Between Sundays for Week of March 27, 2023
Sometimes the good news is hard to uncover in the gospel readings, but not in John 11. Jesus is very clear – “I am the resurrection and the life,” which means Jesus is the one who brings life from death. (Watch Sunday worship from Bethlehem to hear the entire reading.) Jesus’ friend, Martha, seems to be fully onboard with this good news. She sends for Jesus when her brother, Lazarus, becomes ill, perhaps hoping that he will come and bring new life for her sick brother. When Jesus finally arrives and learns that Lazarus has died, he asks Martha if she believes that what he says is true, she boldly declares, “Yes, Lord, I believe…”
Martha’s confession of faith is tinged with doubt (in that she’s like all of us, it seems). She believes that Jesus is resurrection and life, but when Jesus asks for the stone of Lazarus’ tomb to be rolled away, she warns against the stench of death that will be uncovered. She believes Jesus can bring life from death, even as she hesitates to entrust her brother to Jesus’ power and promise.
What are the things that you struggle to entrust to Jesus’ power and promise of new life? There is no shame in recognizing that there are times we choose to hold onto things that are dead or dying in our lives because they are known and familiar, or because it’s scary to live into an uncertain future. It’s often easier to hold onto what we know, rather than entrust those things to the care and power of Jesus, who brings life from death.
The new life that Jesus offers doesn’t always look the way we want it or expect it to look, but Jesus’ promise is sure – I am the resurrection and the life. This promise is not only for the end of our days, but for all of our days.
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Jesus brings life from death. In John 11, Jesus not only offers this promise to his friends, but displays his power over death for his friend, Lazarus. This promise of new life that is the source of hope at the end of our lives can be harder to trust at other times and in other situations. What could it look like entrust our whole lives to Jesus’ promise?
Ponderings
Because the Bible is ancient, we often think of it as a fixed and unchanging text. The field of text criticism — the study of the ancient manuscripts — remains an active field of study.
In recent years, Elizabeth Schrader, has examined ancient manuscripts of John 11 and has developed a new theory that suggests that Martha may have been added to the original text. In writing about her findings, she has found support from Church and Art historians who point to evidence that supports her theory. Her work invites us to consider new ideas about the interpretation of scripture and the significance of Mary Magdalene in the early church.
You can learn more about Schrader’s fascinating findings by listening to a recent conversation with her on Diana Butler Bass’ podcast, The Cottage.
