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Selected Verse: John 11:20 - King James
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Joh 11:20 |
King James |
Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him--true to the energy and activity of her character, as seen in Luk 10:38-42. (See on Luk 10:38-42).
but Mary sat . . . in the house--equally true to her placid character. These undesigned touches not only charmingly illustrate the minute historic fidelity of both narratives, but their inner harmony. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Then Martha ... - To Martha was intrusted the management of the affairs of the family, Luk 10:40. It is probable that she first heard of his coming, and, without waiting to inform her sister, went immediately out to meet him. See Joh 11:28.
Sat still in the house - The word "still" is not in the original. It means that she remained sitting in the house. The common posture of grief among the Jews was that of sitting, Job 2:8; Eze 8:14. Often this grief was so excessive as to fix the person in astonishment, and render him immovable, or prevent his being affected by any external objects. It is possible that the evangelist meant to intimate this of Mary's grief. Compare Ezr 9:3-4; Neh 1:4; Isa 47:1. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
That Jesus was coming (ὅτι ὁ Ιησοῦς ἔρχεται)
Literally, is coming. The exact words of the message: Jesus is coming.
Went and met (ὐπήντησεν)
The verb means to go to meet. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Mary sat in the house - Probably not hearing what was said. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
Martha - went and met him - Some suppose she was the eldest of the two sisters - she seems to have had the management of the house. See Luk 10:40.
Mary sat still in the house - It is likely that by this circumstance the evangelist intended to convey the idea of her sorrow and distress; because anciently afflicted persons were accustomed to put themselves in this posture, as expressive of their distress; their grief having rendered them as it were immovable. See Ezr 9:3, Ezr 9:4; Neh 1:4; Psa 137:1; Isa 47:1; Luk 1:79; and Mat 27:61. |
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
1 Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.
14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
61 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
1 Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
1 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
4 And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,
4 Then were assembled unto me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice.
3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonied.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.