Verses: Luke 10:38-42, John 11:1-44, John 12:1-2
I turned to our chronological Bible to read these verses in order.
Background – parents, husband, children, siblings
We don't know anything about Martha's parents. We know she had one sister, Mary, and one brother, Lazarus. Some commentaries said she might have been a widow because Luke 10:38 says when Jesus visited "a certain woman named Martha received him into her house."
What is she most known for? Victories? Defeats? How can I be like her? How can I avoid being like her?
As I already mentioned, poor Martha is known for being cumbered about with much serving. The problem was not that she was serving, but much serving. "Martha was providing for the entertainment of Christ, and those that came with him. Here were respect to our Lord Jesus and right care of her household affairs. But there was something to be blamed. She was for much serving; plenty, variety, and exactness. Worldly business is a snare to us, when it hinders us from serving God, and getting good to our souls. What needless time is wasted, and expense often laid out, even in entertaining professors of the gospel! Though Martha was on this occasion faulty, yet she was a true believer, and in her general conduct did not neglect the one thing needful. The favor of God is needful to our happiness; the salvation of Christ is needful to our safety. Where this is attended to, all other things will be rightly pursued." (Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible)
Martha probably could have quietly continued with her much serving, but when she stopped to complain, she really got Jesus' attention. "It should be said here that there is no evidence that Martha had a worldly or covetous disposition. Her anxiety was to provide suitable entertainment for the Lord Jesus. As mistress of the family, this care properly devolved on her; and the only fault which can be charged on her was too earnest a desire to make such entertainment, when she might have sat with Mary at his feet, and, perhaps, too much haste and fretfulness in speaking to Jesus about Mary. This was an improper reproof of our Lord, as if “he” encouraged Mary in neglecting her duty. Or perhaps Martha supposed that Mary was sitting there to show him the proper expressions of courtesy and kindness, and that she would not think it proper to leave him without his direction and permission. She therefore “hinted” to Jesus her busy employments, her need of the aid of her sister, and requested that he would signify his wish that Mary should assist her." (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible)
Martha probably could have quietly continued with her much serving, but when she stopped to complain, she really got Jesus' attention. "It should be said here that there is no evidence that Martha had a worldly or covetous disposition. Her anxiety was to provide suitable entertainment for the Lord Jesus. As mistress of the family, this care properly devolved on her; and the only fault which can be charged on her was too earnest a desire to make such entertainment, when she might have sat with Mary at his feet, and, perhaps, too much haste and fretfulness in speaking to Jesus about Mary. This was an improper reproof of our Lord, as if “he” encouraged Mary in neglecting her duty. Or perhaps Martha supposed that Mary was sitting there to show him the proper expressions of courtesy and kindness, and that she would not think it proper to leave him without his direction and permission. She therefore “hinted” to Jesus her busy employments, her need of the aid of her sister, and requested that he would signify his wish that Mary should assist her." (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible)
I think it's important to notice that Martha does not speak again after Jesus reproves her. She didn't try to defend or excuse her behavior. She didn't storm from the house or leave servants to take over.
The next time we read about Martha is in John chapter 11 when Lazarus is sick. Verse 3 says, "Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick." Verse 5 says, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." There is no mention that Martha is the one who was cumbered with much serving, she was one that Jesus loved. The previous event seems to have been forgiven and forgotten in this long term friendship.
Verse 11 says, "Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him..." which was "true to the energy and activity of her character." (A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments by Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown) Matthew Henry said, "Here was a house where the fear of God was, and on which his blessing rested; yet it was made a house of mourning. Grace will keep sorrow from the heart, but not from the house. When God, by his grace and providence, is coming towards us in ways of mercy and comfort, we should, like Martha, go forth by faith, hope, and prayer, to meet him."
