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Day 279 - Jesus the Resurrection and the Life

Today’s Reading: John 11:17-27
17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Laz arus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, while Mary sat in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.”

Today’s Commentary:
Allegorically (Glossa Ordinaria): four days in the tomb signifies four stages of spiritual death. Original sin is the first death of the human race; violation of the natural law is the second; violation of the written Law of Moses is the third; and despising the gospel of grace is the fourth. A preview of man’s resurrection from this fourfold death is seen as Christ brings Lazarus to life after his four-day entombment.

even now: Martha’s faith fills her with confidence. Although she neither begs nor even asks Jesus to intervene for Lazarus, she knows that God’s love is more powerful than death and leaves Jesus to handle the situation as he sees fit.

I am the resurrection: Jesus places all hopes for a future resurrection upon himself. He possesses the absolute sovereignty over life and death that was always believed to be the sole prerogative of Yahweh (1 Sam 2:6; Wis 16:13).