John 11:1-6 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.… The message contained no request. To a loving friend it was quite enough to announce the fact. Friends are not verbose in their descriptions. True prayer does not consist in much speaking, or fine long sentences. When a man's child falls into a pit it is enough to tell the father the simple fact in the shortest manner possible. How useful it is to have praying sisters! As for our Lord's reply, there was something very mysterious about it. He might of course have said plainly, "Lazarus will die, and then I will raise him again." Yet there is a wonderful likeness between the style of His message and many an unfulfilled prophecy. He said enough to excite hope, and encourage faith and patience and prayer, but not enough to make Mary and Martha leave off praying and seeking God. And is not this exactly what we should feel about many an unfulfilled prediction of things to come? Men complain that prophecies are not so literally fulfilled as to exclude doubt and uncertainty. But they forget that God wisely permits a degree of uncertainty in order to keep on watching and praying. It is just what He did with Martha and Mary here. (Bp. Ryle.) Parallel Verses KJV: Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.WEB: Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus from Bethany, of the village of Mary and her sister, Martha. |
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