John 11:20

Then Martha Or, Martha, therefore. Information would be brought to her as the elder sister and (apparently) mistress of the house (Luke 10:38). She as usual takes the lead in entertaining, and Mary shrinks from it. "One most remarkable feature in the history is the coincidence between the characters of Mary and Martha as depicted here and in S. Luke." S. p. 185. It is incredible that this coincidence should be either fortuitous or designed. It is much easier to believe that both Gospels give us facts about real persons. Christ is unwilling to mingle at once in the crowd of mourners, and halts outside the village.

Jesus was coming Rather, Jesus is coming, probably the very words of the message. Perhaps they were still on the look-out for His arrival, although they supposed that it was too late for His coming to avail anything.

Mary sat still in the house Or, was sitting in the house:the attitude of sorrow and meditation (Job 2:13). She does not know of Christ's approach (John 11:28): Martha, in discharging the duties of hospitality to fresh arrivals, would be more likely to hear of it.