Verses 21-27 record Martha and Jesus speaking. I've heard some criticize Martha for saying, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." but those exact same words are spoken by Mary in verse 32. I think they came from the lips of two heartbroken sisters. "As Mary afterwards said the same thing, it is plain they had made this very natural remark to each other, perhaps many times during these four sad days, and not without having their confidence in His love at times overclouded. Such trials of faith, however, are not peculiar to them." (JFB)
Martha then goes on... "But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible says "whether Martha had such a clear notion of the deity of Christ, as yet, as she afterwards had, is not so certain: however, she was persuaded that he had great interest with God, and that whatever he desired of him was granted to him; and though she does not mention the resurrection of her brother, yet it seems to be what she had in view."
What Martha truly believes is found in verse 27, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." Word Pictures in the New Testament by Archibald Thomas Robertson says, "Martha probably did not understand all that Jesus said and meant, but she did believe in the future resurrection, in eternal life for believers in Christ, in the power of Christ to raise even the dead here and now. She had heroic faith and makes now her own confession of faith in words that outrank those of Peter in Matthew 16:16 because she makes hers with her brother dead now four days and with the hope that Jesus will raise him up now. "It is my settled and firm faith." The Messiah or the Christ (John 1:41) was to be also “the Son of God” as the Baptist said he had found Jesus to be (John 1:34), as Peter confessed on Hermon for the apostles (Matthew 16:16), as Jesus claimed to be (John 11:41) and confessed on oath before Caiaphas that he was (Matthew 26:63.), and as John stated that it was his purpose to prove in his Gospel (John 20:31). But no one said it under more trying circumstances than Martha."
The practical Martha steps in one more time when Jesus says to roll the stone away, "Lord, by this time he stinketh." John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible says "whether she said this out of respect to her brother, being unwilling he should be exposed to the view of persons, in such a state of corruption, she knew he must now be; or whether out of respect to Christ, lest he should be disordered with the offensive smell, is not certain: however, it seems as if she had no notion that Christ was about to raise her brother from the dead; and that the stone was commanded to be removed for that purpose, not merely for a sight of the dead, but that the dead might be seen to come forth alive:"
"It is wrong to suppose from this that, like the by-standers, she had not thought of his restoration to life. But the glimmerings of hope which she cherished from the first (John 11:22), and which had been brightened by what Jesus said to her (John 11:23-27), had suffered a momentary eclipse on the proposal to expose the now sightless corpse. To such fluctuations all real faith is subject in dark hours." (JFB)
Did she reach a place when she needed to reset? If so, did she? For good or evil?
I believe Martha took Jesus' words of reproof to heart. We find her in John chapter 12 once again serving. John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible says, "And Martha served; who was always a busy, active, and stirring woman; and this she did, to testify her love to Christ, and great respect for him; otherwise, as she was a person of substance, she had servants enough to wait at table:"
I love how Matthew Henry explained it, "Martha served; she herself waited at table, in token of her great respect to the Master. Though a person of some quality, she did not think it below her to serve, when Christ sat at meat; nor should we think it a dishonor or disparagement to us to stoop to any service whereby Christ may be honored. Christ had formerly reproved Martha for being troubled with much serving. But she did not therefore leave off serving, as some, who, when they are reproved for one extreme, peevishly run into another; no, still she served; not as then at a distance, but within hearing of Christ's gracious words."
We hear about having a "servant's heart" and Martha is a great example of that. She was a firm believer, she saw Jesus perform great and mighty miracles. Other than the one time mentioned, I believe she found great joy in serving, she found a way to incorporate her love for Jesus with her love for serving.
*Note: I have added a new page to my blog - "Women of the Word" - where I am collecting each week's study. You can find it near the top of the blog, just below the large picture.
The next time we read about Martha is in John chapter 11 when Lazarus is sick. Verse 3 says, "Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick." Verse 5 says, "Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus." There is no mention that Martha is the one who was cumbered with much serving, she was one that Jesus loved. The previous event seems to have been forgiven and forgotten in this long term friendship.
