July 21, 2013
Making of an Apostle
Jesus is walking through a town, when He sees that the townspeople are about to stone a woman. He asks, “Why are you going to stone her?”
A voice comes from somewhere in the crowd that proclaims, “Because she is a sinner.”
Jesus boldly proclaims, “Let the one who is without sin cast the first stone.”
People in the crowd look at each other and then one by one they start dropping their stones to the ground. Suddenly a stone comes flying out of the group and conks the poor woman on the head.
Jesus yells, “Mom! Cut that out!”
Our story from Luke about Yeshua traveling from Capernaum to Jerusalem and other places on this publicity tour and mission trip to Jerusalem, with stops along the way, continues. If you have missed this series on travels by James, John, the seventy and Messiah, I will gladly provide scripts or CD’s. With the background of the previous lessons, we now see that the journey allows the participants to find remarkable and cooperative people along the way, just as our personal vacations and adventures. The advance crew also found discontents such as those in the Samaritan village.
Not only was this family of three who met Jesus, interested in Him to a point they invited Him into their home, but this meeting resulted in a new and personal Bethany “headquarters” for Yeshua that shortened His trips to Jerusalem, plus this meeting resulted in a new financial partner, Lazarus. So much of scripture happens within the relationships with Martha, Mary and Lazarus, that the New Testament would be much different had this meeting not happened. Since the journey began at Capernaum, Jesus and the disciples would have gone back across the Sea of Galilee after each mission if it were not for this encounter.
It was Martha who had the insight to invite the traveling Messiah into their home, yet it was her Sister Mary who played a remarkable role in Jesus’ life from then on. Martha got caught up in the details of entertaining and supporting the Master while Mary was intensely interested in what He had to say.
Luke 10:38 through 42 holds a fascinating detail. We read, “As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him.” Where were the disciples? Did He sneak away from them? Was His visit with Martha intentionally done aside from His traveling companions and advance team?
Lazar, or Lazarus, as the English translators have named him, also realized the value of this mission, and became the Master’s best friend. From the way this family lavished expensive oils on Yeshua, they were obviously wealthy. These women, including their brother Lazarus, followed hospitality rules in the Torah to a “t”. By their actions toward Messiah we see that they already worshiped God and likely believed the forecasts that the Son of God would be coming. We don’t know if these three had some influence in the Temple, or what they had heard about this mission of the Anointed One. An important question is not answered in Luke or anywhere else. The question is; had a pair of apostles traveling with the seventy found this home then told Jesus about them prior to this described meeting? Remember that an advance team had been sent out.
Regardless, the meeting happened. Martha introduced Jesus to her sister who became so intrigued with His teaching that Martha was left to take care of every detail, while Mary sat at Messiah’s feet receiving important instruction and wisdom. There is no hint that help was offered to Martha by anybody in the home. At this point in the new relationship, Brother Lazarus was not in the picture or at least not mentioned.
Mary’s intrigue with Messiah was most obvious, which promoted a response from Martha early in this story, “She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” Is some scripture missing here? How do we go from Jesus diverting from the traveling group and introducing himself to this family, to being familiar enough with the two women that Martha would say to Messiah, “Tell her to help me,” indicating authority and influence over Mary. This statement reaches into the issue of women’s roles in society of the time since Mary was breaking many norms with the Master’s apparent cooperation and promotion.
A look at the name Mary from the Hebrew perspective has interesting revelations. The Hebrew name is Miriam, meaning “wished for a child” plus “bitter” or “rebellious”. Another translation interprets her name as “lady”. Could any of these meanings apply to the Mary, we now know as Mary Magdalene? Are her rebellious actions toward her sister and social norms indicative of her name? Did Mary see the perfection in Messiah from a mortal woman’s viewpoint or was she wise enough to want to become a disciple?
There is some difference of opinion among Biblical scholars that Mary of Bethany may not be the same person as Mary Magdalene. The most logical answer to this controversy is in the meaning of Magdala, which is “tower, “fortress,” however the Aramaic is the most likely meaning applied to this lady, which is “elevated, great, magnificent”. Do you recognize the relationship to the Aramaic Magdala and English word “magnificent”? There is no question that she qualified for these descriptions. It appears that it’s a coincidence that a town with the same name, Magdala, was on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. So the argument that this Mary could not be the same as the one who lived in Bethany is struck down with this understanding. A study of the possibility of Mary being two people shows the plurality very unlikely.
We do know that the relationship continued through the crucifixion and resurrection, the two most important moments in the Master’s life on earth. So this meeting in Bethany was a monumental event in the life of Jesus as well. And, this relationship with Mary was so solid that the Catholic Church feared what it all would mean to the faithful. Nearly six-centuries after this meeting in Bethany, Pope Gregory did his best to discredit the relationship by labeling Mary a prostitute, however, she was not a prostitute and nothing in Canonized Scripture, the Nag Hammadi Library or Lost Books of the Bible or any other historical account support the Pope’s claim. What a tragic and irresponsible pronouncement aimed at a person who was so instrumental in the mission and purpose of Messiah’s life on earth that she has been named the second most important woman of the Bible, second only to Messiah’s mother. And, Mary was courageous and brave enough to stand by Yeshua in His most trying hours, even when the rest of the disciples except John, abandoned the crucifixion scene. Plus, Mary is the only name mentioned in all Gospels as the first to realize Messiah had risen and testified to such a central teaching of faith. She was there at the beginning of the movement that would change the world and be a powerful witness. Mary was truly the Apostle to the Apostles. How dare she be labeled a prostitute. Besides, had she really been a woman of questionable reputation, would not the disciples and apostles’ reputations been tainted by just hanging out with her? They were NOT tainted nor criticized for their association with her, which is more evidence of her innocence.
