THREE MARY'S
The
Virgin Mary – Mary sister of Martha – Mary Magdalene
First Word
There were certainly more than three
Mary’s in scripture, but not a lot is written about them.
Women in general were considered second
class in Biblical times because of the Gnostic mind set. This tempered how women’s contribution to the
work place and their thoughts were received.
For that reason, I feel writers of the Holy
Scriptures left out the contributions of women.
Because of the lack of scriptural
references, there is a lot left to the imagination.
GNOSTIC
– RABBIT TRAIL
This is how most men
viewed women during the time of Jesus
- Gnostics
– “People
in the know” – Taught secret
revelations combined with a mixing of myths and rites drawn from a
variety of religious traditions.
They believe we are all in a Time
Continuum and that Jesus had taught secret teachings to the
Apostles that moved them along this continuum.
- The Gnostics
maintained that this material world and all that’s in it is the result of
a cosmic catastrophe; this
world was created by an evil lesser god and our soul needs to
escape this material world and return to the world of the spirit.
- Salvation can not be obtained till
ALL souls have returned to the spiritual
realm.
- But we can’t escape
as long as “women” keep having
babies. – So avoid procreation; - don’t participate. A non-reproductive woman is “on her way”
to becoming a “man” and thus entering the kingdom of heaven. Is this some messed up stuff or what?
- If you can just
comprehend the Gnostic thinking, that women were part of a progressive time continuum; starting with plants, then bugs, then
animals, then women, then men and finally a god. So, ultimately as you progress along the
continuum you would be just like a god
- A “female” in the
time continuum, was actually a “male” that had just “not yet arrived”.
– So a female was considered a “second class” person. – An
inferior human being – inferior to men.
- This thought process
had to do with domination.
The top denominates downward like a master over his slave. The more powerful Male is supposed to dominate the less
powerful female. - FAR OUT STUFF
- Perhaps now you can
see why they wanted the Women to remain SILENT in Church and why they did
not believe Mary Magdalene when she told them about the resurrection of Christ.
1 Cor 14:34 - Women should remain SILENT in the churches.
34 women should remain silent in the churches.
They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. NIV
Luke 24:10-11 - Their words seemed to them like NONSENSE.
10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the
mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.
11 But they did not believe the women, because their
words seemed to them like nonsense. NIV
Wikipedia – The Virgin Mary
- Wikipedia: Madonna - Italian title for “My Lady”
- “The Immaculate Conception should not be confused with the
Virginity of Mary or the Virgin birth of Jesus; it refers to the
conception of Mary by her (virgin) mother, Saint
Anne. Although the belief was widely held since at least Late Antiquity,
the doctrine was not formally proclaimed until December 8, 1854, by Pope
Pius IX in his paper bull Ineffablis Deus”. (The virgin birth of
Saint Anne with Mary is not recorded in NewTestament scriptures)
- “The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her
conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God and by
virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original
sin”. – (She was sinless)
- Thus Mary was preserved from sin and is the “co-redeemer” of man along with Jesus.
v
This contradicts scripture
– All
have sinned and there is NO co-redeemer; No one comes to the father
except through Jesus Christ. – Don’t get upset now; it’s in the Book.
- The name Mary comes from the name
“Miriam” which means “rebellious” or “bitter”; this refers back to
the days of Moses’ sister Miriam who became jealous of Moses. – Never the
less; very little thought was given to that issue. - One out of every four
Jewish women in the first century was named Mary; six are named in
the New Testament. - The Mary’s documented in the NT were virtuous
and selfless women.
- This study is about
Mary and not denominational doctrine. – Salvation is Jesus plus nothing.
John 14:6 - No one comes
to the Father except through me
6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. NIV
Rom 3:23 - ALL have SINNED including Mary
23 for all have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God, NIV
Num 12:1-2 – Miriam is
JEALOUS of her brother Moses
1 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against
Moses
2 "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?"
they asked. "Hasn't he also spoken through us?" And the LORD heard
this. NIV
The Virgin
Mary
- I have given very
little space in my thoughts to the Virgin Mary mainly because the
scriptures say so little about her.
But now knowing the Gnostic
mind set, I have set out to find out more about Mary, the mother of The
Savior of the World.
- Mary
Writes
- Some commentaries speculate that Mary may have written part of her own
story that is reported in the first two chapters of Luke. They are written in “the first person”
with such details that only Mary would know. – Perhaps “the reporter” Luke
interviewed her.
- Mary
the mother of Jesus stands apart from all the other women in literature
and history even among unbelievers. – She embodies all that is noble and
fine in womanhood and is timeless, honored and revered regardless of race
or class. – Even the Angel Gabriel called her “Highly Favored”. –
She is characterized by Faith, Humility and OBEDIENCE. – She is the ONLY
woman to EVER conceive a child supernaturally.
- Descendent
of King David- The Gospel of Luke
indicates Mary was a descendant of King David and the Gospel of Matthew
indicates Joseph was too.
- Mary was an unknown
peasant girl that lived in Nazareth located on the
southern plains of Lower Galilee who caught the eye
of a Carpenter. She obtained
neither wealth nor fame and reared all of her children in obscurity
becoming a widow at a relatively young age.
- The reason Catholics
say “Hail Mary” is because
the Angel Gabriel said ”Hail” when addressing Mary for the first time. –
The salutation “Hail” means to rejoice. - Ave Maria is Latin
for Hail Mary – The phrase “Blessed
art thou amongst women, and blessed
is the fruit of thy womb” comes from her cousin Elizabeth when she
greeted Mary.
