Martha, Martha! … Growing In Her Faith
Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1-44; John 12:2
By Patsy Norwood © 2024 All Rights
Reserved!
Lesson 6
In lesson 5 the take-a-way was that once Jesus learned of
Lazarus’ apparently serious sickness, He stayed put and didn’t rush to his
side.
We talked about some possible conclusions we could draw and
left them there for us to ponder.
This week we pick back up with verse 7 in the 11th chapter of John, where Jesus, basically says, “it’s time, let’s go!”
Verse 7 … Then after this He said to the disciples, “let us
go to Judea again.”
“After this” refers to the 2 days
Jesus delayed.
Judea in this verse is the Jerusalem
area. Remember Lazarus lives in Bethany some 2 miles outside of
Jerusalem.
Verse 8 … The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were
just now seeking to stone You, and are You going there again?”
Jesus’ disciples are astonished that He would consider
going back to the Jerusalem area. They try to dissuade Him by
reminding Him that the Jews are, even at that time, seeking Him to stone Him.
Verses 9 – 10 are Jesus’
response. Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the
day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he
sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he
stumbles, because the light is not in him”
The 12 hours in the day analogy represents our life as a
whole, here’s what Coffman’s commentary has to say …
“Twelve hours in a day …” This means that the
days of life will be continued sufficiently for life’s work. Jesus’
enemies could not murder Him till the hour arrived for his death, an hour
appointed by the Father.
Henry commentary stated it this way … Man’s life is
a day …. The consideration of this should make us not only very busy, as to the
work of life, but also very easy as the perils of life; our day shall be
lengthened out till our work is done, and our testimony finished.
Barnes commentary put this meaning on these verses … Jesus
meant to say that there was an allotted or appointed time for him to live and
do His Father’s will, represented here by the 12 hours of the day.
Looking at all three commentaries, it seems Jesus is simply
saying … ‘My hour has not yet come, My purpose is not yet fulfilled, I must be
about My Father’s business.’
There’s a lesson in that for us, isn’t
there? Jesus was not going to allow fear to stop Him from doing what
He had come to do … His Father’s business!
Verse 11 … This He said, and after that He said to them,
“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out
of sleep.”
Jesus changes the subject and announces it's time to go to
Lazarus by saying, “our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go,
so that I may awaken him out of sleep.”
We see that Jesus is determined to go, the time is right,
the time is now, and nothing will stop Him, not even the threat of Him being
killed.
Verses 12 – 13 … The disciples then said to Him, “lord, if
he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his
death, but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep.
The disciples weren't successful in changing Jesus' mind,
so they tried another tactic ... reasoning … via their way of thinking.
It’s clear the disciples think Lazarus is sleeping as a
result of his illness; often when one has been ill, the body needs extra sleep
as part of recovery. It seems that’s the conclusion the disciples
have arrived at and no longer consider it necessary for Jesus to go to Lazarus.
Verse 14 … So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus is
dead,
Jesus’ statement cleared up any confusion they may have
had, didn’t it?
Verse 15 … and I am glad for your sakes that I was not
there, so that you may believe; but let us go to him.”
And here is the reason for Jesus’ delay! Jesus
was trying to fortify their (and others) belief and faith in Him as the
promised Messiah!
Verse 16 … Therefore Thomas, who is called Didymus, said to
his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, so that we may die with Him.”
Thomas seemly resigns himself to what he thinks the facts
are … if Jesus goes back, He will be killed, and they might as well go back
with Him and be killed too.
O ye of little faith!
Thomas was looking through faithless eyes when he should
have been looking through eyes of faith.
Jesus knew their faith was young and immature, He knew they
needed to witness what was about to happen. It would be
faith-strengthening to them and to others. In fact, others would
become believers because of it!
Are there times when our faith is immature and weak; I know
there are for me. I’m so glad we have God’s Word to strengthen us
when doubts creep in. Through the studying of God’s Word, we get to know the
Godhead and we get to see It moving and acting.
Studying God’s Word for ourselves is faith building!
Praying is faith building!
Fellowshipping with other faithful Christians is faith
building!
This week’s lesson wasn’t necessarily about Martha, but it
contains vital information that helps us better understand where we find Martha
next.
In our next lesson, Jesus arrives in Bethany ...
I hope you enjoyed today's lesson. Don't forget
to leave a comment and if you're enjoying this study, please share the link
with other ladies who you think might enjoy it as well.
Until the next class …
patsy @ From This Heart of Mine
Sources used for this study:
Various translations of the Holy Bible
Various commentaries
Dictionary of New Testament Background, Editors: Craig A
Evans & Stanley E. Porter
Archaeological Study Bible
All the Women of the Bible by Edith Deen
Daughters of Eve by Lottie Beth Hobbs
Halley’s Bible Handbook by H. H. Halley
