Part 70

_Mary_, perhaps, through the prevalence of this, and being also naturally of a sedentary disposition, “sat still in the house,” while her sister _Martha_ got the start of her, and went out to meet JESUS. And how does she accost him? Why, in a language bespeaking the distress of a burdened and disordered mind. For she said unto JESUS, verse 21, “LORD, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” Here is a mixture of faith and unbelief. Faith made her say, “LORD, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” But unbelief made her confine CHRIST’s power to his bodily presence. Besides, here was a tacit accusation of the blessed JESUS of unkindness, for not coming when they sent unto him the message, “LORD, he whom thou lovest is sick.” Once she charged JESUS with want of care; “LORD, carest thou not, that my sister hath left me to serve alone?” Now she taxes him with want of kindness. “If thou hadst been here;” as much as to say, if thou hadst been so kind as to have come when we sent for thee, “my brother had not died;” and by saying thus, she does as it were lay her brother’s death to JESUS CHRIST. O how apt are even those whom JESUS loves in a peculiar manner, to charge him foolishly! How often does the enmity of our desperately wicked hearts rise against CHRIST, when we are under the afflicting hand of his providence! Are not the very best of us frequently tempted, in such circumstances, to say within ourselves at least, Why does GOD thus cruelly deal with us? Why did not he keep off this stroke, seeing it was in his power to have prevented it? How should we be ashamed and confounded before him upon this account? How should we pray and labour to be delivered from this remaining enmity of the heart, and long for that time, when mortality shall be swallowed up of life, and we shall never feel one single rising of heart, against a good and gracious, and all-wise and glorious Redeemer, any more? However, to do _Martha_ justice, she pretty well recovers herself, verse 22. “But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of GOD, GOD will give it to thee.” Whether these words imply an actual belief of our LORD’s divinity, is not certain. To me they do; because we shall presently find, that she did believe our LORD was the Son of GOD, and the Messiah which was to come into the world. Therefore when she said, she knew that whatsoever he asked of GOD, GOD would give it to him, she may be understood as referring to GOD the Father, under whom the LORD JESUS acted as Mediator, though equal to him in respect to his eternal glory and godhead. This mystery we may well suppose her acquainted with, because JESUS had been frequently preaching at her house, and consequently, had opened that mystery unto her. O what a blessed thing must it be to have such a Mediator! such an high-priest and intercessor at the Father’s right-hand, that whatever he asks the Father in our behalf, he will give unto us! JESUS takes this kindly at _Martha_’s hand, and passes over her infirmity. For if the LORD was exact to mark every thing that we say or do amiss, alas! who could abide? He only calmly says unto her, verse 23. “Thy brother shall rise again.”