A Tale of Two Sisters
Luke 10:38-42
Introduction:
Tonight we want to look at two women who were prominent in the life of Jesus: Two sisters named Martha and Mary. They are mentioned in three separate incidents during Jesus’ ministry.
1. When he visited their home in Bethany (Luke 10:38-41),
2. After the death of their brother Lazarus (John 11; 12:1-3),
3. When May anointed Jesus feet (Matt. 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9).
They were probably wealthy because they were able to provide hospitality to Jesus as he traveled through Bethany and prepare an elaborate meal for Jesus. Also the ointment Mary used to anoint Jesus’ feet was very expensive.
They were probably very good and long time friends with Jesus. This is evidenced by the ease at which they interacted with him.
The first time Martha and Mary are mentioned was when they offered the hospitality of their home to Jesus. It was the custom in the Middle East then as now to offer hospitality to visitors. It was believed that visitors were sent from God and that to entertain and protect them was a sacred duty. Wealthy people sometimes kept a special upper room prepared at all times for visitors. Jesus’ visit to their home is recorded in Luke 10:38-41.
In vs. 38 we are told that Martha welcomed Jesus into “her” home. In doing so, Martha was conforming to the custom of the day. We are also told that Martha had a sister named Mary. It is presumed that Mary lived with Martha. However, it is very clear that Martha was the mistress of the house.
Mary is described as one who “sat at Jesus’ feet.” One who sat at another’s feet placed themselves in a position of humility before the teacher. So Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening to his teaching. This was definitely not according to tradition. Women were excluded from the teaching of the law and many Rabbis actively discouraged women from learning. In the Rabbinical writings we find this cynical statement, “May the words of the Torah be burned, they should not be handed over to women.” However, Jesus and Mary were not conforming to custom. Jesus was teaching a woman and Mary was listening eagerly. Furthermore, this was probably not a private audience. No doubt, there were a number of men also at Jesus’ feet, listening to the great Teacher. And there was Mary, right in the middle. Scandalous!!!
While Mary was at Jesus’ feet, Martha was preparing the meal. It was probably a large meal designed to feed many people for we are told that Martha was distracted with “much serving.” Although Martha probably had servants, she was in charge and there were details and details and details.
Then Martha looks around for Mary, expecting to see her helping but instead sees her sitting and listening to Jesus. She then approaches Jesus. Martha shows no disrespect to Jesus but she walks up to him face. You can’t ever accuse Martha of being shy. Standing before Jesus, Martha says, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” There is no way to know how Martha said those words. She could have been angry . . . frustrated . . . concerned. I believe that frustration is probably the right feeling that Martha had. She had so many details to take care of to prepare the meal that she was perhaps overwhelmed by it all. She needed Mary’s help but Mary was “sitting down on the job” listening to Jesus.
Martha first asks Jesus a question which also contains a complaint, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?” Do you not care that Mary is breaking every custom in the book to sit here at your feet among all these men instead of helping serve like she is suppose to? “Tell her then to help me.” Tell her to get back in the kitchen where she belongs. She won’t listen to me but she will listen to you. I find it interesting that Martha was so bold in her approach to Jesus. This might indicate that they were good friends and she was comfortable with Jesus, not disrespectful, when she spoke to him in this way.
Jesus answers, “Martha, Martha” . . . “Chill out girl.” “You are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Martha, what you are doing is a good thing but Mary has chosen the better. You have allowed your preparations for the meal to overwhelm and frustrate you. Follow Mary’s example, sit at my feet and listen to me.
We are not told how the rest of the evening went. Apparently the next interaction between Jesus, Martha and Mary is found in John 11. Their brother, Lazarus, is sick. Martha and Mary send a message to Jesus to come to Lazarus’ aid. There seemed to be a close relationship between Jesus, Martha, Mary and Lazarus for the message sent was, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” However, Jesus did not come but delayed for several days. When he finally arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been dead four days. While he was still outside the village, Martha meets him and the first words she says are, “Jesus, Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” As when Jesus was a guest in her house, Martha comes boldly to Jesus. Again, we see only the words of Martha, we do not hear the tone of her voice or see the expression of her eyes. Perhaps she was angry. After all, if Jesus had come when she and Mary had sent for him, Lazarus would not have died. So she could rightly point her finger at Jesus and say, “You did this!” Or perhaps she was sad, confused and distraught. This would change dramatically the way she said the words.
