Page:Jesus of Nazareth the story of His life simply told (1917).djvu/298

 After two days our Lord said to His disciples: "Let us go into Judea again."

The disciples said to Him: "Rabbi, the Jews but now sought to stone Thee, and goest Thou thither again?"

Jesus said to them: "Lazarus, our friend, sleepeth, but I go that I may awake him out of sleep."

His disciples said: "Lord, if he sleep he shall do well."

But Jesus spoke of his death, and they thought He spoke of the repose of sleep.

Then Jesus said to them plainly: "Lazarus is dead, and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. But let us go to him."

Thomas said to his fellow-disciples: "Let us also go that we may die with Him."

Jesus, therefore, came and found that he had been four days already in the grave. And many of the Jews were come to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. Martha, therefore, as soon as she heard that Jesus was come, went to meet Him, but Mary sat at home.

Martha, therefore, said to Jesus: "Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."

It was not lament, still less complaint, only that plaintive word that the sisters had said again and again to one another during those days of watching and waiting.

She went on: "But now also I know that whatsoever Thou wilt ask of God, God will give it Thee."

She asks nothing, but holds up her faith and her trust to Him, a silent prayer, to be heard as He shall see best.

Jesus saith to her: "Thy brother shall rise again."