27 "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."
In our verse for today, Martha gives us a clear confession of her faith in Jesus albeit yet partial - still lacking a complete and full understanding (I can certainly relate here!). The more we receive, the more we are enlightened as to how much there remains still wanting regarding our faith in our Lord. Yet baby steps of faith opens the door to more while unbelief receives nothing. Faith also opens all the treasures of God and never goes away empty. Beginning with an affirmative reply to His question of her belief and with an unfeigned assent she utters “Yes Lord”. Not too dissimilar to Peter’s confession when the Lord asked of him:
15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matt 16:15-16 (NIV)
From the clear commendation Peter subsequently received from Jesus regarding his confession, we can safely assume that Martha’s found favor with our Lord as well. Remember, He begins where we are and fans that faith into a flame. They had both come to the correct conclusion regarding the person of Christ – He was the Messiah that was to come, the Son of God - albeit not thoroughly understanding the whole death and resurrection arena and that He was very God in bodily form. I am reminded of an Anglican prayer of the past century and one that I often utter heavenward:
“Father, what we know not – teach us; what we have not - give us; what we are not – make us, for Jesus sake.” Anglican Prayer
Their thinking had not come through their own abilities, as Jesus points out in the verse below, yet rather revealed to them by the Father:
17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven." Matt 16:17 (NIV)
I am reminded of the words of Paul in Romans regarding the faith he proclaimed stating clearly salvation comes through acknowledging to God that Christ is God and believing in Him – we confess with our mouth and we believe with our heart:
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:8-13 (NIV)
Even nature sings the song of confession through its display of loveliness – the majestic creation is evidence of an even more majestic Creator God. Its message reaches all nations being equally intelligible to them all. We find in Psalm 19:
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. 4 Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. Psalms 19:1-4 (NIV)
This is why Paul states in Romans the following Truth regarding the lack of man’s excuse to those who choose to suppress the Truth by their wickedness. The knowledge of a Creator being evidenced in what is seen. It is a revelation given to all men – even one look at an exquisite lily should confirm a Creator:
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:18-20 (NIV)
Quite literally in the Greek, Martha stated “I have believed and do believe” the following things concerning Jesus: that He was the Christ, that He was the Son of God and that it was He who was to come – the coming prophesized Messiah. Her theology had its fulfillment in the future and Jesus drew her belief into an intimate possession.
“If she admits this, that Jesus is the Christ, there is no difficulty in believing that He is the resurrection and the life. He is the fountain of light and truth, and we may take all His sayings as faithful and divine. He is the fountain of life and blessedness, and we may therefore depend on His ability.” Matthew Henry
“Someday you will see Me face to Face, but for now you love Me without having seen Me. You believe in Me even though you do not see Me. This is a most blessed way to live, and it demonstrates your membership in My royal family. Your love for Me – My unseen Person – is not irrational or whimsical. It is a response to My boundless Love for you – dramatically displayed on the cross and verified by My resurrection. You worship a risen, living Savior! Blessed are those who have not seen me and yet have believed.” Sarah Young