John 11:5
“Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Before moving forward, John pauses to assure us of Jesus' affection for this entire household.
Context
This verse sits between Jesus' pronouncement (v. 4) and his unexpected delay (v. 6). John is protecting us from a grave misreading: that Jesus' high purpose somehow negates his love for these people.
What Does John 11:5 Mean?
John places this simple statement in a position of great weight. Yes, Jesus has spoken of glory and God's purpose. But let there be no confusion: he loves these people. Not with the detached benevolence of a king toward subjects, but with the personal, particular love a friend bears. The repetition 'Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus' emphasizes that each is known and loved individually. Jesus is not moved by abstraction or principle alone. His heart is engaged.
This is the ballast that keeps us from a false theology. A God concerned only with glory would be a cold thing indeed. But the God we meet here is one whose purposes are always bound up with his affection for the people involved. Love and cosmic purpose are not in tension. They belong together. When God moves toward his glory, he is simultaneously moving toward those he loves.
Application
Rest assured that God's larger purposes for your life are always undergirded by his specific, personal love for you.