Who is Martha in the Gospels? Where did she live and why is she important to Jesus? What can Martha show us about faithfulness and discipleship?
In Luke’s Gospel Martha is referred to as the sister of Mary (Luke 10:38-42) and then in John’s gospel as the sister of Mary and Lazarus (John 11:1-12:11). They live together in Bethany just two miles east of Jerusalem, the last place before the Holy City on the pilgrimage route from Jericho to Jerusalem mentioned in the parable of the Good Samaritan.
She is thought by some scholars to be the elder sibling since in Luke 10:38 she is the one who welcomes Jesus into their home (Luke 10:38). In first century, Palestine it was unusual for an unmarried woman to receive a teacher into her home and engage him in discussion. Martha is depicted as a practical person attending to the demands of hospitality and suggests to Jesus that her younger sister Mary might help her instead of sitting at his feet – waiting on his words. Jesus’ gentle reply seems to imply that women are just as welcome as the male disciples to hear his word of teaching (11:27-28). Again, unusual for the time.
This untypical relationship is developed further in John’s Gospel where Martha, Mary and Lazarus are identified as those who Jesus particularly loved (John 11:5). In the Gospels they are the only people described in this way. There the encounter between Jesus and the family at Bethany (John 11:1-12:12:11) is one of the longest in the New Testament. The story has two main parts: Lazarus’ Resurrection (John 11:1-44) where Martha has the lead role and the story of Jesus’ anointing (John 12:1-11) where Mary has the primary role.
For the most part John portrays Martha in his Gospel (chapters 11-12) in parallel with Luke (10:38-42), as pro-active. She initiates dialogue and she serves at table. But her role in John 11:20-40 goes further to provoke Jesus’ own clarification that he is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). As with Mary, the mother of Jesus at Cana (John 2:3,5), it is Martha who sets the scene for Jesus’ self-revelation (John 11:21-22,24,39). In the process, her own faith develops from a biblical hope in a general resurrection at the end of time, similar to that of the Pharisees (John 11:24), to the fullest confession of faith in Jesus in the Gospel. Then, to Jesus’ question: “Do you believe?” she replies: “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the son of God, who is coming into the world.” (John 11:27). This is the confession of faith that defines John’s community, that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, sent by the Father.
In John’s Gospel, Martha then is revealed as a model of belief marked by the love of Jesus (11:5), the recipient of his self-revelation (11:25-26), who passes on what she knows (11:28). And all this despite personal grief (11:19, 39-40) and initial incomprehension. She is a model disciple. The traits attributed to Martha by the Gospel writers echo those of the deacons in the early Christian community and could be cited as a precedent for women deacons. What becomes clear is that the contemplative and active life are not in opposition since both characteristics are gradually developed in Martha’s faith journey.
Fleur Dorrell