What would be different about Mary’s story if we had proof that she was a woman in sin? Doesn’t an encounter with the Son of God mean her sins would be forgiven? Does she not receive what is offered to us; new life? She met Jesus, did what He said and had faith in Him. With that fact, what difference would her past have made on her influence and testimony in the saving grace of the Anointed One? We accept the Apostle Paul’s sins against Christians and humanity and recognize the change he made after an encounter with Christ, and influence afterward. Is forgiveness denied to a woman, even one so close to the Savior? Does our society have different standards for women such as those we read about in Bible times?
In more recent years, Mary’s role as selected by Dan Brown in his book, The Da Vinci Code has added more suspicion about her, yet not even this popular book can dispute her role in Christianity or importance to the faith. Truly, the stop in this Bethany home, where Jesus did what he told the Apostles to do, resulted in mentoring a person we celebrate today just as the efforts of the disciples are.
Now comes a perspective in this scripture that is repeated in many New Testament stories, the view that what Yeshua taught was more important to life that some details we think are critical. In this story the meaning was explained when the Anointed One said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
When the attempt to kill Mary’s reputation is weighed against the words of Messiah, who are we to side with Pope Gregory? Jesus said that the lessons He taught Mary will “not be taken away from her.” The same lesson is true for us. What we learn from the words of Messiah remains a part of us and cannot be erased in spite of misunderstanding, rumor, torture or even death. We, like Mary are doing the right thing when we elect to sit at the feet of the Master and absorb His words of wisdom that become our code of conduct.
Martha is also an interesting study. She made it possible for the scene to happen since she did the suspected cooking, serving and hosting. Was her role important? Of course! Response by their important Guest was not that attention to detail is not vital, it was! Yet when there was an objection that Mary get up and participate in Martha’s gift of hospitality, she was told that absorbing words of Life was better; something that will become a part of her life and future. In every assembly of Christians there will be the need of supporting staff. Those who are in the background carrying out their gifts are critical to the mission, and God will make assignments just as He did for Martha and Mary. Although the roles are much different, Martha made it possible for her sister to take the role she was born to carry out. We will always need each other and need every gift the Holy Spirit gives believers, even if we complain that we may not receive the glow of the spotlight or be jealous of another’s gift.
Hindsight shows us that Messiah’s evaluation was correct, since it was Mary who continued as a well-known disciple and not Martha, yet it was Martha that sought out Jesus when her brother died, so she must have heard something during these teaching sessions for her sister. There was ultimate faith within this family—in all of them. They had placed their trust in the right One for success on earth and eternal life after.
The example we have to follow from this story of the meeting between the Christ and this family has been set aside for centuries, and there are still some who deny the effectiveness women can have in the kingdom of God. Society of the time and traditions amplified by the likes of Paul and his prejudice against women, have kept leaders like a modern-day Mary Magdalene suppressed. Paul’s “girl Friday” was Thecla, a woman who was later declared a saint. The apocryphal Acts of Paul and Thecla, likely written in the second century, shows a much different attitude toward women who worked so hard to advance the cause of Christ. Reading this hidden scripture shows us a different treatment of a female assistant than that of Christ with Mary. Only the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates Thecla’s work and call her “equal to the apostles.”
The example given us by Messiah is the one to follow, one that not only shows devotion to the Master but a preparation to be an important witness to major events plus teaching apostles as they prepared for their missions. And, Mary’s careful attention to Messiah’s words pleased Him so much that instructions were given to Martha to pay attention to the important things of life.
The traditional teaching from this passage is that there is a rift between Martha and Mary, and that Jesus was a referee between the two. This teaching misses the issue of an order of importance and focuses on inter-family issues. The focus should be on the Master’s words that clearly address priorities in the kingdom. Mary’s attention to His teaching, for whatever reason, is used as an example of the goal we all should have, whether we are involved in administration, missions or even cooking for a church dinner. That ultimate goal is receiving and acting on the Word of God.
The same short passage addresses the need for all to be involved in some way. By “all”, I mean everybody, regardless of gift or gender. The list of gifts found in Isaiah, Corinthians and Acts are all spiritual and not derived from human activities, yet abilities learned through education or experience are still important to the Body of Christ. Such fact is acknowledged in the focus scripture in Luke. Our Master’s words to Martha are, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.” See what is needed to complete the mission of the church, and don’t be worried and upset about it—just focus on what is really needed.
We all bring our personalities, habits and thinking to church and into our spiritual lives and life of the Body. These personality traits can be a blessing or curse to the over-all health of the Body. Being worried and upset, no doubt a personality characteristic possessed by Martha, was not contributing to the health of the family. Mary’s actions were praised because she was accepting words that would change her life for the better, and result in her becoming a major figure in history. Martha never gained such status, yet certainly knew that powerful teaching changed lives.
A dramatic change happened in Mary’s life through the instruction she received, and a new Apostle was added to the list of teachers enlisted to find disciples. And, to the delight of women, this powerful one was feminine, bringing a balance of emotion and love to intellect and wisdom within the group. We have apocryphal writings that indicate Simon Peter was not happy that a woman was added to the group, to the point of being vocal and expressing his jealousy that a woman, namely Mary, was holding such an important position with Messiah. Peter’s objection made no difference, Mary was one of them whether he agreed or not. How ironic it is that Peter and Martha displayed some of the same attitudes, that their opinions were more important than another’s and insisted that authority agree and carry out their desires. In both instances, Jesus stood for the main issues and dismissed the minor.
What is your main issue within the Body of Christ? What are you worried about? Should you be insistent that your concerns should rule the moment, or can you just take care of it? Is your reason for being in the Body of Christ to absorb a refined code of conduct?
In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, amen. ©2013, J.Tilton
