There lived family consisting of two sisters Martha and Mary and their brother Lazarus in a village called Bethany near Jerusalem during the time of Jesus. We read about this family in Luke 10 and John 11 and 12. We understand that all of them were unmarried, and they are not very young, may be in their thirties. It was very uncommon for Jewish women to remain unmarried. Due to some personal or religious reason they might have decided not to marry. As their story unfolds there were many incidents which point out that they were very rich influential people, much loved and respected by friends and family.
There are many beautiful and thought provoking statements that surround the narration of their life and so much explanation and exposition may be made on many of the quotes. One such verse is in John 11:5.
" Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." These three people were of different temperaments, different levels of faith, different measures of understanding the truth,and different ways of accepting and showing their love to Jesus. But Jesus loved each of them the same in spite of their differences.
Martha seems to be the leader of the family, may be the eldest, always making the decisions for the family not even consulting any of them. Mary was a simple and humble person happy to be led by her sister and not bothered about any of the household affairs. Lazarus was the pet of the house, loved and ruled by both the sisters.Though different in their attitudes, they loved Jesus in their different ways and were loved by Jesus in the same way. He loved the bossy Martha, the docile Mary and the in between Lazarus. Jesus loves us as we are and He only expects us to accept His love for us and show our love to Him.
When Jesus and His disciples were traveling through their village, Martha invited Jesus to their house to go and stay there and Jesus was glad to accept this invitation. Naturally the disciples also followed him to Martha's house and this shows that the house was a big one to accommodate Jesus and His troupe. Martha was fully occupied with cooking the food for her many guests. Being rich, she might have had her servants to help her and Mary did not want to interfere in this task. Martha showed her love for Jesus in preparing the feast for Him and His disciples. Mary showed her love by sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to what He was saying. Martha speaks out her mind and complains to Jesus about Mary and questions Him “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”( Luke 10:40). The answer that Jesus gave her was unexpected: “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “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.” (Luke 10:41,42).
Many women can find no fault in Martha. she loved Jesus and was very much involved in cooking a good food for Jesus and His company. But Jesus says: few things are needed. not even these few things are needed, actually only one thing is needed, which is listening to me and spending undivided attention to my words and so do not worry about many things and get upset.
Martha took heed to this advice and learned many facts from Jesus. This we learn from her conversation with Jesus during the time of the death of her brother Lazarus . Lazarus became sick and the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”(John11:3). But Lazarus died and was buried before Jesus arrived.When Martha heard that He was coming she went out to meet Him, but Mary was at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”( John11:21-27)
After this conversation, Martha went home and told Mary that the Teacher( Jesus) had come and was asking for her.
When Mary heard this she stood up and went out to Jesus. Many of their friends also left with her thinking that she was going to the tomb to mourn for her brother. When Martha went out no one went with her since it was her habit to be going out here and there looking after so many matters. When Mary saw Jesus she fell at His feet crying out loudly. Jesus was deeply touched when He saw her and all other Jews crying and "Jesus wept" ( John 11:35)
Jesus went to the entrance of the tomb where Lazarus was laid and called out in a loud voice "Lazarus , come out" and the dead man came out of the cave and many people believed in Jesus as the Son of God. But when the Pharisees came to know of this incident they plotted to kill Jesus during the ensuing feast of the Passover.
A few days before the feast of the Passover, Jesus again came to Bethany and a feast was prepared for Him and his disciples. Many people crowded there to see Jesus as well as Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Many people believed in Jesus because of Lazarus and so the Pharisees wanted to kill Lazarus too. Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” ( john 12: 1-11)
The real story of this small family teaches us Jesus loves us all as we are and reciprocates our love for Him. The most important thing is to learn from Him, to learn the Word of God and to know the facts. Though He loved the family, sickness and death occurred. If we believe in God we shall see the glory of God even in our loss.
every one in the family showed his love for Jesus in a different way. Martha invited Jesus and His troupe and prepared the best ever meals for them. Mary anointed Him with the most expensive perfume and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. Lazarus sat by the side of Jesus in the feast and associated himself with Jesus though he might have known that people are planning to kill him and Jesus.
Let us hope that the plan to kill Lazarus was thwarted and the two sisters and the brother stood witnesses to the death and the resurrection of Jesus.
