John 11:36

“After the Evangelist had set forth beforehand the qualities of the sisters as regards Martha, here he describes them as regards Mary, and first he describes the calling of Mary; second, her meeting with Christ, at the words she, when she had heard; third, the devotion which she showed to Christ, at the words Mary therefore, when she had come where Jesus was (...) fell at his feet. Now Mary is called by Martha, who, having been consoled and instructed by Christ, and unwilling that her sister should be without so great a consolation, when she had spoken the aforesaid words with the Lord, went away, and immediately called her sister Mary in secret, saying: the Master is here, and calls you, and so forth. Here indeed two doubts arise. First, concerning the fact that he says in secret: for secrecy is nothing other than the privation of speech or of sound. She could not, then, have called her in secret. Response: it must be said, following Augustine, that he called "secrecy" a suppressed voice, as if to say that she called her in a low tone, according to that word of Ecclesiastes 9:17: "the words of the wise are heard in silence." She calls her secretly for this reason: that the crowd of Jews was with her, as has been said, and perhaps there were among them some who did not love Christ, who either would have withdrawn, or, on hearing this, would not have followed Mary. Mystically, however, it is given to be understood by this that one calls to Christ by an outward voice only, but more effectually in secret; whence it is said in Isaiah 30:15: "in silence and in hope shall be your strength." Second, a doubt arises concerning the words the Master is here, and calls you. It seems that she spoke falsely: for the Lord did not say to Martha that she should call Mary. Response: Augustine says that the Evangelist, for the sake of brevity, gives us to understand what he had passed over in his narration: for perhaps the Lord did say to Martha that she should call her. Others, however, say that Martha reckoned his very presence to be a calling; as if she were to say: it is inexcusable that, with him present, you should not go out to meet him. Next, when it says she, when she had heard, rose up quickly, and came to him, the meeting of Mary is set down. And concerning this he does two things. First, the readiness of Mary to go and meet him is set down; second, the place in which she met him, at the words for Jesus had not yet come into the town; third, the company that followed her, at the words the Jews therefore who were with her in the house (...) followed her. Now the readiness of Mary to go and meet him is described, because she did not delay on account of mourning, nor did she tarry on account of those who stood by, but as soon as she heard, she rose up quickly from the house in which she was, and came to him, namely to Jesus. From this it is clear that Martha would not have gone before her, if from the beginning the coming of Jesus had been known to her. By this, moreover, an example is given to us of not delaying, when we are called to Christ. Ecclesiasticus 5:8: "delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from day to day"; Isaiah 50:4: "I shall hear him as a master." Now the place where Mary met Christ is the same one where Martha had spoken with Christ; whence he says for Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was still in that place where Martha had met him; which the Evangelist sets down for this reason, lest Mary's going to meet him be thought superfluous, since Christ could have come into the town as quickly as Martha had. Christ, moreover, remained in that place for this reason: that he might not seem to thrust himself forward toward the miracle; but that, while being asked and led on, he might work the miracle, so that men might confess that he was indeed dead, and the miracle suffer no calumny. By this, too, it is given to be understood that when we wish to enjoy Christ, we should go before him as he comes, not waiting for him to condescend to us, but rather that we ourselves should condescend to him; Jeremiah 15:19: "they shall be turned to you, and you shall not be turned to them." Now the company that follows Mary is described when he says the Jews therefore who were with her in the house (...) followed her. And he sets down the reason why they followed her, saying because she goes to the tomb to weep there. For they believed that she did this out of the force of grief: for they had not heard the words which Martha had spoken to Mary. In this indeed the Jews are to be commended, because, as it is said in Ecclesiasticus 7:38, "be not wanting in comfort to them that weep." Nevertheless, it was brought about by divine providence that they should follow her, so that, since there were many present when Lazarus was raised, so great a miracle of one risen after four days might find very many witnesses, as Augustine says. Next, when it says Mary therefore, when she had come where Jesus was, seeing him, fell at his feet, the devotion of Mary toward Jesus is commended, and first the devotion which she showed in deed; second, the devotion which she showed in word, at the words Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. Concerning the first, note in Mary security and humility. Security indeed, because, against the command of the rulers that no one should confess Christ, she is not ashamed before the crowd, nor does she fear the suspicion of the Jews concerning