{Now Jesus was not yet come into the town} (oup(9320)de
el(886c)uthei ho I(8873)ous eis t(886e) k(936d)(886e)). Explanatory parenthesis with
past perfect as in verse  19 . Martha had her interview while he
was still coming (verse  20 ) and left him (went off, ap(886c)then,
verse  28 ) to hurry to Mary with the news. Why Jesus tarried
still where he had met Martha we do not know. Westcott says, "as
though He would meet the sisters away from the crowd of
mourners."