Martha's confession was, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world."
Martha made this confession when Jesus asked, "Believest thou this?" after declaring Himself the resurrection and the life. Les Feldick repeatedly notes that Martha said nothing about Jesus' death, burial, or resurrection—her faith was in who Jesus was. He connects her confession to Peter's in Matthew 16 and to the Ethiopian eunuch's in Acts 8.
John 11:27 — This is Martha's exact confession in response to Jesus' question at her brother's tomb.
In John 11, Martha meets Jesus after Lazarus has been in the tomb. When Jesus tells her, "Thy brother shall rise again," Martha says she knows he will rise in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus then declares, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" Martha answers, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." In the Gospel account, Martha's confession does not mention Jesus' coming death, burial, or resurrection—her words are entirely about His identity as the Christ, the Son of God.
Les uses Martha's confession as one of the clearest examples that pre-cross believers were only expected to confess who Jesus was—the Christ, the Son of the living God. He says "Period" after quoting her confession, emphasizing that nothing about His death, burial, or resurrection was expected. He notes that at that moment Christ's death and resurrection had not yet happened, so Martha could not be expected to confess them. Les pairs Martha with Peter in Matthew 16 and with the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8 to show the same pattern of faith: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. He contrasts this with the later gospel of grace, which includes that Christ died for us, was buried, and rose again.
In John 11, Martha went out to meet Jesus after Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. After Jesus told her that Lazarus would rise again and then declared Himself the resurrection and the life, He asked her, "Believest thou this?" Martha responded with her confession of faith.
Les points out that Martha's confession says "not a word" about His death or resurrection. His explanation is that these events had not yet happened. In his words from the transcripts: "Does she mention anything about His death? His resurrection? Not a word. Of course, it hadn't even happened here yet. How could she?" The confession expected of her was simply that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God.
In Matthew 16:16, Peter says, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Les shows that both Peter and Martha stop at the identity of Christ—"Period"—with no mention of His death for sins or His resurrection. Both are examples of the confession expected of believers during Christ's earthly ministry and the gospel of the kingdom.
Peter's confession: no cross work
Les asks 'Whom say ye that I am?' and shows Peter's answer is only 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God'—not 'who died for me and rose from the dead.' This is the confession pattern into which Martha fits.
Martha's confession at Lazarus's tomb
Les quotes Martha's reply 'Yea, Lord, I believe thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God' and says 'That's all they were expected to believe and confess because that's what He had revealed.'
Martha's words from John 11
Les quotes Martha's confession—'Yea, Lord, I believe thou art the Christ, the Son of God, who should come into the world'—and highlights that she says nothing about His death or resurrection.
Martha's answer in the Lazarus account
Les retells the Lazarus account and records Martha's answer 'Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
Martha and the eunuch compared
Les places Martha's confession alongside Peter's and the Ethiopian eunuch's, noting each is 'the Son of the living God. Period.'
Peter's confession in Matthew 16
Les points out that Peter's confession in Matthew 16 is only 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God'—with no mention of death and resurrection.
Three confessions listed by Les
Les lists Peter, Martha, and the Ethiopian eunuch as examples of the same pre-cross confession: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God—'Period.'
Faith claims of the early believers
Les moves from Martha's confession to the eunuch and then to Saul of Tarsus, showing the same core confession before the cross: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
John 11:27: She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
Martha's exact confession in answer to Jesus' question, 'Believest thou this?'
John 11:25-26: Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Jesus' declaration that prompts Martha's confession.
Matthew 16:16: And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Peter's similar confession, which Les compares with Martha's.
Acts 8:37: And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
The Ethiopian eunuch's later confession, which Les also connects to Martha's pattern.
The Bible records no such belief in her confession. When Jesus asked 'Believest thou this?', Martha answered only that He is the Christ, the Son of God. Les notes that at that moment Christ's death and resurrection had not yet occurred.
Les uses 'Period' to emphasize that the confession ends at the identity of Christ. There is no mention of His work on the cross because that was not the revelation of that moment.
Martha confessed who Jesus was—the Christ, the Son of God. Les states that our gospel today includes that Christ died for me, was buried, and rose from the dead. He uses Martha's confession to show how the message revealed to Israel before the cross was different.
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