When their brother got ill, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus. He waited two days before he went to see them.
By the time that John's gospel was first being distributed to the churches, Christians had been concerned about the delay in the return of Christ and the new life that they were looking forward to.
In this passage, Jesus chooses to delay; he is the one who decides when to make his appearance.
But, although he delayed his visit to them, he nevertheless was aware of what was happening to them and was concerned about them.
His delay is helpful in teaching them something. He puts it this way, "I'm doing it in the way that will enable you to believe."
To see this connection between witness to what Jesus can accomplish and the result of that witness, read John 20:30-31, Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God, and through believing you may have life in his name.
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