Martha’s name is the feminine version of Lord or Master.  Some early writers have said she was the wife or widow of Simon the Leper and when he died, the house in Bethany became hers.  

Martha is the older sister to Mary and Lazarus and lived in a small village, called Bethany, just 2 miles from Jerusalem on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives.

Last week I shared this amazing link to help us understand the shift in cultural norms from the Old Testament times to the New Testament times.  The role of women had drastically changed and women were no longer found out in public.  Their role was in the home.  And when Jesus shows up, He counter-culturally affirms women’s roles as disciples and invites Martha to join her sister Mary.

But Martha is older and more practical.  Her role as hospitality hostess fulfills the biblical command.  Gotquestions.org says this about hospitality:  

Hospitality can be defined as “the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way.” In the New Testament, the Greek word translated “hospitality” literally means “love of strangers.” Hospitality is a virtue that is both commanded and commended throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, it was specifically commanded by God: “When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt” (Leviticus 19:33-34, emphasis added).

Our culture seems to tell us Martha was an uptight, busybody - I beg to differ.  Martha’s ability to provide food and lodging for any sojourner was a highly valued expectation.  And Jesus and His disciples enjoyed their frequent visits to her home.

Luke 10 tells us:

At the Home of Martha and Mary

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. 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!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

In a culture where Mary was expected to be hidden from men and behind closed doors, Jesus shows Martha that He recognized that she was working for Him, but that her household activities were hindering her spiritually - her inner communion with the Lord was hindered.  Scripture tells us she was ‘distracted’.  The New Living Translation for 1 Corinthains 7:35 says, “ I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.”  But Martha was the one who managed all the household and served, she found herself with conflicting cares.  She loved Jesus and wanted all in the house to do their best for Him.  

What I find most important to notice about Martha, is that she takes her cares and concerns directly to Jesus.  She asked Jesus to tell Mary to help her.  And when Lazarus becomes ill, she sends word to Jesus to come.  And when He arrives, she goes to Him immediately.  She is always seeking Jesus.

When we look in John (the apostle of love) 11, we see just how much Jesus loved Martha.  Jesus wanted both Martha and Mary to learn that His delays were not denials; that He knows exactly when to display His power.  He knew that this was a death that would result in Him being glorified as the Son of Man.

So when Martha heard that Jesus was on His way, she went out to meet Him and left Mary in the house.  Martha’s tendency was to be blunt, but she also knew that Jesus could ask anything of God and He would give it.  Wow!  That’s some faith!  Immediately Jesus healed her broken heart by assuring her that her brother would rise again.  No explanation of His delayed arrival was given.  Jesus began right away to unfold the truth He meant both His delay and the death of Lazarus to convey.

Martha may have been kept at home, but she obeyed the scriptures.  Martha thought the resurrection of her brother was a far-off event, but Jesus lets her know that He is power by which the dead are raised.  And when He challenged her with “Do you believe this?” 

27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

Although scripture doesn’t say this, we come to understand these three titles of Jesus:

“The Christ - The One of whom glorious things had been predicted as the anointed prophet, priest and king.

The Son of God - A confession of His deity, for this is a title pertaining not to His office or position, but to His nature and Person as the Only Begotten of the Father.

He that should come into the world - This was a common description of the Jews of Him who was at once the heart of prophecy, the object of the aspiration of all illuminated and reborn souls, and the desire of all nations.” (biblegateway.com)

The final time we see Martha is again at her home to celebrate the resurrection of Lazarus and as usual she was busy being hospitable.  Mary anointed the feet of Jesus and Martha raised no objection.  Martha’s service was the same, but her spirit was richly blessed.  She was no longer “distracted” over her tasks, nor mentally anxious.  She may have been bustling around serving food to the others, but she was calm, trustful and in full agreement of her sister’s act of love and devotion to Jesus.  Martha too, has chosen that good part which could not be taken from her.

The Church requires both Martha and Mary’s.  We must learn that secular service has its place.  We must be conscious that both serving and learning are duties in how we can honor God.  We can trust the Lord with all our cares, responsibilities and sorrows knowing that He is able to undertake it all for us.  And if His help appears to be delayed, we must remember that He is never before His time, and He never lags behind.  We must offer our best to Him who broke the alabaster box of His own body that heavenly forgiveness and fragrance might be ours.

Blessings,

Lisa