John 11:29Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

See Jn 11:28: "Jesus had not yet entered the village." He did not walk quickly, so that it would be clear that He was not rushing of Himself toward the miracle, but was going at their request. Either this is what the evangelist wishes to express by the words, "She rose quickly," or he shows by this that Mary ran in order to meet Him before His arrival.

As soon as Mary learned that Jesus had come, she did not delay, but rose quickly and went to Him. From this it is clear that Martha had not informed her beforehand, although she knew that Jesus was coming.

She "went away" to call "her sister," in order to share with her the joy caused by the expected event. Together with her, she hoped to meet the dead man raised beyond all hope, for she had heard, "Your brother will rise" (Jn 11:23).

She announced the Savior's arrival to her sister "secretly" because certain Jews were with her who envied Christ on account of His miracles.

In the Gospels we do not find that Christ said, "Call your sister to Me." But Martha says this because she took the necessity of fulfilling her duty to meet the Lord in place of Christ's verbal command.

Mary willingly hastened to Him and desired to meet Him. Could she fail to do this, she who greatly grieved over His absence and had fervent reverence and great love for Him?

Why did the evangelist decide to tell us this? So that we might see why many were there when Lazarus rose. Indeed, the Jews, supposing that she was hurrying to find consolation for her grief in tears, followed her. Thus the very great miracle of the resurrection of a man already four days dead had many witnesses.

When Martha confessed her faith in Christ and washed away the guilt of the woman by her pious confession, they sent for Mary. Without Mary it was impossible either to drive out death or to restore life. Let Mary come, she who bears the name of His Mother. Let her come so that it may be clear to man that, just as Christ remained enclosed in the Virgin's womb, so the dead must come out from Hades, and corpses must come out from their graves. That is, Eve: Martha and Mary as a whole are interpreted by Chrysologus as symbols, respectively, of Eve and the Virgin Mary.

She rejoiced over Him as much as she grieved over her brother. For as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, she at once left her sorrow and showed how fervent her faith was. "When she heard this, she rose quickly and went to Him." She does not ask questions and does not delay at all. As though she were already embracing her brother restored to life, she rose quickly and hastened to the Source of life, caring little or not at all for the visitors.

After this she hastened to her sister and said to her, "The Teacher is asking for you," although He had not asked for her at all.

Mary was immersed in her grief. Only love for Him whose words she was accustomed to receive with calm devotion was strong enough to draw her out of her condition.

She hastened to Jesus, who was still outside the village. Her first words were the same as Martha's. It was clear how much they had occupied themselves with this thought until now.

But these words, pronounced with tears by Mary as she fell at the feet of Jesus, were full of deeper feeling than in Martha's mouth.

There was no reproach in them. Both grief and devotion were expressed more fully than in Martha. Having spoken them, Mary could say no more.

After this conversation with the Lord, Martha went to the house and told Mary secretly, because in the house there were also persons unfavorably disposed toward the Lord, that the Teacher was here and was calling her.

When Mary, rejoicing at this news, quickly rose and went, the Jews who were in her house thought that she had gone to the tomb of Lazarus. They followed her.

When she came to the Lord, Mary fell at His feet and expressed to Him the same regret with which Martha had met Jesus.

When He saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her weeping, He Himself sorrowed in spirit and was troubled.

In response to Mary He asked, "Where have you laid him?" "Come and see, Lord," they answered Him.

The Raising of Lazarus. The greatest miracle was about to be performed. By this miracle Jesus wished to turn toward Himself the hearts of those who had not yet believed in Him, and to give His enemies the possibility of coming to themselves and repenting.

Therefore He not only did not avoid performing it publicly, but even sent Martha for her sister Mary. He remained, awaiting her and her companions, in the very place where Martha had met Him.

Although Martha called Mary secretly, the haste with which Mary rose and went compelled the Jews who were consoling her to follow her.

As the Evangelist explains, they thought she had gone to her brother's tomb to weep. Therefore they also went after her.

This conversation completely encouraged her, and she went for her sister Mary. Secretly she told her the joyful news: "The Teacher is here and is calling you." Mary immediately went at her sister's direction. Seeing her beloved Teacher and Lord, she fell at His feet and said with a crushed heart the same thing as her sister: "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."

"She rose quickly and went." The feeling of deep grief was suddenly illumined for a moment by a feeling of living joy and hope. This was expressed in the haste with which Mary went to her Teacher, and she expressed these feelings with force and liveliness; Jn 11:32.

Having met the Lord, Martha hastens to her sister to share with her the news that could console her amid grief. Yet she tells her sister only in a whisper that the Lord is here, as if avoiding speaking of it before the Jerusalem Jews.

Mary also apparently does not wish to tell them this news. She probably wants to fall at the Lord's feet and pour out her grief before Him without witnesses.

But the glorious miracle that was impending had to take place before a considerable number of people. Moreover, most of these people were hostile to the Lord.

The Jews, thinking that Mary was going to Lazarus' tomb to weep for her brother, follow her. Unexpectedly for themselves, they meet face to face with the Lord Jesus, whom they were seeking to kill.