Mary the Disciple

Mary of Bethany and her siblings were very dear friends of our Savior. It is quite possible that Jesus stayed in their home in Bethany many times when he visited Jerusalem, which was just a 20 or 25 minute walk just over the Mount of Olives.  Luke 10:38-42 notes one particular visit: “Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me.’ And Jesus answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.’”  Mary, her sister Martha, and their brother Lazarus were all disciples of Jesus.  But in this text, we are reminded of how important our discipleships must be to us, how carefully we must dedicate ourselves to them, and how sincerely we must devote ourselves to them.  Mary deserves our consideration as we examine the nature of our own discipleship.   I would like to meet her; I know I would like her very much.

Jesus tells us in John 8:31 that “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.”  The origin of the word disciple does not carry a religious meaning – a disciple is simply a student.  The definition of a disciple is “a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrine of another, a follower.”  Anyone can dabble in a discipleship – knowing bits and pieces of a doctrine or philosophy, but a true disciple is one who abides in the teaching and observes the master, the teacher – they can quote the philosophies and understand the underlying principles that provide the hope of the promise of any given teaching.  One can own many discipleships in life: diets, educational theories, child rearing, exercise – and religion.  

We Christians are not the only example of disciples in the religious world of course; we learn something very fundamental about discipleship in observing other religious discipleships.  True disciples can be identified by the way they look, talk, dress, present themselves – they mirror their teacher.   The young Mormons, Buddhist priests, Hare Krishnas, Hindu Sikhs, Orthodox Jews, and Muslims among many others, can all be identified by an outward display of discipleship.  We meet disciples of human wisdoms and doctrines daily. Disciples display their identity openly; the words, thoughts, and principles of their learning are constantly on their mind.  Have you ever eaten dinner with someone on Weight Watchers?  Have you ever spent time with someone who does CrossFit training?  The better they are at their discipleship, the more successful they are at reaching their goal.  Discipleship comes in all forms, and each of us is capable and more than likely to have several discipleships that come and go throughout our lives.  But true disciples of Christ must never be distracted, lose sight of the goal, lose faith in the hope, or lose the hunger and thirst for righteousness and the words of eternal life.  

So, what is really being discussed in our passage in Luke concerning Mary is a demonstration of true discipleship, and the dangers of losing sight of the devotion required.  Our Lord identifies the problem of Martha’s complaint.   In his Jesus the Messiah, Alfred Edersheim presents a picture of a very busy home during this feast time.   Jesus seems to be alone with the women and has found time on this busy day to sit down with these two sisters to tell them more of the kingdom of heaven – to share with them the words of life, words that will define the true disciples of this Savior.  And on this day Jesus notes that there are two ways to own this discipleship – there is one who is ever so busy with all the things going on around her and the other who sees with her eyes the only thing of importance happening in their home on that day.  It is that simple; that is all this is about.  

We tend to talk a lot about Martha, but it is Mary’s discipleship that is called into question by her sister in this passage.  I love both sisters, and I believe that Martha also had a deep faith; we can certainly see that in John 11.  But there is something particularly special about Mary’s relationship with Jesus.  Both women were apparently given the invitation to forget the worries of the house to hear more words of the Savior.  Martha and Mary were both given the opportunity to slow down and hear the words of eternal life; they just had to leave the world behind to sit and listen to the source of that life.  The invitation to have liberty and freedom from sin and, therefore, from all anxiety and worry is offered to all of us.  He sits in our houses each day. The Word can be learned and memorized by all of us; we just must be interested enough in what is being said to think of it as more important than our daily demands. The world will not lead you to His feet, it will call you away – it will distract you by many things.

For years, I thought this was a type A and type B personality study.  I thought Martha must have felt responsible for all the needs of the day and Mary was just laid-back and didn’t see everything that must get done.  I have even heard people say that Martha was older as if somehow that meant she worked more. I have every idea Mary knew how to work and all that needed to be done, but her Lord and Savior had some time for her, and she wasn't going to miss it by being distracted.  I am not sure what Martha was dealing with – but I am pretty sure Martha could have been just as distracted by a television set, or her phone, or numerous other things.  

It wasn’t that Martha did not believe the words of her Lord; we know she did.   And this is not an academic discussion, the text doesn’t imply that Mary was just like that, that she was always into books!  Learning Jesus is not an academic endeavor; it is a purposeful and determined and eager endeavor of a lifetime.  And it starts at His feet.  Mary was a disciple who hungered and thirsted for her Lord and all that He represented, and that was different than what Martha was, at least on this day.  

Both Martha and Mary knew Jesus well, for they were dear friends.  But Jesus needs to be more than just that for all who want to know Him.  He must be our single-minded focus. We must make Him and His words our priority; we must be as Mary and plop ourselves down at his feet with full intention to pay close attention without distraction.  I know I would like Mary very much; she is a great example to me. 

I too must be undistracted by things that beg to be important and the circumstances of my life that demand my attention – my husband, children, job, friends, hobbies, my health, my needs, and my likes.  Verse 42 says that Mary had chosen the one thing needed and that it would not be taken away.  Our Lord reminds us that if we choose Him above all else, as Mary did, we can remain at His feet without the disruption and noise of the world.  He will protect us and guide us as we cling to Him throughout our busy lives.  Mary remained a wonderful disciple of Jesus -  hosting Him, believing Him, depending on Him and, finally, anointing Him as she mourned His impending death.  I want to meet her; I know I would like this wonderful student and disciple of my Lord.