant to be seen as a pledge that all the righteous dead will be raised by the Saviour's power. The promise, Thy brother shall rise again, was not meant to speak only of an immediate change but to carry thought past the present restoration of the brother and fix it on that final resurrection. In this way the immediate raising would direct faith beyond the future event itself to Christ as its source, as the one having power over death and the grave and the right to give eternal life.
That resurrection at the last day is a resurrection to everlasting life with immortality, when Christ restores the life that was lost through sin. He has life in Himself to quicken whom He will and is invested with the right to give immortality, and the life He laid down in humanity He takes up again and gives to humanity. Those He raises are brought to be with Him where He is, to nevermore see death or experience sorrow, receiving life more abundantly as a well of water springing up into everlasting life. At His return His voice will call the dead in Christ from their tombs to glorious immortal life to remain with the Lord, the hope looked forward to with joy, as was shown when Lazarus was called from the tomb after four days by Christ's power to raise the dead.
The raisings of the widow of Nain's son, Jairus' daughter, and Lazarus were not that last-day resurrection but only a temporary return to mortal life. Those thus raised were not clothed with immortality and after their raising remained subject to death and decay. This is different from the saints brought forth from the grave at Christ's own resurrection, who were raised to everlasting life never more to see death or sorrow. The dead have no conscious experience to recount, for Lazarus when restored to life had nothing to tell about being dead, and his return to life testified instead to Christ's divine power.