Martha Runs

The scene of Jesus waiting for two days about the sickness of Lazarus.

Mary waits in silence. Martha asks Jesus to ask, to beg His Father to heal her brother. When Martha said to Jesus, in Jhn.11:22, "But I know, that even now, whatsoever You ask of God, God will give it to You," she used the Greek word 'aiteo', which means to beg, and suggests the attitude of a suppliant, the petition of one who is lesser in position than he to whom the petition is made. Aiteo is the more submissive and suppliant term, like in Acts 3:2, a beggar asking a passer-by.

The Word she should have used, when addressing Christ, was 'erotao', which suggests the Petitioner is on a footing of equality, or of a depth of intimacy, which lends authority to the request with the Person whom He intreats. It is used by a King in making a request from another King.

Significantly, the Lord Jesus never used 'aiteo ' in the matter of making requests to the Father. The consciousness of His equal dignity, of His potent and prevailing intercession, speaks out in this, that as often as He asks, or declares that He will ask anything of the Father, it is always 'erotao', an asking, that is, upon equal terms (Jhn. 14:16; 16:26; 17:9, 15, 20).

This should give us the love, grace, and patience to wait on and for God's perfect timing and His perfect provision. Gen. 18:14; 22:8; Ps. 27:14; 62:5; Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 9:24; 4:15-16.

More on 'Mary waits', tomorrow...