The Family at Bethany

GOLDEN TEXT: “She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” —John 11:27

LUKE 10:38-42

THE introduction Luke gives us to the family at Bethany, so beloved by Jesus, presents Martha in the role of hostess and Mary as the meditative listener to the gracious words which fell from the lips of her Master; while Lazarus, the brother, is not mentioned. It was Martha who “received” Jesus into the home, and on the occasion of Jesus’ last visit to this home, only a few days before he was crucified, it was Martha who served.—John 12:2

The fact that it was Martha who “received” Jesus speaks very highly for her loyalty and courage, as well as her appreciation of Jesus and his ministry. By consulting Acts 17:7 and James 2:25 we get the thought that the act of receiving the Lord’s representatives into one’s home was, in biblical times, one of valor, especially, as in the case of Jesus, when they were not held in high esteem by the people generally.

We believe that Martha and Mary both loved equally well, although, because of different temperaments, each displayed her appreciation in a different manner. Since it was Martha who “received” him, she felt it her duty to make adequate provision for his temporal needs; and she was concerned in this direction. She evidently felt that her sister should be similarly concerned, so she wanted Jesus to remind Mary of her obligation in this respect.

But Jesus appreciated Mary’s interest in his message, an interest so absorbing that for the time being it caused her to neglect his possible material needs. While he no doubt greatly appreciated Martha’s service, he indicated that the message he had for them was more important than the food she was preparing for him. “One thing is needful,” he said, “and Mary hath chosen that good part.” See Psalm 16:5.

On another occasion Jesus said, “Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life.” (John 6:27) It was this “meat” which Jesus was desirous of imparting to the family in Bethany, and which concerned him more than an elaborate meal.

Some have distorted the meaning of this lesson by attempting to contrast the importance of Bible study, prayer, and meditation with serving the truth to others. This is not involved in the incident at all. The contrast is between receiving spiritual blessings and serving along material lines; and even then, the preparing and serving of necessary temporal food is not condemned. It is just that Jesus used an appropriate opportunity to emphasize the importance of our spiritual interests as against our temporal needs.

JOHN 11:1-5; 24-27

IT IS in this narrative that we learn of Lazarus, the brother of Martha and Mary. The Scriptures give us no information concerning him except that he became ill, died, was raised from the dead by Jesus, and later sat at a feast prepared by Martha, at which Jesus was the honored guest. Evidently he was a quiet sort of man who had little to say, although a noble character. (John 11:35,36) In fact, we have the statement in verse 5 that Jesus “loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.” It is noteworthy, we think, that Martha should be the first one named as being loved by Jesus. Her ardent desire to serve must have been greatly appreciated by him.

When Lazarus became ill, Jesus was some distance from Bethany, so the two sisters sent word to him about it. They did not request him to come and heal their brother. They knew of his love for the family and probably reasoned that he would hurry to their home to render aid without being specially asked to do so. They were right, although Jesus’ manner of helping was not what they had in mind.

After receiving this information Jesus waited for two days, and then he announced to his disciples, “Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.” (vs. 11) The disciples, knowing that Lazarus had been ill, thought it would be a mistake to awaken him. A restful sleep, they concluded, would be good for him. It would help to speed his recovery. But they had not understood what Jesus meant; and then he “said unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.”—vs. 14

Thus, in this interesting story, we have brought to our attention one of the very important truths of the Bible as it relates to the state of the dead, that death is like a sleep from which there is to be an awakening. Ordinarily this would not be true of death, for it is a state of nonexistence. However, because through Christ a provision has been made for the resurrection of the dead, the Scriptures refer to those in death as though they were merely asleep.

There are two characteristics of sleep which are true of death. (1) Each is a condition of unconsciousness, and (2) in each case there is to be an awakening. “The dead know not anything,” the prophet tells us; and those who “sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.”—Ecclesiastes 9:5; Dan. 12:2

When Jesus arrived in Bethany and was nearing the home of the family which he so greatly loved, Martha came out to meet him. Of the two sisters, Martha was evidently the alert, energetic one who in most circumstances took the lead. Their close acquaintance with the Master is evidenced by her gentle rebuke, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” (vs. 21) However, she had great faith and expressed her confidence that even though Lazarus was dead it was still not too late. She said, “I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.”—vs. 22

Jesus said to Martha, “Thy brother shall rise again.” (vs. 23) Then Martha replied, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” (vs. 24) We have here an example of oriental indirectness, for apparently Martha was endeavoring by this statement to find out from Jesus whether his promise that her brother would rise again was a reference to the general resurrection which she knew would take place in the “last day,” or whether it signified his intention of awakening him from the sleep of death at that time.

Jesus’ reply to Martha was also indirect. He said to her, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” Jesus did not say that he intended to awaken Lazarus then, but since Martha had referred to the time when all the dead would be awakened, he reminded her that he was the One who would be instrumental, by divine arrangement, in accomplishing that great boon for humanity in the “last day,” and then asked if she believed this.

In the words of our Golden Text, Martha replied, affirming her confidence that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” Martha may have been “cumbered with much serving,” but she had obtained a clear grasp of the fact that Jesus was the promised Messiah, and understood the great work which he was to accomplish on behalf of the world of mankind. Besides, she had faith in God’s promises. Evidently she had been able to serve and to learn at the same time.

When Martha first met Jesus as he returned to the stricken home, she declared her confidence that even though Lazarus had died it was not too late for him to do something. And in our Golden Text she also affirms her faith in Jesus as being the Messiah who had come to restore the dead. But when he asked that the stone be rolled away from the tomb she said, “Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.”—vs. 39

This may have been simply a word of caution as to what could be expected if the tomb were opened, but it seems also to have in it a semblance of doubt. Seemingly, when Martha was thus confronted with reality, she wondered if it might not be too late for the Master to do anything. This is suggested by Jesus’ reply, “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?”—vs. 40

And they did see the glory of God manifested in the awakening of Lazarus from the sleep of death. They also saw a demonstration of what it will mean when in the “last day” “all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.” (John 5:28,29) The “last day” is simply the last great epoch in the divine plan for human recovery from sin and death. Beyond that will be endless ages of joy and blessing for the restored world of mankind, when the love of God and of Christ for the entire human family shall have been manifested in just as real a manner as the Master’s love for the family at Bethany was shown by the awakening of Lazarus.

And just as the glory of God was revealed to those who witnessed that miracle in Bethany, so it will be caused to fill the whole earth as the waters cover the sea, by the “restitution of all things,” spoken by the “mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.”—Acts 3:19-21

QUESTIONS

What important lesson is emphasized in Luke’s account of Jesus’ visit to the home of Martha and Mary?

In what ways is natural sleep illustrative of death?

How did Martha know about “the resurrection in the last day”?

What did Martha mean by the “last day,” and how will the glory of God then be revealed?

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