The second version of this dynamic duo’s story appears in John 12 and is quite different from the version in Luke 10. It is placed as a pivotal event just before the entrance into Jerusalem that leads up to the crucifixion and resurrection. Martha is serving dinner, and her brother Lazarus is at the table. The house, which otherwise is called “Martha’s home” is now Lazarus’s. Their sister Mary comes in with a container of costly oil and anoints Jesus’s feet, using her hair to administer the oil. Another place someone does this is in Luke 7, when a woman “living a sinful life” – possibly a prostitute – does the same thing. In this case, Jesus is confronted by the host, Simon, who is also a Pharisee. In John 12, it is Judas who gets upset, setting the stage for Judas to be accused of being a thief who cared nothing for the poor. These differences surely meant something; Scripture is often about who is lifted up and who is denigrated.
I have always thought of the Gospel of John as being a peculiar mixture of sexism and egalitarianism. On the one hand, Jesus speaks freely to a woman at a well in chapter 4, sending her off to be the first evangelist in John in spite of her 5 marriages and the fact that she was living with a man without the benefit of marriage. On the other hand, the Holy Spirit (she in Hebrew, neutral in Greek) is described as male. In John 12, Mary and Martha are background characters, allowing the men to take center stage. The Gospel of John is also the most anti-Semitic, constantly blaming “the Jews” for the death of Jesus. Some of them participated, but Rome was the culprit there.
Sure, there might have been two different occasions that these stories describe, but that seems unlikely to me. The three siblings were central to the ministry of Jesus; they lived in Bethany, and that place, we are told, is where Jesus returned after checking out Jerusalem just before His entrance on a donkey (which must have been hilarious to see). What seems more likely to me is that the Gospels changed their view of Jesus as time went by, and the central characters in the most important stories were depicted differently in each one. The four in the canon of Scripture were chosen from at least 50 that we know of, and they were specific to the needs of the church when the Bible was put together centuries after the events they depict happened. When considering the Bible, it is far more helpful to understand this than to dwell on the factual nature of the stories they tell. They are mostly metaphors, not history.
2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” Not perfect – useful. Don’t be afraid to read, wonder, question, and even get frustrated with the Bible. You are in good company if you feel those things. Do read the Bible, if it is part of your faith tradition. I see Bible Study as less about getting it right and more about growing in faith to do good for others. That is our task, to live our faith in the world. The Bible can help us along the way.
Prayer – Thank You God for inspiring our ancestors in the faith to read Your words and act out of love. Inspire us to do the same. Amen.
Today’s art is “Anointing the Feet of Jesus” by Ann Lukesh.