John 11:28-33 (WEL) Having said this, she went back and called for her sister Mary, telling her in private, “The Teacher is here and calls for you.” 29 After she heard this, she got up quickly and came to him. 30 For Jesus had not yet come into the town but was at the place where Martha met him. 31 Then the Jews, who were with her in the house comforting her, saw her get up quickly and leave. They followed her, saying, “She goes to the grave to mourn.” 32 When Mary came to where Jesus was, she collapsed at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 Then Jesus, after seeing her crying and the Jews with her also crying, groaned in the spirit and was deeply moved.
V28 Having said this, she went back and called for her sister Mary, telling her in private, “The Teacher is here and calls for you.”
After Martha speaks with Jesus, she returns to Mary, her sister. The reason she whispered this to Mary is that the message is a private one from Jesus.
Principle: If a message is just for one person, then tell that one person only.
V29 After she heard this, she got up quickly and came to him.
Note how she responded quickly.
Principle: When Jesus commands, obey without delay.
V30 For Jesus had not yet come into the town but was at the place where Martha met him.
After Jesus gave His request to Martha, He waited for Mary.
Principle: Note the style of leadership present here; Jesus delegated to Martha to deliver the message instead of Himself.
V31 Then the Jews, who were with her in the house comforting her, saw her get up quickly and leave. They followed her, saying, “She goes to the grave to mourn.”
These Jews did not hear the message but noted her quick response and reasonably assumed she was going to the grave to mourn.
A few thoughts about Jewish mourning at this time:
(Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary) “The Old Testament has many Hebrew words for mourning. These words range in meaning from anger and indignation to the more common idea of grief over a calamity or death. In addition to wailing and weeping, outward forms of mourning included tearing the clothes and wearing sackcloth (Genesis 37:34), fasting (Psalm 35:13), and throwing dust upon the head (Lamentations 2:10).
“Mourning began at the moment a person died. The family would begin its wailing, and neighbors would rush to the bereaved household and join in the wailing. If the family could afford them, hired mourners were employed to add their chants, lamentations, and shrieks.”
V32 When Mary came to where Jesus was, she collapsed at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
Mary collapsed, I believe, for two reasons: 1) to honor Jesus properly by kneeling before Him and 2) emotional exhaustion from grief.
The only thing she could say (a prayer really) is that her brother would not have died if Jesus had come earlier.
Principle: Sometimes our prayers are not answered in the time or manner that we desire.
Principle: When God answers our prayer, He chooses the best time to answer, whether it be a week, a month, or longer.
Note, Mary’s strong faith in Jesus.
By delaying the answer to prayer, Mary and Martha learned many lessons. Also, the Jews who were there learned many things.
V33 Then Jesus, after seeing her crying and the Jews with her also crying, groaned in the spirit and was deeply moved.
Jesus has emotions. Crying does not make a man weak.
Crying helps us release our emotions instead of suppressing them. Suppressing emotions has physical and emotional detriments. Crying helps us to process our grief by accepting reality or showing love for our loss. Crying is more truthful than suppressing our true emotional pain.
We learn:
- Jesus is a delegator, not a micromanager.
- Jesus has emotions even for the sorrow of death. See Psalm 116:15.
- Some reasons for delayed answers to prayer.
Questions:
- What is your style of leadership?
- How do you handle emotions?