John Calvin Commentary John 11:24

"Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." — John 11:24 (ASV)

I know that he shall rise again. We now see Martha’s excessive timidity in understating the meaning of Christ’s words. We have said that she went further than she should have, when she fabricated a hope for herself based on her own feelings.

She now falls into an opposite fault; for when Christ reaches out his hand, she stops short, as if she were alarmed. Therefore, we should guard against both of these extremes. On the one hand, we must not, without the authority of God’s word, drink in empty hopes, which will prove to be nothing but wind. On the other hand, when God opens his mouth, it is not right that he should find our hearts either blocked or too firmly closed.

Again, by this reply, Martha intended to find out if Christ meant more than she dared to expect from his words, as if she had said: “If you mean the last resurrection, I have no doubt that my brother will be raised again at the last day, and I comfort myself with this confident expectation, but I do not know if you are directing my attention to something greater.”