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So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Marta said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world."
And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you." As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him.
- John 11:17-29
On Saturday, we read that a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, "Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick." When Jesus heard that, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it." Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again." The disciples said to Him, "Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?" Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him." These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." Then His disciples said, "Lord, if he sleeps he will get well." However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him." Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."
So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. We remember that Jesus delayed His trip to Bethany by two days. My study bible says that there existed a rabbinic opinion that the soul lingered about the body for three days, but from the fourth day on there was no hope of resuscitation.
Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. My study bible tells us that "official mourning began on the same day as death and burial (immediate burial was necessary in warm climates). Weeping and wailing lasted three days; lamentation lasted the rest of the week; general mourning lasted 30 days following death. During this time mourners constantly came and went from the home of the deceased." Here, the text indicates that this family is prominent enough so that many in the religious leadership have joined in their mourning.
Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. A note here reads: "Not unlike the incident of Luke 10:38-42, the two sisters react differently to what occurs. As the one busily responsible for the duties of hospitality, Martha heads out to meet Jesus, while Mary remains at home. sitting is the correct posture when mourning and greeting mourners (see Job 2:8, 13; Ezek. 8:14)."
Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Marta said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" A note says, "Your brother will rise again is misunderstood by Martha as indicating the final resurrection. Thus Jesus declares, I am the resurrection the life. Whoever believes in Christ already has eternal life and therefore shall never die spiritually." As is typical of John's Gospel, a misunderstanding due to common perception develops into an opening for Jesus to reveal yet more truth about Himself.
She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you." As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. Martha, the sister of hospitality who went out to Jesus, confesses her faith. In her own way, Mary, who is sitting in the house in mourning, immediately responds to Jesus' command. If we think about these two sisters, we can see different ways that we go about living our faith. These sisters are often pointed out as being "two ways to God." Often, for women themselves, these two sisters exemplify different ways of being Christian, one for the extrovert (Martha) and one for the introvert, Mary. In still other ways we find Martha and Mary becoming icons for different ways of serving the Church, depending upon temperament. Martha is always the one in charge of hospitality: in Luke's Gospel, she's serving, while Mary is sitting at Jesus' feet. Here in today's reading, she's the one who goes out to greet Jesus as He comes as guest to their house, while Mary is sitting inside mourning their brother. Some might contrast the two sisters by labeling Martha as the example of active works while Mary is the one who prays, a more contemplative character. In Luke's story, Mary is praised by Jesus as the one who chose "the better part" while Martha is "distracted" by the many things concerning her good works. In either case we find two women who are both loved by Jesus and who are both faithful. I find it interesting though that there is something in common in both stories regarding the actions of the two women. In Luke, Mary sits at Jesus' feet listening to His word (presumably with the rest of the disciples), and Jesus said she has chosen the better part, the one thing needful. While Martha is actively going about the duties of hospitality (serving the guests), she complains that her sister isn't helping her. Mary awaits Jesus' word (again in sitting position, we note), while Martha actively is reaching out, through duty, but in so doing, encounters Jesus' word for her. Both come to His word, His teaching: one in correction, and the other in receiving as a student or disciple. In today's reading, it is Martha who reaches out again in the duties of hospitality, receiving a guest, albeit a beloved and highly respected one. In so doing, although she initially misunderstands in the common perception of the time, she is instructed by Christ. As Mary sits inside in customary mourning, she also responds immediately when the word or command of Christ comes to her -- and again, it comes to her as from the "Teacher." In some very subtle way, the text seems to be saying that either way, it's Christ's word that comes to us. Whether we are at prayer awaiting His word, or we are reaching out in some way with a dutiful kind of a work, Christ's word, the word of the Teacher will come to us to instruct. Mary, perhaps, in Luke's version, chose "the better part" as Jesus said. But both receive His instruction and teaching. The important part here that illuminates this text for us is Martha's confession of faith, while Mary, perhaps, already believes. In the next chapter, we shall read about Mary's extraordinary faith in her act of love. Let us remember that the Holy Spirit has room for each one of us in our uniqueness. As unique personalities, each created by God, we come to Christ one way or the other, but we are united in our faith, in our relationship to Him. He calls us as we are.
