John 11:25–26

In the fifth place, we have Christs reply to her exception, for understanding whereof, we are to consider, that whatever faith Martha hath hitherto professed, Yet, 1 She hath not looked on Christ as able to do any thing by his own power, but only by employing God in prayer. 2. She hath indeed professed her faith of a general resurrection, but doubted of her brothers being raised even now. 3. And in what she beleeves of a general resurrection, she makes no mention of Christs power to do it. Therefore, Christ fits his answer to cure these evils in her; Wherein, first, He layeth down a general assertion, I am the resurrection and the life, that is, (if we take this truth in its full latitude, and with an eye to Christs whole scope here) He is the author of all resurrection, and of all life, whether bodily or spiritual; as having absolute power and dominion over death, as God, and being life it selfe: And therefore as he was to be eyed in her beleeving the general resurrection; So his power to raise and quicken the dead at that time, was sufficient to prove he could even now raise her brother. And according to this interpretation, his being the life, which is subjoyned to his being the resurrection, is not necessarily here to be understood only of that eternal life, unto which the just are raised by Christ, and of which he gave a pledge, by his raising up himselfe, as Mediatour; But it is to be taken generally, that he, as God, hath power to raise whom, and when he will, as being the fountain of life, to give life to whom he will. But if we look to the purpose immediately subjoyned, we may take this assertion more strictly, and in a spiritual sense, That he is the resurrection, in his first giving of spiritual life unto dead sinners, which is further explained in the end of ver. 25. And he is the life, in continuing and preserving that spiritual life which he conferreth, which is further insisted on, ver. 26. as shall be cleared. This interpretation as it is true in it selfe, and agreeable to what followeth; So it needs not seclude the other, which is more general, and reacheth Christs full scope: But may come in as a particular specialy comprehended under it, as appears by his own Commentary subjoyned to it. And therefore, Secondly, He illustrates and confirmes this general in a two-fold particular assertion. One is, He that beleeveth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; which though it conclude well, if we understand it of a bodily resurrection; That they who close by him with faith, albeit they use bodily, yet he will raise them up to live again, and can do to when he pleaseth, Yet comparing it with the following verse, which is conjoined with it, by the copulative and, as a further confirmation, and is undoubtedly to be understood spiritually, I incline rather to understand it spiritually, and that Christ is here proving himselfe to be the spiritual resurrection of a dead sinner, and that they who, being dead by nature, do lay hold on him by saith, shall partake of the first resurrection, and be made to live a life of grace. And upon this doth the second assertion fitly follow, whosoever liveth and beleeveth in me shall never die, wherein he assures her, that beleevers are delivered from spiritual and eternal death. And so this adds to the former; For as in the former, he proves himselfe chiefly to be the resurrection, by raising up the dead to a state of life; so here he confirmes further how he is the life, by preserving and keeping in that life eternally, which he had conferred upon beleevers, and stated them in it. And this doctrine doth very well agree with Christs scope in this place; For hereby he not only leads Martha, to eye him more then she did in what she beleeved, and to beleeve in him, if she looked for a comfortable issue of her trial; And to consider the mercy of spiritual resurrection, when now she is taken up so much with raising up of her brother; But this instance, of spiritual resurrection and life, is a very pregnant proofe of that general, that he is the resurrection and life, and sufficient to confirme that he can raise whom and when he will; no lesse power being required to the one, then to the other, Eph. 1.19, 20. Col. 2.12. Thirdly, in this answer, Christ having thus instructed her, doth pose her, if she beleeves this, and consequently will close with that promise, ver. 23. as to be presently performed.

