Why does Martha express concern about the stone in John 11:39? Verse at a Glance “Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the deceased, replied, ‘Lord, by now there is an odor, for he has been dead four days.’” (John 11:39) Why Martha Speaks Up • She is Lazarus’s older sister, responsible for honoring his body. • Four days in the tomb means certain decomposition; the stench would be undeniable. • She thinks Jesus only wants a last look, not a resurrection. • Her words reveal a tension between faith (“I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You,” John 11:22) and the stark reality of death’s decay. Cultural Background: Burial and Corruption • Jewish burial customs sealed a cave with a disk-shaped stone to keep out animals, grave robbers, and odor (cf. Genesis 23:19; Matthew 27:60). • Contact with a corpse rendered a person ceremonially unclean for seven days (Numbers 19:11-14). Removing the stone risked spreading impurity and smell. • Spices (John 19:39-40) delayed, but did not stop, corruption. By day four the body was expected to be irreversibly decayed. Faith Meets Realism • Martha had professed, “I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God” (John 11:27). • Yet she reasons within natural limits—decay is irreversible. • Her concern shows honest, down-to-earth discipleship: believing, yet battling ordinary logic (compare Peter in Matthew 14:28-31). Jesus’ Response and Revelation • “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). • Removing the stone puts death’s ugliness on display so Christ’s glory over death can be unmistakable (John 11:41-44). • The miracle echoes God’s promise that His “Holy One will not see decay” (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:27) and foreshadows Jesus’ own empty tomb. Takeaway Truths • God sometimes asks us to roll away “stones” that expose uncomfortable realities before He acts. • Practical concerns are not unbelief, but they must yield to Christ’s word. • The stench Martha feared became the setting for a greater revelation: “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25-26). |
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