Catena Aurea on John
Lecture 5
28. And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calls for you.
29. And as soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came to him.
30. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
31. The Jews then which were with her in the house and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goes to the grave to weep there.
32. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother had not died.
CHRYS Christ’s words had the effect of stopping Martha’s grief. In her devotion to her Master she had no time to think of her afflictions: And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly.
AUG Silently, i.e. speaking in a low voice. For she did speak, saying, the Master is come, and calls for you.
CHRYS She calls her sister secretly, in order not to let the Jews know that Christ was coming. For had they known, they would have gone, and not been witnesses of the miracle.
AUG We may observe that the Evangelist has not said, where, or when, or how, the Lord called Mary, but for brevity’s sake has left it to be gathered from Martha’s words.
THEOPHYL Perhaps she thought the presence of Christ in itself a call, as if it were inexcusable, when Christ came, that she should not go out to meet Him.
CHRYS While the rest sat around her in her sorrow, she did not wait for the Master to come to her, but, not letting her grief detain her, rose immediately to meet Him; As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came to Him.
AUG So we see, if she had known of His arrival before, she would not have let Martha go without her. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met Him.
CHRYS He went slowly that He might not seem to catch at an occasion of working a miracle, but to have it forced upon Him by others asking; Mary, it is said, arose quickly, and thus anticipated His coming. The Jews accompanied her: The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary that she arose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goes to the grave to weep there.
AUG The Evangelist mentions this to show how it was that so many were present at Lazarus’ resurrection, and witness of that great miracle. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet.
CHRYS She is more fervent than her sister. Forgetful of the crowd around her, and of the Jews, some of whom were enemies to Christ, she threw herself at her Master’s feet. In His presence all earthly things were nothing to her; she thought of nothing but giving Him honor.
THEOPHYL But her faith seems as yet imperfect: Lord, if You had been here, my brother had not died.
ALCUIN As if to say, Lord, while You were with us, no disease, no sickness dared to show itself, amongst those with whom the Life deigned to take up His abode.
AUG O faithless assembly! While You are yet in the world, Lazarus your friend dies! If the friend cries, what will the enemy suppose? Is it a small thing that they will not serve You upon earth? Lo, hell has taken your beloved.
BEDE Mary did not say so much as Martha, she could not bring out what she wanted for weeping, as is usual with persons overwhelmed with sorrow.