From ver. 25. Learn, 1. Beleevers have need of daily instruction from Christ, that they may know and understand these things better which they beleeve in part; Therefore, albeit she beleeve a resurrection. ver. 24. yet Christ findes it needful to informe her better in many things about it. 2. It is not enough that we beleeve great benefits and mercies, unlesse we beleeve them to be in Christ, and seek them in him; for, it is not enough she beleeve a resurrection, unlesse she beleeve that he is the resurrection and the life. 3. Christ is to be looked on, not as the instrument of life and resurrection to any, but as the author and principal worker thereof by his own power; for, albeit many Prophets and Apostles have raised the dead, yet it can be said of none but he, I am the resurrection and the life. 4. Such as close with and enjoy Christ, will finde all things in him, and at their hand, which otherwise they may seek far off, and possibly not finde; Therefore, whereas she looked afar off to the better day, for the accomplishment of Christs promise, he sets her see it in him, at her hand, that he is the resurrection and the life, to raise up her brother even now. 5. As time is a spiritual resurrection of the soul in this life; So they who are acquainted with Christs working therein, and in daily entertaining thereof, need finde no difficultie to exalt Christ is the fountain of life and resurrection, and to beleeve that he is able to work wonderful outward deliverances, were it even to raise a dead body; Therefore, doth he being in this instance in the end of this, and in the following verse, to prove that he is the resurrection and life, and that he can raise her brother, even presently. And indeed, all the wonders that God wrought of old upon the creatures for this people, a beleever may finde them all wrought within him, in his spiritual restauration. 6. By nature men are as estranged and far from grace, as a dead man is from life; for, so is here supposed, that man is dead, and needs Christ to be the resurrection. 7. The only fountain and cause of the recovery of this condition, is in Christ, the author of both bodily and spiritual resurrection, as here we are taught. 8. The only mean to partake of this resurrection, is by saith to lay hold on Christ, for, he that beleeves in me, shall live 9. Christ being thus laid hold on, no bonds of spiritual death shall hinder his quickening vertue to raise them up, but he will make the very dead to live; for, he that beleeveth, though he were dead, yet shall he live. This is not to be vnderstood, as if any man that is dead by nature could in that estate, lay hold on Christ by faith; for he must first be prevented by passive regeneration, and the infusion of grace: But the meaning is that it is faith only, that puts the sinner in a state of life, and is he saving exercise of infused grace, without which all antecedent exercises, of discovery and conviction of sin and misery, terrour, &c. will not availe, as being common to Saints and regenerate men with temporaries.

From ver. 26. Learn, 1. As the children of God are by regeneration, put in a state of life; so they prove it by their after carriage, by exercising the functions of spiritual life, and being lively in their way; for, he to whom Christ is the resurrection, to quicken him when he is dead, he liveth 2. As spiritual life flowes only from Christ embraced by faith; so it must be entertained and preserved by the same mean of faith in Christ; for, as the dead, by beleeving, do live, so he that liveth, must beleeve in me, saith he. The keeping in of our spiritual life is a continued resurrection, as the preservation of the creatures is a continued creation; And as the same power is employed in begetting and entertaining this life; so the same mean of faith must still be kept in exercise. So that they are exceedingly in the wrong, who in their defections and distempers, and in their swoundings and faintings, do cast away their confidence. 3. The power of Christ will be forth coming, to preserve beleevers in him from an utter decay in their spiritual life; So that albeit they may be overtaken with some degrees of death, yet upon renewing of their faith, they shall be recovered out of their swounds. He will also preserve them from eternal death, and bodily death it selfe shall not extinguish the life that is begotten and entertained by faith in Jesus Christ; for, he that liveth and beleeveth in me, shall never die. 4. It is the will of God, that when he reveals truth, we embrace it by faith, and do not either reject it, or give only a general assent to it in our judgements; Therefore doth he pose her, Beleevest thou this? and thus should we daily pose our own hearts. 5. In particular, it is necessary that we be well grounded in the faith of getting life through Christ, and that we make special application of the general promise made by him concerning this, and that faith be not to seek in a pinch when Christ calls for it; for, it is in these matters that he requires her to professe her faith, Beleevest thou this?