The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 115

eto. In her faith God WR8 the gre11t som'Ce of supreme anct umvet~al powl'r nnd {nvoul', and the intercession of Christ with him WBS all-prevailing 11nd coextensive with tho J'O"'er of God, and ever pl'lll!ellt and ave.iil1ble. Even now it Wl\8 not too late. (8) Faith in t~ ffffGt r e w ~ Th11t all the dead shall rise at the lMt de.y, and that her own brother would appear then among the vae.t throng, ThiR problem has be.filed many e. l1rigbt intellect, 11nd st.oggered the faieib of me.ny e. mighty giant, and driven him to the shades of doubt and unbelief. Then, llB now~ there wae many n Sadducee and 11gnostic. But Marthe. w,u; not one. This gTO&t and mysterious fact wa.s a lea.ding art.icle in her fait.b, and could say to Jens with serenity and full oonfldence, "I know that he shall ri86," etc. 2. J,,, its wealmes1, Though genuine, and strong in some ot ihl fMturee, it is still weak and incomplete. In her faith: (1) Chtist'e power is limited by plau. "If thou hadst been Atre," etc. In her faith the presence or absence of Jesus me.de all the difference with T9gard to the exercise of his rui~hty and frlendl.v power. Present he would and ooulrl, absent he could or would not. Her faith partook largely of the character of her religion, and had a tendency to localize Divine energy. lu thls she Wll6 very di&'erent from that ruler who deemed himself unworthy of Obrist comin~ under his roof. And there was no need: "Speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed." ln this his faith was right and strong; but Martha's wrong and defective. Christ could prevent her brother's death in Peraia as well as at Bethany if he so wished. (2) Christ's power is limited by prayer. With regard to the best of men, pni.yer is the medium of Divine power, and yet its limitation. In his human no.ture and official capacity Christ ever exercised pnt.yer, but was not limited by it; he was really above it. Mart.ha had fully grasped what he was in r('lation to God, but .not what he was in himself, the Source nnd Giver of life; and her faith had not yet risen t.o the Divinity of his Person and mission. (8) OhrisL's power is limited by time. "If thou hadst been here;" but that is passed. "I know that he shall rise; " thnt is future and cfu1:.ant. Har faith could grasp the Divine power and infinite certainties of the present with regar.d t.o Jesus. ".As the same yesterday," etc. 3. Jn its private struggla. In the language of Martha there are indications of the, private struggles of her faith. (1) Its struggle for some sper:ialfavQtJ,r,for comolation in their bereavement. Something which no one else could give. Her Jove was stronger than her faith, but still her faith timidly straggled for a blessing. (2) Its struggle with doubt. 'rhat she had a faint belief that something great would be done seems evident. The sisters were too intelligent and true to dismiss as insignifica.Ii.t the -message of their. Lord. "Thia sickness is not unto death." Before his death they could well understand it, but what can it mean now? Soores of times it was pondered over in their minds. It must mean something good and great as coming from him, but what? There was a donbt, which ii, only the Jltruggle of faith and its vacillation between light and .dark- nesa. (3) Its struggle for a more definib kaowwl,ge and f'.J cleaxer light. ."I know that he shnll rise," etc. This she said, not merely to indicate her faith in the distant resurrection, but also t.o draw him out, a.nd it indicates .the struggle of. her faith for a nearer and a clearer light, and a more present help and solace. II. HEa FAITH sTBEKGTHENED. 1. Bg it,a own triola. (1) It was tried by the a h - of Je8'11,11. Whoever would be absent from their brother's bedside, he was fully expected to be there. But he was not. Although sent for, he came not. A great dis- appointment, and a severe shock to faith. (2) By hia long d,el,a,y. He was expected at the heel of the message; but came not for several de.ye, and their brother was in the_ grave. (3) It was tried by tlieir sad ber8auement. Their brother was dead-dead, while he might be alive if .Jesus had been there. Faith was really in a storm. The night was dark, and there was no light but that of the resurrection; but that was too dim and distant to be but of little support. ( 4) Faith is strengthened aftet· all by ita oum truila. It gains strength by trouble, disappointment, and opposition. It gains strength in weakness, and is prepared for more; and down in the region of doubt it is often trained t.o take higher flights, to receive sublimer truths and grander visions. 2. By the Bpecia/, fft/Jd,qJioo, of Ohrist of lii'ITIMif. (Ver. 26.) He reveals himself. (1) .A1!. tl~ .Ruurm:tion OJtUi, tl~ Life. There is an inseparable connection between the two. The former is the effect, the latter the cause. .Jesus reveals himself fi:st in relation to the dect, for this is fiIBt seen, and our first concern on this side. This was uppermo8' in Martha's thonghts. This waa the subject of her constant meditation, towo.rds which Ott. x1. 1-57.J TllE GOSPEL ACOORDJNG TO BT. JOH~. 119