Martha! Martha! ... Growing in her Faith, Lesson 2

Martha, Martha! … Growing In Her Faith

Luke 10:38-42; John 11:1-44; John 12:2

By Patsy Norwood  © 2024  All Rights Reserved!

Lesson 2

In lesson 1 we were introduced to Martha as she played hostess in her home to none other than Jesus.  We concluded that she did all the right things in making Jesus comfortable, but and there was a 'but', wasn't there ...

That's where we're going to pick up this week beginning with verse 39 ...

And she had a sister called Mary, who was also seated at the Lord’s feet, and was listening to His word.

Let's look at this verse closely and get a picture in our mind of what's happening from Martha's perspective.  Martha is playing hostess, likely moving around the house setting things in order for a meal and Mary, her sister is not helping.

40 But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.”

Can't you just see Martha getting more agitated as she works to get everything that she deems necessary done ... by herself ... with no help from Mary.

From Martha's point of view, Mary should have been helping her ... after all this was Mary's home and responsibility too!

Maybe inwardly Martha was wishing she could be sitting at Jesus’ feet with Mary, but then she would have also realized that somebody had to prepare the meal which would have fit with Martha’s ‘take charge, get it done’ personality.

It was a great day in Martha, Mary’s and Lazarus’ home when Jesus came for this visit, and I think we can safely assume that Martha was eager to please with the very best she could do.  So, she rushed and fussed and cooked and when she couldn’t stand it any longer, she marched herself into the Lord's presence and let all her frustration towards Mary and her seemly rude and lazy behavior burst out in one question … “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself?”

Can't you just hear the anger in that question or maybe the pleading?  She's not only complaining about her sister and casting her in a bad light, but she's insinuating that the Lord doesn't care about her!  It seems that she’s really worked herself into a tizzy!  She allowed herself to get caught up in her emotions instead of looking objectively at the situation.  She let her sense of being ‘wronged’ take priority in her heart.  In essence, she made this about herself.

And then she dares to tell the Lord to tell Mary to help her!!!

Let's just sit on this for a few minutes ...

Martha wants the Lord to call Mary out and make her do what she (Martha) thinks she (Mary) SHOULD be doing!

Martha, Martha, Martha … good and faithful Martha …

Can’t we all just see ourselves in her at times?

So focused on what we want …

So focused on what we think should be done …

So focused on our perspective of what’s going on …

So focused on the business of life …

That we momentarily forget the most important thing.

That’s where I’m going to leave you in this lesson, next week, we’ll see Jesus' response to Martha's outburst. 

I hope you’ve enjoyed today's lesson.  Don't forget to leave a comment and if you're enjoying this study, please share the link with other ladies who you think might enjoy it as well.

Until the next class …

patsy @ From This Heart of Mine

Sources used for this study:

Various translations of the Holy Bible

Various commentaries

Dictionary of New Testament Background, Editors: Craig A Evans & Stanley E. Porter

Archaeological Study Bible

All the Women of the Bible by Edith Deen

Daughters of Eve by Lottie Beth Hobbs

Halley’s Bible Handbook by H. H. Halley

Who’s Who in the Bible by Philip Comfort & Walter A. Elwell