The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 105

l\uthority. God'A omnipotence alone can create life, and alone can restore life when death has asserted its power and has done its work. 4. The awakening from death summons to an endless life of activity and holy service. Whilst the boors of slumber are hours of repose, tho daylight which arouses the sleepers calls to the exertion of the powers of body and of mind. This law applies to the higher realm. When Christ awakens out of the slumber of den.th, it is to the happiness of conscious existence and to the energy of untiring effort. There is no reason to suppose that t~is brief earthly life is man's only period of service. It is the discipline and prepamtion for endless ages of glad devotion alike to the praise and to the service of our glorious Redeemer. "If my immortal Saviour lives, Then my immortal life is sure: Bis "l'{ord a firm fonndation gives ; Here let me build and rest eecurE ,• 'I'. Ver. 21.~The absence of Jeaus. Among our Lord's friends none were more affec- tionate or mo~e faithful than the favoured family of Bethany, That, in the hours of their anxiety and of their mourning, Mary and Martha should have lamented the absence of the Master, is not surprising, nor does it call for any blame. But they did not simply regret that Jesus was not with them; they went further than this, and believed and .said that, had he been present, the calamity which befell them would have been averted. J. THE TEMPER 01!' lllIND WHICH LAMENTED THE BODILY All6ENCE OIi' JEBUB IN AFFLICTION. When this is analyzed, it appears to be mixed. 1. There was/aith. In their trouble, the first thought of the sisters was of Jesus. They sent to him a.n earnest entreaty to come and interpose on their behalf. When he came-as they thought too late--they welcomed and honoured him. They threw themselves upon his sympathy, and professed their belief that, even now, their case was not beyond the reach of his power and compassion. All this implied faith. 2. The faith, however, was imperfect.. This appears from their laying undue stress upon Christ's bodily presence. They ought to have been reassured by his language upon receiving tidings of his friend's sickness. They onght to have reflected that his absence was no sign of his want of interest or affection, was no sign of any lapse of power. Their tone of mind evinced the imperfection of their faith. • !I. THE REASONS WHICH .ACCOUNTED FOB THE BODllY .ABSENCE 01!' JESUS IN THE TIME OF ms FRIENDS' .AFFLICTION. 1. The ultimate reason both for Lazarus's sickness and death, and also for the Lord's delay in visiting Bethany, was a moral reason, relating to his own ministry. The Son of God was hereby to be glorified; his mission was to be fulfilled. 2. More particularly, the faith of the disciples was called out and strengthened by this action of the Lord Jesus; it was partly "for their sake," to the end that "they might believe." They had witnessed many instances of his power; they were now to see the crowning proof of the omnipotence of him whom they trusted and honoured. .3. The religious confidence of the sisters was to be developed, and a full confession was to be elicited from them. Much as they revered and loved their Lord, Martha and Mary had yet much to learn; and that their conception of Jesus and their faith in Jesus might be perfected, it was necessary that they should see him in a new light, and have a further proof of his Divinity. This end we know from the record to have been answered in tht•ir experience. 4. Many unbelieving Jews wore convinced. Some such would not, in all likelihood, have been impressed by Christ's sympathetic spirit, had he come to Bethany and pitied the sorrowful family, aild saved Lazarus from death. But when they saw their neighbour raised from the dead, these men believed. 'l'hus there was wisdom, there was love, even in that con- duct of Jesus which seemed at first sight inconsiderate and unkind.-T. Vers. 25, 26.-The livin!I and life-giving Lqrd. The confession of Martha was a good and sound one, Yet it is clear that our Lord did not wish her to rest in her e1·eed. He pointed her to liimself as the Sum and Substance of all true beliefs, as the Object of all true faith. Creeds are good for the memory, Christ is good for the heart. I. LIFE JB JN CHRIST, The miracles of raising from the dead which Jesus wroultht  108 THE GOSI'EL AOOORDING 'l.'O ST. JOHN. (ott. xr. 1-67,