John Calvin 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. It was probably at Martha's request that Christ remained outside the village, so that He might not enter into such a large assembly of people. She dreaded the danger, because Christ had only recently escaped with difficulty from instant death. Accordingly, so that the rumor about His arrival might not spread further, she informed her sister privately.

The Master is here. The word Master shows the esteem in which Christ was held by those devout women. Although they had not until now profited as much as they could have, it was still very important that they were entirely devoted to Him as His disciples. Mary’s sudden departure to come and meet Him was proof that she regarded Him with exceptional reverence.