John 11:18 “Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: 19 And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. 20 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.”
“Jerusalem” was a large city approximately two miles away and apparently “Lazarus” and his family were well known, so “many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother”. We should take note that John emphasized that they were “Jews”, for while they thought that they were there to “comfort” “Martha and Mary”, the Lord’s greater purpose was for them to learn a great lesson, His power to raise the dead! “Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him” as might be expected of her; “but Mary sat still in the house” as likewise is expected of her. While “Mary” may have lingered “in the house” because of her grief, in all probability she felt a great responsibility to care for the visitors in her home. The different dispositions of “Martha and Mary” is also shown in Luke 10:38-42. They were both honorable and godly and faithful women; but, with different dispositions. Much like Paul explained the differences in “gifts” (Romans 12; I Corinthians 12), we all have different dispositions, but the same Lord! Furthermore, they both knew that their comfort and help would come from Jesus Christ!