MY FRIEND: MARY OF BETHANY

By Jerelyn Pearson

 

Today I'd like to introduce you to my new friend. Her name is Mary. I've actually met her a few times in my Bible journeys, but recently I've had the pleasure of getting to know her better. Let's drop by her house and meet her sister and her close friend Jesus who will be visiting also.

Luke 10:38-42:
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

As we meet Mary, we see that Jesus is in her home and she doesn't want to miss anything that he has to teach her. So she sits at his feet listening. To her, that is more important than anything else going on around her.

Mary's sister, Martha, has received Jesus as a guest in their home. So Martha is busy serving. Actually that is putting it lightly. Martha is not just busy serving. She is "cumbered about much serving". She's troubled, burdened, overwhelmed because there's so much to do. She needs help. Where is Mary?

Martha is caught up in a circumstance that is so important to her that she is at her wits end. So she brings her burden to Jesus. He's her friend too. "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? In addition to telling Jesus her problem, she proceeds to tell him what to do about it. "Bid her therefore that she help me."

Before we get too judgmental of Martha, let's ask ourselves how many of our prayers consist of complaining to Jesus and then telling him what we want him to do for us?

In his response I hear Jesus speaking the truth with love.

John 11 41b-42:
41 ...Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Jesus' response to Martha isn't harsh. He knows and loves Martha and understands her personality that she is careful and troubled about many things. He's basically saying: I understand how you feel, but this isn't just about you. Jesus points out to Martha that Mary has "chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her".

I wonder how often we get caught up in our circumstances and get distracted from what would most please the Lord. In her stressful situation Martha saw the Mary that wasn't helping her, instead of the Mary that sat at the feet of Jesus. Sometimes when we look at others, we see them in light of our needs rather than seeing a bigger picture. Jesus supported Mary's choice. I don't think that Mary gave Martha a smug look at this point. Remember, her attention was on Jesus, her advocate.

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Some time has passed since we last visited Mary, and I have received some disturbing news. Their brother Lazarus became ill and they sent a message to Jesus. But Jesus, who "love(s) Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus", hasn't arrived yet; and Lazarus had died. Many of the Jews from nearby Jerusalem have come "to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother." Let's go join them.

Martha has just heard that finally Jesus is coming.

John 11:20:
Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

As we learned previously, Martha seems more likely to take action, while Mary is more reflective by nature. Martha, ever the woman of action, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet him. Mary stayed home.

Martha and Jesus have a conversation:

Martha: Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

Jesus: Thy brother shall rise again.

Martha: I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Jesus: 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: Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Martha returns to Mary.

John 11:28-29:
28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.
29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

At first Mary waited; and then she went. I'm not sure whether or not Mary knew that Martha had heard that Jesus was coming and had run to meet him. But even if she had heard that he was on his way, I think she would have waited patiently for him. But as soon as Mary heard that Jesus called for her, she immediately sprung into action. She didn't need to reflect about that. Her attention is always drawn to him.

John 11:30-31:
30 Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.
31 The Jews then which were with her [Mary] in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

Apparently those who knew Mary found it unusual for her to jump up and leave with no explanation. But they were definitely willing to follow her. They thought they might be following her to the grave, but instead, they followed her to Jesus.

John 11:32:
Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

Both Martha and Mary greeted Jesus with the same words: "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." But what a difference there was in their expression! Let's replay Martha and Jesus' conversation.

Martha heard that Jesus was coming and went to meet him. I think she went with a plan to persuade him.

Martha: Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

Jesus: Thy brother shall rise again.

Still not fully understanding, she replies with what she has learned:

Martha: I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Jesus: 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: Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

In this conversation Jesus was helping Martha to understand more fully who he is. She states that she believes that he is the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. But she still doesn't fully realize what he's trying to tell her as it applies to this situation.

Mary's words were the same as Martha's. But when Mary, responding to Jesus' call, saw Jesus; she could no longer contain her grief and fell down at his feet in complete surrender as she spoke the words, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died."

John 11:33-34:
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.

Then Jesus came to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

John 11:39:
Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

Is Martha really questioning Jesus instruction to "Take ye away the stone"? She is still focused on the physical circumstances rather than on who Jesus is.

John 11:40:
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

Here Jesus reminds Martha of their former conversation and proceeds to show her who he is in this situation.

John 11:41-45:
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

These are the Jews who followed Mary to Jesus. They had been drawn to her to comfort her and she had stayed with them. But as soon as she heard that Jesus called for her, responding to that call became her priority. She headed for him and they followed.

I hope that those in our lives who follow us wherever we go will be led to Jesus too! They will if that's where we are headed!

John 11:46:
But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

(Sadly, not everyone will believe, but all will have the opportunity.)

This was quite a visit. Everyone was hopeful that Jesus would heal Lazarus. But when Lazarus died and remained for four days, they all began to lose hope. If only Jesus had gotten there in time! But Jesus' timing was purposeful, because he had a better plan and a bigger picture! How often do we give up hoping when our prayers aren't answer according to our timing?

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On a happier note let's share one more meal with Mary: Jesus is visiting Lazarus whom he raised from the dead!

John 12:1-8:
1 Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.
2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,
5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

Matthew 26:12-13:
12 For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
13 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.

Once again my friend Mary is criticized for her actions, and once again she is defended by Jesus. Here we see Mary worshiping at the feet of Jesus, pouring out her most precious ointment to anoint him.

Time and time again Mary kept her eyes on Jesus and got it right.

So, what can we learn from Mary of Bethany?

When Jesus visited their home, instead of busying herself with chores, she chose the better part: and sat at his feet to hear his word.

When her heart was broken in grief after the death of her brother Lazarus, she answered the call of Jesus, ran to him, and fell at his feet in complete surrender.

When Jesus visited again just before going to Jerusalem for passover, she poured out her most precious costly ointment as she worshipped at his feet.

We too can chose to sit at his feet to hear his word.

We too can fall at his feet, surrendering to his will.

We too can worship at his feet by giving him our ALL!

We too can lead others to Christ as Mary did just by keeping our eyes on Jesus and being obedient to his call!

I hope you have enjoyed meeting my friend Mary of Bethany and that she has become your friend too as we join her sitting, falling, and worshipping at the feet of Jesus!

 

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