Christ: though some enemies of Christ were present, she runs to Christ; Proverbs 28:1: "the just, as bold as a lion, shall be without dread." Humility, however, because she fell at his feet, which is not read of Martha; 1 Peter 5:6: "be humbled under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in the time of visitation"; Psalm 131:7: "we will adore in the place where his feet stood." In word, moreover, she showed devotion, when she said to him: Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. For she believed him to be life itself, and that where he was, death would have no place; 2 Corinthians 6:14: "there is no fellowship between light and darkness." As if she were to say: while you were present with us, as Augustine says, no disease, no infirmity whatsoever dared to appear, among those in whose house he knew life to dwell. O faithless company. While you were still set in the world, Lazarus your friend has died. If a friend dies, what shall an enemy suffer? Next, when it says Jesus therefore, when he saw her weeping (...) groaned in spirit, and troubled himself, the things pertaining to the affection of Christ are set down. For Christ does not answer Mary with the same words with which he answered Martha; but on account of the crowd standing by he says nothing, showing his power by deeds. First, then, the affection of Christ shown toward Mary is set down; second, a dispute concerning Christ's affection is added, at the words the Jews therefore said: behold how he loved him. Concerning the first he does three things. First, the affection which Christ had in his heart is set down; second, how he expressed it in words, at the words and he said, where have you laid him? Third, how he showed it by tears, at the words and he wept. He says, therefore, as to the first, Jesus therefore, when he saw her weeping, and so forth. Here it must be noted that Christ is true God and true man; and therefore almost everywhere in his deeds we read things human mingled with things divine, and things divine with things human: and if at any time something human is set down concerning Christ, immediately something divine is added. For nothing weaker do we read concerning Christ than his passion; and yet, while he hung on the cross, divine deeds appear, in that the sun is darkened, rocks are split, the bodies of the saints who had slept rise again. In the nativity, too, while he lay in the manger, a star shines from heaven, an angel sings praises, magi and kings offer gifts. A like thing we have in this passage: for Christ, according to the affection of his humanity, suffers something weak, conceiving a certain trouble at the death of Lazarus; whence he says he groaned in spirit, and troubled himself. Concerning this troubling, attend first indeed to his piety, second to his discretion, third to his power. Piety indeed from the cause, which is just. For then is one justly troubled, if he is troubled by the sadness and evil of others: and as to this he says when he saw her weeping; Romans 12:15: "to rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep." Discretion, however, because he is troubled according to the judgment of reason; whence he says he groaned in spirit, as if keeping the judgment of reason. For in "troubling of spirit" the mind, or reason, is meant, according to that word of Ephesians 4:23: "be renewed in the spirit of your mind." Sometimes, however, it happens that passions of this sort belonging to the sensitive part are neither moved by the spirit, nor keep the moderation of reason, but rather disturb it: which indeed was not the case in him, because he groaned in spirit. But what does the groaning of Christ signify? It seems that it signifies anger; Proverbs 19:12: "as the roaring of a lion, so also is the anger of a king." Likewise it seems to signify indignation; according to that word of Psalm 111:10: "he shall gnash with his teeth, and pine away." Response: it must be said that this groaning in Christ signifies a certain anger and indignation of heart. Now all anger and indignation is caused by some grief and sadness. But two things here underlay it: one, on account of which Christ was troubled, which was death inflicted on man on account of sin; the other, on account of which he was indignant, was the savagery of death and of the Devil. Whence, just as when someone wishes to repel an enemy, he grieves over the evils inflicted by him, and is indignant so as to take vengeance on him, so also Christ grieved and was indignant. Power, however, because he by his own command troubled himself. For passions of this kind sometimes arise from an undue cause; as when someone rejoices over evils and is saddened over goods; Proverbs 2:14: "who are glad when they have done evil, and rejoice in most wicked things." And this was not the case in Christ; whence he says when he saw her weeping (...) troubled himself. Sometimes they arise from some good cause, yet are not moderated by reason: and on this account he says he groaned in spirit. Sometimes, however, even if they are moderated by something, they nevertheless anticipate the judgment of reason, of which sort are sudden movements. This indeed was not the case in Christ: because every movement of the sensitive appetite in him was according to the measure and command of reason. And therefore he says he troubled himself, as if to say: by the judgment of reason he took this sadness upon himself. But against this is what is said in Isaiah 42:4: "he shall not be sad nor troublesome." Response: it must be said that this is understood of sadness that anticipates reason and is unmoderated. Christ willed, moreover, to trouble himself and to be sad for a threefold reason. First indeed to prove the condition and truth of human nature. Second, that while he is sad and restrains himself, he might teach the measure that is to be kept in sadnesses. For the Stoics said that no wise man is ever sad. But it seems very inhuman that someone should not be saddened at another's death. There are some, however, who exceed too far in sadness over the ills of their friends. But the Lord willed to be sad, in order to signify to you that at times you ought to be saddened, which is against the Stoics: and he kept measure in his sadness, which is against the latter. Whence the Apostle, 1 Thessalonians 4:12: "we will not have you ignorant concerning them that sleep, that you be not sorrowful, even as others who have no hope"; Ecclesiasticus 22:10: "weep over the dead, for his light has failed," and afterward he adds: "weep a little over the dead, because he has found rest." The third reason is that he might suggest that we ought to be saddened and to weep, bodily, for the dead: according to that word of Psalm 37:9: "I am afflicted, and humbled exceedingly." Next the Lord shows the affection of his heart in words; whence he says where have you laid him? But against this: did the Lord not know the place where he had been laid? It seems not: for just as by the power of his divinity, being absent, he knew of his death, so too he knew the place of the tomb. Why, then, does he ask what he already knew? Response: it must be said that he asks not as one ignorant, but that, while the tomb is shown to him by the people, he wishes them to confess that Lazarus was dead and buried: so that thus he might snatch the miracle away from the suspicion of all. There are also two mystical reasons for this. One is, that he who asks seems not to know the things about which he asks. Now by Lazarus in the tomb are signified those who are dead in sins. The Lord shows, therefore, that he does not know the place of Lazarus, giving us thereby to understand that he as it were does not know sinners, according to that word of Matthew 7:23: "I never knew you," and Genesis 3:9: "Adam, where are you?" The other reason is, that the fact that some rise again from sin to a state of divine justice is from the depth of divine predestination: which depth indeed men do not know; Romans 11:34: "who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?" And Jeremiah 23:18: "for who has stood in the counsel of the Lord, and seen, and heard his word?" And therefore the Lord, hinting at this, bore himself after the manner of one who does not know, since we ourselves also do not know this. Thus, then, the Lord's question is set down, and the people's answer follows; whence he says they say to him: Lord, come and see. Come, in showing mercy; see, in considering; Psalm 24:18: "see my abjection and my labor, and forgive me all my sins." Next the Lord shows his affection by tears; whence it is added and Jesus wept: which tears indeed were not from necessity, but from piety and for a cause. For he was a fount of piety, and therefore he wept, that he might show that it is not to be reproved if someone weeps out of piety; Ecclesiasticus 38:16: "son, shed tears over the dead." He wept for a cause, that he might teach man that on account of sin he stands in need of weeping, according to that word of Psalm 6:7: "I have labored in my groaning, I will wash my bed every night." Next, when it says the Jews therefore said: behold how he loved him, the Evangelist sets down a dispute concerning the affection of Christ: and first he brings forward some admiring the affection of Christ; second, some calling into doubt the miracle formerly worked, at the words but some of them said, and so forth. Now the Evangelist brings forward those admiring the miracle of Christ by way of conclusion, when he says the Jews therefore said, the signs of Christ's affection having been shown, both by words and by tears, behold how he loved him: for love is shown most of all in men's sorrows; Proverbs 17:17: "a friend is known in adversity." Mystically, however, it is given to be understood by this that God loves men even in their sins, for unless he had loved them, he would surely not have said: "I have not come to call the just, but sinners, to repentance": Matthew 9:13. Whence Jeremiah 31:3: "with an everlasting love have I loved you, therefore have I drawn you, taking pity on you." Those, however, who turned into doubt the miracle that had been worked, were of those envious of Jesus; whence he says but some of them, namely of the Jews, said: could not he that opened the eyes of the man born blind have made it so that this man should not die? As if to say: if he loved him so much that he even wept at his death, it seems that he would have wished him not to die: for sadness is felt over those things which happen to us against our will. If, then, he died while Jesus was unwilling, it seems that he was not able to prevent death; much more, then, does it seem that he could not have opened the eyes of the man born blind. Or, it must be said that they said this out of admiration, in the manner of speaking in which Elisha said in 4 Kings 2:14: "where is the God of Elijah, even now?" And David in Psalm 88:50: "Lord, where are your ancient mercies?"”