John 11:17–37 – Jesus Comforts Martha and Mary
Quick Summary
In John 11:17–37, Jesus meets Martha and Mary after Lazarus’ death. He comforts them, reveals himself as the resurrection and the life, and shows both divine authority and deep human compassion as he weeps with them.
Introduction
When Jesus finally arrives in Bethany, Lazarus has already been in the tomb for four days. The delay has done its work: the situation appears beyond hope. In this moment of grief, we see the tender heart of Jesus alongside his bold claim to be the resurrection and the life. Martha and Mary, each in their own way, voice their pain and disappointment: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:21, 32). Jesus responds to them not with easy answers, but with truth and tears.
This passage is one of the most pastoral moments in John’s Gospel. Jesus does not only raise the dead—he also draws near to the grieving. He enters the pain of the family and the community, while also pointing forward to the glory that is about to be revealed. In these verses, theology and compassion meet.
Outline of John 11:17–37
John 11:17–22 | Martha’s Grief and Confession of Faith
John 11:23–27 | Jesus Declares, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life”
John 11:28–32 | Mary’s Grief and Shared Lament
John 11:33–37 | Jesus Weeps with the Mourners
John 11:17–22 | Martha’s Grief and Confession of Faith
When Jesus arrives, Lazarus has been dead for four days. This detail is significant: Jewish belief often held that the soul lingered near the body for three days, but after the fourth day, hope was gone. John emphasizes that Lazarus’ death is final. The miracle to come will be undeniable.
Martha is the first to meet Jesus. Her words mix grief and faith: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask” (John 11:21–22). Her faith is real, yet still limited. She believes Jesus could have prevented death, but she does not yet imagine that he can reverse it. Like earlier conversations in John—with Nicodemus in chapter 3 and the Samaritan woman in chapter 4—Martha begins from misunderstanding but is led toward deeper truth.
Raymond Brown notes that Martha’s dialogue is “a confession of imperfect faith, waiting to be completed by Jesus’ revelation” (Brown, John, vol. 1, p. 429). We can relate to her: our prayers often carry both confidence in Christ and the ache of disappointment.
John 11:23–27 | Jesus Declares, “I Am the Resurrection and the Life”
Jesus assures Martha: “Your brother will rise again” (John 11:23). Martha interprets this as a reference to the final resurrection at the last day, a belief common in Judaism. But Jesus goes further, shifting resurrection from a distant hope to a present reality: “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live” (John 11:25).
This is the fifth of the “I Am” sayings in John’s Gospel, standing alongside the bread of life (John 6), the light of the world (John 8), and the good shepherd (John 10). Here Jesus makes perhaps his boldest claim: he is not merely the one who gives resurrection, but resurrection itself. Andreas Köstenberger highlights how this statement draws together Johannine themes of eternal life, present belief, and eschatological hope (Köstenberger, John, p. 348).
Read More: The 7 “I am” Sayings of Jesus in John
Martha responds with a confession of faith: “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God” (John 11:27). Her words echo Peter’s confession in the Synoptics (Matthew 16:16) and affirm the central Johannine theme of belief. Even in sorrow, faith can rise.
John 11:28–32 | Mary’s Grief and Shared Lament
Martha then calls her sister Mary, who comes to Jesus with the same words: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:32). While Martha engaged Jesus in dialogue, Mary falls at his feet in raw lament. Their different approaches reflect different personalities, but both express deep trust mingled with sorrow.
Gail O’Day observes that Jesus meets each sister where she is—offering theological truth to Martha and emotional solidarity to Mary (O’Day, John, p. 670). His pastoral care is not one-size-fits-all; it is tailored to the heart before him. This reminds us that faith involves both head and heart, both confession and lament, that pastoral work involves flexibility and sensitivity.
The gathered mourners amplify Mary’s grief. The pain of loss is communal, echoing how Paul later describes the body of Christ: “If one member suffers, all suffer together” (1 Corinthians 12:26).
John 11:33–37 | Jesus Weeps with the Mourners
Seeing Mary weeping and the crowd grieving, Jesus is “deeply moved in spirit and troubled” (John 11:33). Then comes the shortest verse in Scripture, but one of the most profound: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). Here the eternal Word made flesh fully enters human sorrow. He does not stand apart from grief—he shares it.
Craig Keener stresses that Jesus’ tears are not signs of weakness but of solidarity, revealing divine compassion at its deepest (Keener, John, vol. 2, p. 854). This moment shows us that God’s glory does not bypass human suffering but moves through it. The Word who was with God in the beginning (John 1:1) is now weeping at a graveside.
The crowd interprets his tears in two ways: some see them as proof of his love, while others question why he did not prevent the death. This tension mirrors the questions we still ask today: If God loves us, why does he allow suffering? John does not give us a neat answer, but he shows us a Savior who enters into our pain before transforming it.
Themes in John 11:17–37
Faith in the Midst of Grief – Martha and Mary both believe, yet struggle with disappointment and sorrow.
Jesus as Resurrection and Life – Resurrection is not only a future event but a present reality in Christ.
Compassion of Christ – Jesus’ tears show divine empathy and solidarity with human suffering.
Personalized Ministry – Jesus meets Martha with teaching and Mary with tears, showing his care for each individual.
Tension of Belief and Doubt – The crowd sees both love and unanswered questions in Jesus’ actions.
John 11:17–37 Meaning for Today
This passage speaks directly into the reality of grief. When we face loss, we often echo Martha and Mary: “Lord, if you had been here…” Our prayers feel unanswered, and sorrow weighs heavy. Yet Jesus meets us in both our faith and our lament. He is not distant from our suffering; he weeps with us.
At the same time, Jesus offers hope that grief cannot erase. He is the resurrection and the life—not only for some distant day, but for here and now. Eternal life begins with faith in him, a promise that transforms even the darkest valleys. We are invited to bring both our questions and our trust to Jesus, knowing that he receives them with love.
Finally, this scene reminds us that theology and compassion belong together. To preach resurrection without weeping would be cold; to weep without resurrection would be despair. Jesus embodies both. In him, truth and love meet. That is the heart of the Gospel.
Works Consulted
Raymond E. Brown, The Gospel According to John I–XII (Anchor Yale Bible), pp. 428–433.
D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John (Pillar New Testament Commentary), pp. 412–419.
Gail R. O’Day, John (New Interpreter’s Bible), vol. 9, pp. 669–674.
Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of John: A Commentary, vol. 2, pp. 852–858.
Andreas J. Köstenberger, John (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament), pp. 346–352.