Verse 11 says, "Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him..." which was "true to the energy and activity of her character." (A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments by Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown) Matthew Henry said, "Here was a house where the fear of God was, and on which his blessing rested; yet it was made a house of mourning. Grace will keep sorrow from the heart, but not from the house. When God, by his grace and providence, is coming towards us in ways of mercy and comfort, we should, like Martha, go forth by faith, hope, and prayer, to meet him."
Verses 21-27 record Martha and Jesus speaking. I've heard some criticize Martha for saying, "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died." but those exact same words are spoken by Mary in verse 32. I think they came from the lips of two heartbroken sisters. "As Mary afterwards said the same thing, it is plain they had made this very natural remark to each other, perhaps many times during these four sad days, and not without having their confidence in His love at times overclouded. Such trials of faith, however, are not peculiar to them." (JFB)
Martha then goes on... "But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible says "whether Martha had such a clear notion of the deity of Christ, as yet, as she afterwards had, is not so certain: however, she was persuaded that he had great interest with God, and that whatever he desired of him was granted to him; and though she does not mention the resurrection of her brother, yet it seems to be what she had in view."
What Martha truly believes is found in verse 27, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." Word Pictures in the New Testament by Archibald Thomas Robertson says, "Martha probably did not understand all that Jesus said and meant, but she did believe in the future resurrection, in eternal life for believers in Christ, in the power of Christ to raise even the dead here and now. She had heroic faith and makes now her own confession of faith in words that outrank those of Peter in Matthew 16:16 because she makes hers with her brother dead now four days and with the hope that Jesus will raise him up now. "It is my settled and firm faith." The Messiah or the Christ (John 1:41) was to be also “the Son of God” as the Baptist said he had found Jesus to be (John 1:34), as Peter confessed on Hermon for the apostles (Matthew 16:16), as Jesus claimed to be (John 11:41) and confessed on oath before Caiaphas that he was (Matthew 26:63.), and as John stated that it was his purpose to prove in his Gospel (John 20:31). But no one said it under more trying circumstances than Martha."
The practical Martha steps in one more time when Jesus says to roll the stone away, "Lord, by this time he stinketh." John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible says "whether she said this out of respect to her brother, being unwilling he should be exposed to the view of persons, in such a state of corruption, she knew he must now be; or whether out of respect to Christ, lest he should be disordered with the offensive smell, is not certain: however, it seems as if she had no notion that Christ was about to raise her brother from the dead; and that the stone was commanded to be removed for that purpose, not merely for a sight of the dead, but that the dead might be seen to come forth alive:"
"It is wrong to suppose from this that, like the by-standers, she had not thought of his restoration to life. But the glimmerings of hope which she cherished from the first (John 11:22), and which had been brightened by what Jesus said to her (John 11:23-27), had suffered a momentary eclipse on the proposal to expose the now sightless corpse. To such fluctuations all real faith is subject in dark hours." (JFB)
Did she reach a place when she needed to reset? If so, did she? For good or evil?
I believe Martha took Jesus' words of reproof to heart. We find her in John chapter 12 once again serving. John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible says, "And Martha served; who was always a busy, active, and stirring woman; and this she did, to testify her love to Christ, and great respect for him; otherwise, as she was a person of substance, she had servants enough to wait at table:"
I love how Matthew Henry explained it, "Martha served; she herself waited at table, in token of her great respect to the Master. Though a person of some quality, she did not think it below her to serve, when Christ sat at meat; nor should we think it a dishonor or disparagement to us to stoop to any service whereby Christ may be honored. Christ had formerly reproved Martha for being troubled with much serving. But she did not therefore leave off serving, as some, who, when they are reproved for one extreme, peevishly run into another; no, still she served; not as then at a distance, but within hearing of Christ's gracious words."
We hear about having a "servant's heart" and Martha is a great example of that. She was a firm believer, she saw Jesus perform great and mighty miracles. Other than the one time mentioned, I believe she found great joy in serving, she found a way to incorporate her love for Jesus with her love for serving.
*Note: I have added a new page to my blog - "Women of the Word" - where I am collecting each week's study. You can find it near the top of the blog, just below the large picture.
