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Joh_11:27-28. Martha’s answer affirms the question, and gives the reason for the affirmation; for to Messiah alone could and ought thanks to be due for that which is mentioned in Joh_11:25 f.[83]
ἘΓΏ ] With the emphasis of conscious assurance.
ΠΕΠΊΣΤΕΥΚΑ ] I have convinced myself, and believe. Comp. Joh_6:69.
Ὁ ΧΡΙΣΤῸς , Ὁ ΥἹῸς ΤΟῦ ΘΕΟῦ ] The second predicate, although conceived by Martha still in the popular theocratic sense, and not yet understood in its essentially divine import (comp. on Joh_1:50), satisfactorily expresses her faith in the divinely-conferred ἐξουσία of her friend, and is correlative to the Ὁ ΕἸς Τ . ΚΌΣΜ . ἘΡΧΌΜΕΝΟς , and to be connected with it. The present ἐρχόμενος is employed because she looks for the advent of the Messiah as close at hand. Compare on Mat_11:3; Luk_2:25; Luk_2:38.
Joh_11:28. That Martha called her sister at the bidding of Jesus, is clear from καὶ φωνεῖ σε ; and any doubt as to whether He actually commissioned her to do so is baseless (Brückner, compare Tholuck; Hengstenberg, after Chrysostom).
ΛΆΘΡΑ ] not ΦΑΝΕΡῶς , that is, whispering these words to her secretly, so that the Ἰουδαῖοι in Joh_11:31 who were present—these men so hostilely disposed towards the beloved Teacher—might not observe what she should say to her, in order that they might not disturb the further consolation and elevation which she now, with the faith in her heart that she had just so decidedly expressed, expected for her sister and herself from Jesus.
ὁ διδάσκ .] This designation, which had probably been customary in the family, was sufficiently intelligible to her sister; she did not need to mention His name, nor does she mention it, for the sake of secrecy. Compare Mar_14:14.
[83] The simple and full affirmation of what was asked is contained therefore in ναὶ , κύριε , and ἐγὼ πεπίστευκα is not a Confiteor in response to the question freely formed by Martha (Godet, after Lange); on the contrary, her Confiteor is contained in the words ναὶ , κύριε , and the further words πεπίστευκα , etc., express the holy foundation on which her ναί rested in her heart.