Jesus and his disciples knew that the Pharisees will kill Jesus if He went to Bethany and Jerusalem to see Lazarus and Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John11:16)
It was a divine plan that the raising up of Lazarus from the dead led to the death and resurrection of Jesus.
There are many beautiful and thought provoking statements that surround the narration of their life and so much explanation and exposition may be made on many of the quotes. One such verse is in John 11:5.
" Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." These three people were of different temperaments, different levels of faith, different measures of understanding the truth,and different ways of accepting and showing their love to Jesus. But Jesus loved each of them the same in spite of their differences.
Martha seems to be the leader of the family, may be the eldest, always making the decisions for the family not even consulting any of them. Mary was a simple and humble person happy to be led by her sister and not bothered about any of the household affairs. Lazarus was the pet of the house, loved and ruled by both the sisters.Though different in their attitudes, they loved Jesus in their different ways and were loved by Jesus in the same way. He loved the bossy Martha, the docile Mary and the in between Lazarus. Jesus loves us as we are and He only expects us to accept His love for us and show our love to Him.
When Jesus and His disciples were traveling through their village, Martha invited Jesus to their house to go and stay there and Jesus was glad to accept this invitation. Naturally the disciples also followed him to Martha's house and this shows that the house was a big one to accommodate Jesus and His troupe. Martha was fully occupied with cooking the food for her many guests. Being rich, she might have had her servants to help her and Mary did not want to interfere in this task. Martha showed her love for Jesus in preparing the feast for Him and His disciples. Mary showed her love by sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to what He was saying. Martha speaks out her mind and complains to Jesus about Mary and questions Him “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”( Luke 10:40). The answer that Jesus gave her was unexpected: “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “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.” (Luke 10:41,42).
Many women can find no fault in Martha. she loved Jesus and was very much involved in cooking a good food for Jesus and His company. But Jesus says: few things are needed. not even these few things are needed, actually only one thing is needed, which is listening to me and spending undivided attention to my words and so do not worry about many things and get upset.
Martha took heed to this advice and learned many facts from Jesus. This we learn from her conversation with Jesus during the time of the death of her brother Lazarus . Lazarus became sick and the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”(John11:3). But Lazarus died and was buried before Jesus arrived.When Martha heard that He was coming she went out to meet Him, but Mary was at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”( John11:21-27)
After this conversation, Martha went home and told Mary that the Teacher( Jesus) had come and was asking for her.
When Mary heard this she stood up and went out to Jesus. Many of their friends also left with her thinking that she was going to the tomb to mourn for her brother. When Martha went out no one went with her since it was her habit to be going out here and there looking after so many matters. When Mary saw Jesus she fell at His feet crying out loudly. Jesus was deeply touched when He saw her and all other Jews crying and "Jesus wept" ( John 11:35)
Jesus went to the entrance of the tomb where Lazarus was laid and called out in a loud voice "Lazarus , come out" and the dead man came out of the cave and many people believed in Jesus as the Son of God. But when the Pharisees came to know of this incident they plotted to kill Jesus during the ensuing feast of the Passover.
A few days before the feast of the Passover, Jesus again came to Bethany and a feast was prepared for Him and his disciples. Many people crowded there to see Jesus as well as Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Many people believed in Jesus because of Lazarus and so the Pharisees wanted to kill Lazarus too. Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, “Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.
“Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” ( john 12: 1-11)
The real story of this small family teaches us Jesus loves us all as we are and reciprocates our love for Him. The most important thing is to learn from Him, to learn the Word of God and to know the facts. Though He loved the family, sickness and death occurred. If we believe in God we shall see the glory of God even in our loss.
every one in the family showed his love for Jesus in a different way. Martha invited Jesus and His troupe and prepared the best ever meals for them. Mary anointed Him with the most expensive perfume and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. Lazarus sat by the side of Jesus in the feast and associated himself with Jesus though he might have known that people are planning to kill him and Jesus.
Let us hope that the plan to kill Lazarus was thwarted and the two sisters and the brother stood witnesses to the death and the resurrection of Jesus.
Jesus and his disciples knew that the Pharisees will kill Jesus if He went to Bethany and Jerusalem to see Lazarus and Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John11:16)
It was a divine plan that the raising up of Lazarus from the dead led to the death and resurrection of Jesus.
