John chapter 12 follows the raising of Lazarus from the grave in a mighty display by the Lord Jesus. After this Lazarus returned to his home and his sisters where a dinner was made for Jesus. Lazarus was there as well. It was at this dinner that Mary, the one who sat at Jesus' feet and learned of him, anointed him. This is where the true personality of Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus, begins to show itself.
V1-2 "Six days before the feast of Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was which had been dead. There they made him a supper and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him."
To learn where Passover originated, please read Exodus 12. One cannot help but marvel that Lazarus who had been in the grave for four days was raised free of the illness from which he had died, his body restored. This time Martha is willingly serving, and does not complain to the Lord about Mary not helping her as she did on a previous occasion. (Luke 10:38-42)
V3 "Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment."
For an excellent explanation of what Spikenard is, please follow this link to Got Questions. It is speculated that this spikenard might have been Mary's dowry. She wanted only the best for Jesus. It is fitting that the one who sat at the feet of Jesus and learned of him would be the one to anoint his feet and dry them not with a towel but with her hair. In these times hair was the woman's glory and Mary did not hesitate to use her hair in this manner, showing her love and respect for Jesus. The odour of the ointment was so strong and beautiful that it filled the house, thus Mary's act of love for Jesus had an effect on the whole house.
Showing posts with label Lazarus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lazarus. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Sunday, February 3, 2019
Daily Bible Reading: John 11:17-31 - Jesus Assures Martha of the Resurrection
There is so much in John 11 that I am breaking it up into 3 posts. The first was posted earlier, verses 1-16, The Death of Lazarus. This second post concerns Lazarus' sister Martha who went to meet Jesus on his way to Lazarus. Verses 17-31 give assurance of the resurrection, not only of Lazarus but of all who believe on Jesus: then, now, and until the Lord comes again.
V17-20 As Jesus was coming, he found that Lazarus had been in the grave for four days. Many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. Since they were offering comfort, it seems likely that they had heard of the death of Lazarus and that is when they came to comfort Martha and Mary. As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him but her sister Mary sat still in the house.
V21-24 Martha speaks to Jesus: "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died". Martha had faith that Jesus would have been able to heal Lazarus of his illness. She further says "I know that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." To this Jesus answers "Thy brother shall rise again." Martha thinks that Jesus is speaking of the future resurrection at the last day and so she says "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
V25-27 It is at this point that Jesus tells Martha a wondrous truth. "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this?" And next we have Martha's confession of faith, "Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." In these verses Jesus is saying that all those who believe on Jesus, though their earthly bodies will die, yet they shall live. Paul the apostle said that he would rather be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
V28-31 When Martha had finished her confession of faith, she went home and called Mary secretly, saying "the Master is come, and calleth for thee." And as soon as Mary heard that, "she arose quickly and came unto him." Martha went to Jesus as soon as she heard he was coming and she received a glorious truth about the resurrection, but Mary chose to stay home until she was called by Jesus. Perhaps it was better to do as Mary did, and wait to be called by Jesus but it was in being alone with Jesus that Martha received her comfort concerning the resurrection of her brother.
Jesus had not yet come to the town of Bethany but was still in the place where Martha had met him. But something more happened, the Jews that had been with Martha and Mary to comfort them saw that Mary got up hastily and went out, and so they followed her thinking that she was going to the grave to weep. They did not suspect the great wonder that was about to behold them.
The next post will be the raising of Lazarus.
__________________________________
vcg
V17-20 As Jesus was coming, he found that Lazarus had been in the grave for four days. Many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary to comfort them concerning their brother. Since they were offering comfort, it seems likely that they had heard of the death of Lazarus and that is when they came to comfort Martha and Mary. As soon as Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him but her sister Mary sat still in the house.
V21-24 Martha speaks to Jesus: "Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died". Martha had faith that Jesus would have been able to heal Lazarus of his illness. She further says "I know that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." To this Jesus answers "Thy brother shall rise again." Martha thinks that Jesus is speaking of the future resurrection at the last day and so she says "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
V25-27 It is at this point that Jesus tells Martha a wondrous truth. "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever believeth in me shall never die. Believeth thou this?" And next we have Martha's confession of faith, "Yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world." In these verses Jesus is saying that all those who believe on Jesus, though their earthly bodies will die, yet they shall live. Paul the apostle said that he would rather be absent from the body and present with the Lord.
V28-31 When Martha had finished her confession of faith, she went home and called Mary secretly, saying "the Master is come, and calleth for thee." And as soon as Mary heard that, "she arose quickly and came unto him." Martha went to Jesus as soon as she heard he was coming and she received a glorious truth about the resurrection, but Mary chose to stay home until she was called by Jesus. Perhaps it was better to do as Mary did, and wait to be called by Jesus but it was in being alone with Jesus that Martha received her comfort concerning the resurrection of her brother.
Jesus had not yet come to the town of Bethany but was still in the place where Martha had met him. But something more happened, the Jews that had been with Martha and Mary to comfort them saw that Mary got up hastily and went out, and so they followed her thinking that she was going to the grave to weep. They did not suspect the great wonder that was about to behold them.
