John 11:24

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Martha {G3136} saith {G3004} unto him {G846}, I know {G1492} that {G3754} he shall rise again {G450} in {G1722} the resurrection {G386} at {G1722} the last {G2078} day {G2250}.

Marta said, “I know that he will rise again at the Resurrection on the Last Day.”

Martha replied, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Context

John 11:24 finds Martha, sister of Lazarus and Mary, speaking to Jesus in Bethany. Her brother Lazarus has been dead for four days, and Jesus has just arrived. Martha's initial greeting to Jesus, as recorded in John 11:21, expressed her belief that if Jesus had been there, Lazarus would not have died. In this verse, she responds to Jesus's statement about Lazarus rising again, showing her understanding of the common Jewish belief in a future, general resurrection, particularly among the Pharisees. This sets the stage for Jesus's profound declaration in the verses that follow, revealing His own immediate power over death.

Key Themes

  • Martha's Orthodox Faith: Martha demonstrates a conventional, yet strong, belief in the ultimate resurrection of the dead. Her faith is rooted in the eschatological hope of Israel, anticipating a future event at the culmination of time.
  • The "Last Day" Hope: The phrase "at the last day" refers to the widely held Jewish expectation of a general resurrection of the righteous at the end of the age, preceding God's final judgment and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. This hope is echoed in various Old Testament passages, such as Daniel 12:2.
  • Anticipation of Jesus's Revelation: Martha's statement, while true in its own right, highlights her limited understanding of Jesus's immediate power. She believes in a future event, but not yet in Jesus's ability to enact resurrection in the present. This serves as a perfect backdrop for Jesus to reveal Himself as the very source and embodiment of resurrection life.

Linguistic Insights

The Greek word for "resurrection" is anastasis (ἀνάστασις), which literally means "a standing up again" or "a rising up." This term powerfully conveys the idea of a physical revival from death. "The last day" (eschate hemera, ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ) is a significant eschatological phrase in the New Testament, particularly in John's Gospel (see John 6:40), pointing to the final period of God's redemptive plan.

Practical Application

Martha's belief in the resurrection at the last day offers comfort and hope to believers today. It reminds us that death is not the final word for those who trust in God. However, the subsequent conversation with Jesus (especially John 11:25) challenges us to move beyond a general belief in a future event to a personal faith in Jesus Christ as the immediate and present source of life, even in the face of death. Our hope is not just in a future resurrection, but in the One who IS the resurrection and the life, offering eternal life here and now, and guaranteeing a bodily resurrection for His followers.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Daniel 12:2

    And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt.

  • Daniel 12:3

    And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

  • Acts 24:15

    And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.

  • John 5:28

    Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

  • John 5:29

    And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

  • Isaiah 26:19

    Thy dead [men] shall live, [together with] my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew [is as] the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

  • Acts 17:31

    Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by [that] man whom he hath ordained; [whereof] he hath given assurance unto all [men], in that he hath raised him from the dead.

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