What is the meaning of John 11:40? Did I not tell you Jesus speaks these words to Martha moments before raising Lazarus. • He gently recalls the promise He had already given her: “Your brother will rise again” (John 11:23). • In Scripture, the Lord often reminds His people of what He has said so that faith will rest on His unchanging word. “Remember how He told you…” (Luke 24:6–8). • Every promise God makes is backed by His character; “For all the promises of God are ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:20). That if you believed The promise is conditioned on faith. • Faith isn’t wishful thinking; it is trusting submission to the Person who speaks. “Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes’” (Mark 9:23). • Martha had already confessed, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God” (John 11:27), yet her present crisis tested that confession. • Throughout Scripture, belief unlocks God’s miraculous work: the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:34), the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:10). • Unbelief, by contrast, blinds people to what God is doing (Hebrews 3:19). You would see Faith leads to sight—spiritual and sometimes physical. • “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8) shows that God invites experiential knowledge, not mere theory. • With the eyes of faith opened, Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes that he may see” (2 Kings 6:17); suddenly the servant saw heavenly armies. • The disciples could say, “We have seen His glory” (John 1:14) because they trusted Him enough to follow. • Even when physical evidence seems absent, belief anticipates that God will reveal Himself (John 20:29). The glory of God What would Martha actually witness? The resurrection of her brother—and more importantly, a revelation of God’s majesty. • Glory is the visible manifestation of God’s character and power. At Cana, Jesus “thus revealed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him” (John 2:11). • Lazarus’s return from the tomb showcases that glory in triumph over death, foreshadowing Christ’s own resurrection (Romans 6:4). • Ultimate glory radiates forever in the new creation: “The city has no need of sun or moon… for the glory of God gives it light” (Revelation 21:23). summary John 11:40 ties promise, faith, experience, and God’s splendor into one sentence. Jesus reminds Martha—and every believer—that His spoken word is sure; that faith is the key that unlocks divine revelation; that those who trust Him will personally encounter His works; and that every work ultimately displays the radiant glory of God. Believe, and you will see. |
    |