John 11:20

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(20) Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming . . .—This is partly to be explained from the position in which they stood towards Him, and partly from the fact of the presence of the Jews at the house. She goes forth to meet Him in a place where she can speak her heart’s thoughts, apart from the oppressive ceremonial of the formal lamentation, and where He would not be exposed to a renewal of the attempts against His life.

But Mary sat still in the house.—Better, without the word in italics, but Mary was sitting in the house. The characteristics of the two sisters, which we find in Luke 10:38 (see Note there), are strikingly preserved in this narrative. The clause describes precisely the position of the mourner, who sat on or near the ground, while those who came to lament with her sat around. (Comp. Job 2:13-13.)

Benson Commentary

John 11:20-22. Then Martha, &c. — Jesus was no sooner come into the neighbourhood, but presently the news of his approach was brought to the afflicted family, that had so long impatiently desired to see him. Martha, therefore, immediately went out; and, being told what way he was coming, soon met him: but Mary sat still in the house — Probably not hearing of his coming: for Martha, overjoyed at the news of his approach, did not take time to tell her sister of it, but went out in all haste. Her intention, no doubt, was to welcome him; but being in an excess of grief, the first thing she uttered was a complaint that he had not come sooner, saying, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died — In which words she shows both the strength and weakness of her faith. 1st, The strength of it, in that she believed Christ’s power was such, that though her brother’s sickness was very grievous, yet he could have cured it, and so have prevented his death; and that his goodness was such, that if he had been present, and seen Lazarus in his extreme illness, and his dear relations all in tears about him, he would have had compassion, and have prevented so sad a breach upon the peace and comfort of the family. 2d, Her words show also the weakness of her faith; for she limits the power of Christ in saying, If thou hadst been here; whereas she ought to have known that Christ could cure at a distance, and that his gracious operations were not confined to his bodily presence. She reflects likewise on the wisdom and kindness of Christ, because he had not hastened to them when they sent for him, intimating that by delaying to come, she thought he had neglected to save her brother’s life. She, however, corrects and comforts herself with the consideration of the prevailing interest which Christ had in heaven, adding, But I know that even now — Though he be dead; whatsoever thou wilt ask of God — Whatsoever thou shalt think proper to ask; God will give it thee — Will assuredly grant thy request, how great soever the favour may be which thou askest: thus intimating, that she believed his prayer might yet restore her brother to life. She has not courage, however, to ask Jesus that he would pray to his Father for such an extraordinary exertion of divine power to be displayed on their behalf, there having yet been no precedent of any one being raised who had been so long dead: but, like a modest petitioner, she humbly recommends their case to the wise and compassionate consideration of Jesus. Thus when we know not what in particular to ask, or expect, let us, in general, refer ourselves to God; let him do as seemeth him good. And let it comfort us to be assured, when we are in doubt what to pray for, that our great Intercessor knows what to ask for us, and is always heard. But we have in this latter sentence, uttered by Martha on this occasion, a further proof, as of the strength, so also of the weakness of her faith: she believed Jesus could obtain of God by prayer whatever he should think fit to ask, even the restoration of her brother to life, though he had been so many days dead, but she did not believe that he himself could raise him; forgetting, or not considering, that he had life in himself, yea, was the Prince of life and Conqueror of death. She founded her hopes of her brother’s resurrection, so far as she entertained any hopes of so wonderful an event, not on Christ’s own power, but on the power of God, to be exerted at his intercession.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

11:17-32 Here was a house where the fear of God was, and on which his blessing rested; yet it was made a house of mourning. Grace will keep sorrow from the heart, but not from the house. When God, by his grace and providence, is coming towards us in ways of mercy and comfort, we should, like Martha, go forth by faith, hope, and prayer, to meet him. When Martha went to meet Jesus, Mary sat still in the house; this temper formerly had been an advantage to her, when it put her at Christ's feet to hear his word; but in the day of affliction, the same temper disposed her to melancholy. It is our wisdom to watch against the temptations, and to make use of the advantages of our natural tempers. When we know not what in particular to ask or expect, let us refer ourselves to God; let him do as seemeth him good. To enlarge Martha's expectations, our Lord declared himself to be the Resurrection and the Life. In every sense he is the Resurrection; the source, the substance, the first-fruits, the cause of it. The redeemed soul lives after death in happiness; and after the resurrection, both body and soul are kept from all evil for ever. When we have read or heard the word of Christ, about the great things of the other world, we should put it to ourselves, Do we believe this truth? The crosses and comforts of this present time would not make such a deep impression upon us as they do, if we believed the things of eternity as we ought. When Christ our Master comes, he calls for us. He comes in his word and ordinances, and calls us to them, calls us by them, calls us to himself. Those who, in a day of peace, set themselves at Christ's feet to be taught by him, may with comfort, in a day of trouble, cast themselves at his feet, to find favour with him.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Then Martha ... - To Martha was intrusted the management of the affairs of the family, Luke 10:40. It is probable that she first heard of his coming, and, without waiting to inform her sister, went immediately out to meet him. See John 11:28.