The next post will be the raising of Lazarus.
__________________________________
vcg
Friday, September 11, 2015
Bible Women: Martha of Bethany, Cumbered with Much Serving
Martha of Bethany
Luke 10:38-42, John 11:5-28
Martha and Mary, sisters in the Word of God, both have a very important part in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ as he was on this earth as the Son of man, in perfect sinless humanity and deity. Previously we have studied Mary, so this study will focus on Martha.
Martha is named in the bible before her sister, she is referred to in Luke 10:38 as "a certain woman named Martha" who "received him into her house" one day when Jesus was visiting the town of Bethany. We learn much from this verse, Martha is a woman who offers the Lord Jesus hospitality, the house is called "her house"..it is not Lazarus or Mary who first greets the Lord Jesus, but Martha. Perhaps she is the oldest. It is certain that Martha was well acquainted with the Lord Jesus, because the next verse tells us about her sister Mary who "sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word." Unlike so many who rejected the Lord Jesus, Martha receives him and desires to serve him, as we learn in the next verses. Luke 10:40-42 "But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
Martha, it seems, took her role of hospitality very seriously. There must have been quite a few people in the house, probably some disciples of Jesus were there as well. V40 tells us that Martha was cumbered about much serving, she was very concerned because this task seemed too much for Martha to handle by herself in a timely manner, and so she asks the Lord Jesus to bid Mary help her. The Lord Jesus gently rebukes her by repeating Martha, Martha. Several times in the bible a person is called by their name twice.
Luke 10:38-42, John 11:5-28
Martha and Mary, sisters in the Word of God, both have a very important part in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ as he was on this earth as the Son of man, in perfect sinless humanity and deity. Previously we have studied Mary, so this study will focus on Martha.
Martha is named in the bible before her sister, she is referred to in Luke 10:38 as "a certain woman named Martha" who "received him into her house" one day when Jesus was visiting the town of Bethany. We learn much from this verse, Martha is a woman who offers the Lord Jesus hospitality, the house is called "her house"..it is not Lazarus or Mary who first greets the Lord Jesus, but Martha. Perhaps she is the oldest. It is certain that Martha was well acquainted with the Lord Jesus, because the next verse tells us about her sister Mary who "sat at Jesus' feet and heard his word." Unlike so many who rejected the Lord Jesus, Martha receives him and desires to serve him, as we learn in the next verses. Luke 10:40-42 "But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
Martha, it seems, took her role of hospitality very seriously. There must have been quite a few people in the house, probably some disciples of Jesus were there as well. V40 tells us that Martha was cumbered about much serving, she was very concerned because this task seemed too much for Martha to handle by herself in a timely manner, and so she asks the Lord Jesus to bid Mary help her. The Lord Jesus gently rebukes her by repeating Martha, Martha. Several times in the bible a person is called by their name twice.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
Bible Women: Mary of Bethany
Mary of Bethany
Luke 10, John 11, John 12
Mary of Bethany, and her sister Martha together with their brother Lazarus, share an important part in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth.
Mary is presented in scripture as a student, a woman with a meek and quiet spirit which is of great price to God, 1 Peter 3:4 "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price". She is also presented as a worshipper. Mary is contrasted with her sister Martha, who will be covered in another study.
We first read of Mary in the book of Luke, and it is here that Mary is presented as a woman who puts her desire to learn the words of the Lord Jesus as her first priority, as such going against her sister Martha's wishes. Luke 10:38-42 "Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
How can we reach others before we learn his word and apply it to our own lives? The Lord Jesus places great importance in sitting at his feet and learning of him, and says that "Mary hath chosen that good part" . Learning of the Lord Jesus is uppermost in her life, above the will of others to do lesser things than learn from him. And he says "which shall not be taken away from her." Nothing shall be more important that learning of him. And so should we apply this teaching to our own lives. Matthew 10:36-39 "And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Mark 8:34 "......Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Nothing should come before our devotion to the Lord Jesus, and following Him.
Luke 10, John 11, John 12
Mary of Bethany, and her sister Martha together with their brother Lazarus, share an important part in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ on earth.
Mary is presented in scripture as a student, a woman with a meek and quiet spirit which is of great price to God, 1 Peter 3:4 "But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price". She is also presented as a worshipper. Mary is contrasted with her sister Martha, who will be covered in another study.
We first read of Mary in the book of Luke, and it is here that Mary is presented as a woman who puts her desire to learn the words of the Lord Jesus as her first priority, as such going against her sister Martha's wishes. Luke 10:38-42 "Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
How can we reach others before we learn his word and apply it to our own lives? The Lord Jesus places great importance in sitting at his feet and learning of him, and says that "Mary hath chosen that good part" . Learning of the Lord Jesus is uppermost in her life, above the will of others to do lesser things than learn from him. And he says "which shall not be taken away from her." Nothing shall be more important that learning of him. And so should we apply this teaching to our own lives. Matthew 10:36-39 "And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. Mark 8:34 "......Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Nothing should come before our devotion to the Lord Jesus, and following Him.
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