In her statement to Jesus there is the tacit recognition, that he had the power to heal Lazarus but now he is dead. Could Jesus do anything now? Martha thought he could. In verse 22 Martha says, “But even now I know that whatever you ask, from God, God will give you.” When Jesus responds that Lazarus will rise again, Martha misunderstands and makes a “standard” comment concerning the resurrection, “I know that he will rise again on the last day.” Then Jesus seeks to clarify the meaning of his words to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life . . . ” Martha responds with one of the great confessions of the New Testaments. “Yes Lord, I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God who is coming into the world.” She had heard the teachings concerning the coming of the Messiah and she is confessing that she believes that Jesus is that Messiah. In that one sentence she refers to Jesus with three Messianic titles . . . Lord . . . Christ . . . Son of God.
Martha then returns to her come and tells Mary that Jesus is calling for her. Mary then went out to meet Jesus. When Mary reaches the place where Jesus is standing, she says the same thing that Martha had said but instead of standing before Jesus face to face as Martha had done, Mary “fell at this feet . . .”
Jesus, Mary, Martha and the crowd that had gathered, all went to Lazarus’ tomb. When Jesus commanded that the stone be removed, Martha again speaks. “Lord by this time there will be an odor (stench more than likely), for he has been dead four days.” Jesus then provides evidence of his power as the son of God and commands Lazarus to come forth from the tomb. Someone has said that if Jesus had just said “come forth from the tomb” without naming Lazarus, everyone who had died and was in tombs would have been raised from the dead.
The next time we see Mary and Martha is in John 12 and the parallel passage in Mark 14. This scene is again in Bethany but this time, according to Mark, Jesus is in the home of Simon the Leper. However, Martha and Mary are both there. The two women again fill their respective roles in the life of Jesus. John 12:2 simply says “Martha served.” In both occasions when there has been a meal, Martha has served. Certainly she filled the expected role of any good Jewish woman but I have no doubt that by this time, Martha was serving with a whole new attitude. Jesus had raised her brother Lazarus from the dead. Martha was now serving not with exasperation but with love and gratitude.
Mary also assumes her role as a disciple. We again find her at Jesus feet. This time Mary “took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. If this nard belonged to Mary, it represented a very expensive gift. Some have estimated the value of Mary’s gift in today’s money at about $35,000. When the disciples, especially Judas, complained about the waste of good ointment that could have been sold to help the poor, Jesus said, “Leave her alone so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. The poor you always have with you but you do not always have me.”
Martha and Mary. Two sisters, both of whom loved the Lord but expressed it in completely different ways.
Martha was a doer, a server. She was always serving other people. Martha was an “in your face” kind of a person. She was the older sister of Mary and Lazarus. She, no doubt had made many difficult decisions in her life concerning her younger siblings. She had probably always been in charge and she knew how to assert herself and be in charge.
Mary, on the other hand, was a learner. She was always at Jesus feet learning from him. She presents herself as a very humble person, and worshipful of Jesus.
What can we learn from Martha and Mary?
1. We need to keep everything in perspective. Like Martha, sometimes we get so involved in good works that we forget to maintain a relationship with Christ by spending time at his feet. On the other hand spending all our time “at Jesus’ feet” without serving, can create an imbalance in our lives. Max Lucado said, “Marys should keep in mind service is worship – but Marthas must keep in mind worship is service. And the best part is, God recognizes both of them.”
2. We need to be careful not to become frustrated and angry when things do not go right or other people are not pulling their load. God sees and God understands. We need to do the best we can and let God do the worrying.
3. Do not be afraid to tell God what you think, even if it might not seem appropriate at the time. Two times we see Martha standing face to face, toe to toe with Jesus, complaining from anger or frustration. Neither time did Jesus chastize Martha, but only taught her the truth. God has big shoulders. He can take it. Let him know how you feel.
4. Be willing to give God anything you have. Mary, no doubt gave Jesus the most precious thing she had as an act of worship to him. We should follow her example.
