Charles Ellicott Commentary John 11:28

"And when she had said this, she went away, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Teacher is her, and calleth thee." — John 11:28 (ASV)

And called Mary her sister secretly. It was done secretly to avoid attracting the notice of the Jews who were with her (John 11:19; John 11:31). This, we have seen (John 11:20), accounts for the fact that our Lord did not Himself go to the house. That the care was not unnecessary is seen from John 11:46.

The Master is come (better, is here), and calleth for thee. The word here rendered “Master” is not the Hebrew Rabbi (compare Note on John 1:38), but the Greek word answering to our “Teacher” . He is not named, but Mary at once knows who is intended . Perhaps the name was that by which they usually spoke of Him who had been their Teacher. We are not told that our Lord sent for Mary, but we must assume that Martha conveyed the message which she herself had heard.