Sat still in the house - The word "still" is not in the original. It means that she remained sitting in the house. The common posture of grief among the Jews was that of sitting, Job 2:8; Ezekiel 8:14. Often this grief was so excessive as to fix the person in astonishment, and render him immovable, or prevent his being affected by any external objects. It is possible that the evangelist meant to intimate this of Mary's grief. Compare Ezra 9:3-4; Nehemiah 1:4; Isaiah 47:1.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

20-22. Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him—true to the energy and activity of her character, as seen in Lu 10:38-42. (See on [1831]Lu 10:38-42).

but Mary sat … in the house—equally true to her placid character. These undesigned touches not only charmingly illustrate the minute historic fidelity of both narratives, but their inner harmony.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

It should seem by the story, Luke 10:41, that Martha had the care of the house keeping upon her, (Mary was more retired), so that the news of Christ’s coming might come to her first. She in great joy ran out to meet him; how far she went we are not told, but it appeareth from John 11:30 that she went out of the town.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming,.... Which she might hear of, either by a messenger sent by Christ to her, to acquaint her of it; or rather by some of the people of the town, who knew him, and ran and told her of it; and she being an active person, and stirring about house, might receive the report unknown to her sister, as it seems she did; and as soon as she had the hint, without staying to communicate it to her sister,

went and met him; either through her great affection to him, and eager desire of seeing him; or to consult his safety, and let him know what number of Jews were in their house, that he might consider whether it would be safe for him to be at their house or not.

But Mary sat still in the house; not out of disrespect to Jesus, or through want of affection to him, or through any indifference and sloth, but because she knew not that Jesus was coming; see John 11:28.

Geneva Study Bible

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

John 11:20. Martha, now also discharging her duties as hostess, and in consequence coming more into contact with others from without, is first informed of the coming of Jesus (how? must be left undecided), and with judicious haste goes at once to meet Him, without exciting attention by communicating the fact to her sister.

ἐκαθέζετο] For the manifestations of sympathy were received sitting. See Geier, de Luctu Hebraeorum, p. 211 ff. Comp. Dougt. Anal. ad Ez. vii. 14.

Note the different nature of the two sisters, as in Luke 10:38 ff.

Expositor's Greek Testament

John 11:20. ἡ οὖν Μάρθα … ἐκαθέζετο. Martha as the elder sister and mistress of the house (Luke 10:38-40) goes out to meet Jesus, while Mary remained seated in the house. “After the body is carried out of the house all chairs and couches are reversed, and the mourners sit on the ground on a low stool.” Edersheim, loc. cit. On sitting as an attitude of grief see Doughty, Analecta Sacra, on Ezekiel 8:14.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

20. Then Martha] Or, Martha, therefore. Information would be brought to her as the elder sister and (apparently) mistress of the house (Luke 10:38). She as usual takes the lead in entertaining, and Mary shrinks from it. “One most remarkable feature in the history is the coincidence between the characters of Mary and Martha as depicted here and in S. Luke.” S. p. 185. It is incredible that this coincidence should be either fortuitous or designed. It is much easier to believe that both Gospels give us facts about real persons. Christ is unwilling to mingle at once in the crowd of mourners, and halts outside the village.

Jesus was coming] Rather, Jesus is coming, probably the very words of the message. Perhaps they were still on the look-out for His arrival, although they supposed that it was too late for His coming to avail anything.

Mary sat still in the house] Or, was sitting in the house: the attitude of sorrow and meditation (Job 2:13). She does not know of Christ’s approach (John 11:28-29): Martha, in discharging the duties of hospitality to fresh arrivals, would be more likely to hear of it.

Bengel's Gnomen

John 11:20. Μαρία δέ, but Mary) either because she was unwilling to leave the Jews alone, or because she chose to sit and wait until she should be called. She was of a more sedate disposition. Comp. Luke 10:39, “Mary sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard His word.”

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 20. - The οϋν points back probably to ver. 1. The type of character so beautifully contrasted in the previous reference to the family at Bethany appears again, and confirms the historical character of Luke 10:38, etc., as well as of the narrative before us. Thoma says that this picture is "simply painted with synoptic color." Martha is the mistress of the house. Martha therefore, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Martha was a woman of impulse, energy, practical duty; like Peter, she was ready even to give advice to her Lord, and eager to put everybody in his rightful place. On the first opportunity she hastened at once to "meet" Jesus, even without at first warning her sister of his approach. Mary, contemplative, pensive, undemonstrative under ordinary circumstances, but with a great fund of love, was sitting in the house receiving the condolences of the Jews (cf. ver. 19). Weiss suggests that Jesus was well aware, from the station of the family, and from the fact that hitherto his own friendship for the sisters had not submitted them to the ban, that "many Jews" would have congregated in the house of mourning. Consequently, Jesus does not come straight to the house, but allows it to be known that he is there. John 11:20

Vincent's Word Studies

That Jesus was coming (ὅτι ὁ Ιησοῦς ἔρχεται)

Literally, is coming. The exact words of the message: Jesus is coming.

Went and met (ὐπήντησεν)

The verb means to go to meet.