- DEBATE
in Ephesus
saying that Mary was the mother of Christ, but NOT the mother of
God? The people rioted it the
street chanting; Mary, “Mother Of
God, Mother Of God”
- Mary
Sings –Mary took a 90 mile
trip to visit her cousin Elizabeth and composed a song referred to as “The
Magnificat” which was praise and exaltation to God and it smacks of prophecy
of the coming Messiah to help Israel. – She stayed with Elizabeth about three months till
John the Baptist was about to be born. – Jesus and John would be
cousins
- I
must admit I was always puzzled, as to why Mary was not more prominent in “The
Way”, “the Jesus Movement”, but now I can understand that she
was providing Food, Clothing, Shelter and Home Schooling for a good size
family without the presence of a dad. - She was a SINGLE MOM. – Most of
the “women” in the entourage of Christ either had a supporting husband or
were already wealthy.
- It had
bothered me
that Mary could lose her kid on a trip to the temple, but now I better
understand the culture and that with so many kids in the extended
families, she just thought he was probably with some of the relatives. -
Just like a mother hen; she sure let Jesus know about her anxious
concern. We’ve all been there with our kids or a lost puppy. – I can
just feel the emotions that she had when she finally found Him that
included a mixture of Anxiousness plus
the Blessed Relief. SELAH
Luke 1:28 – HAIL MARY you are
Highly Favored of God
28 And he came in unto her, and said, Hail,
thou that art highly favored, the Lord (is) with thee. ASV
Luke 1:42 – Blessed art thou among women
42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, blessed
art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. KJV
Luke 1:46-55 – Mary SINGS
a song of PRAISE to God.
46 And Mary said: "My soul magnifies
the Lord,
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my
Savior.
48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His
maidservant; for behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.
54 He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His
mercy,
55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham
and to his seed forever."
Luke 2:43-48 – Mary FUSSES
at Jesus for staying behind
44 Thinking he (Jesus) was in their company,
they traveled on for a day. Then began looking for him among their relatives
and friends.
48 His mother said to him, "Son, why have
you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously
searching for you." NIV
Acts 24:14 – The Way – The
Jesus Movement
14 However, I admit that I worship the God of our
fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. NIV
Luke 3:23-31 – Mary
descendant of the line of King David
23 Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about
thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son
of Heli,
31 the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of
Mattathah, the son of Nathan, the son of David, NKJV
Matt 1:1-16 – Joseph
descendant of the line of King David
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus
Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
6 and Jesse begot David the king. - David
the king begot Solomon by her who had been the wife of Uriah.
16 And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of
Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ. NKJV
Mary’s Marriage
- Scripture teaches
that Mary was a virgin when she was betrothed to Joseph and when he went
to Bethlehem for the Roman census;
she was obligated as his wife to go with him although they had not been
formally married. – Engagements were that binding, plus they were both
descendents of King David.
- The
primary purpose of marriage in the ancient world was to reproduce
rather than have a special cherished one for companionship. – A lot was to
be considered; particularly, was the wife healthy and could she bare
children; also the type of political alliance she would make. Selection – Usually the
parents chose the mate for their son; one who would fit in with their clan
and work “harmoniously” with her mother in law who would pick up
the young girls training where her own mother left off; this often
developed into a deep and lasting bond.
- Courtship - Sometimes the son would suggest personal
preferences, but never allowed to date or even do lunch. – Chances were
good that he would not even see her face until the wedding day. The bride
might see him, but she always had a veil covering her face.
- Love
–
In Old Testament times you did not marry the one you loved; you loved the
one you married. – Love began at marriage.
- Age – Most people lived
to a really old age; Issac did not marry till he was forth years old and
Jacob was about Eighty. - The minimum age for boys to marry was thirteen
and the daughters were Twelve. -
Based on the maturity and seriousness of Mary, I believe she was a
teenager of high school age and Joseph was a much older man.
- Engagement (Kiddushin) was for a year which was considered normal
and constituted a part of their marriage.
Mary and Joseph being engaged were considered married although
not living together; sexual intercourse could not take place till
after the marriage vows.
Mary Ponders
·
We
do not hear very much from Mary in scripture and although she is very young,
she is God fearing, God seeking, serious and mature. She quietly PONDERS all the things that are happening around her including;
·
The
visit of the Gabriel, the angel of God – The social implications about her being
pregnant before she was married - The 70 mile trip on a donkey from
Nazareth to Bethlehem - The birth of Jesus - The arrival of shepherds - “Wise
men” bringing gifts and money to finance their traveling - Warnings in dreams
to GET OUT OF TOWN now. – The
prophecies of Simon and Anna that Jesus would be a Savior.- NYOBS 10.03 - THE PLAYERS
- There were probably
JOKES, GOSSIP and PUBLIC REACTION about Jesus who was “questionably” the
son of Joseph. - Jesus had left his widowed mother and didn’t stay in the
FAMILY Carpentry business and was acting like He was some sort of BIG WIG PROPHET – Who did He think He
was anyway; He was just the son of
a carpenter.
- Still not fully
understanding,
Mary was still willing to place her womanhood at the disposal of God - What a whirlwind of emotions. – Mary as well as the Disciples would
not FULLY UNDERSTAND the implications of what was playing out till after the
resurrection – NYOBS 17.06 – THREE
WISE MEN - NYOBS 10.03 – THE PLAYERS
Her Life
·
Nazareth was a beautiful place to
live, but it was still considered a wicked place and nothing good could come
out of Nazareth. – God uses the simple things
to confound the wise.
·
HOME SCHOOLING - Understand that Mary
and Joseph taught Jesus the concepts of God straight from the Torah and I feel
sure in my heart that they modeled the “God fearing” FAMILY life. After the time of purification they consecrating
Jesus with sacrifices to the Lord and made sure He accompanied them each
time they made the journey to the Temple.
·
Twelve years later we find that Joseph is
still alive, and is with Mary searching for Jesus finally finding Him in
the Temple. The sayings of Jesus were amazing everyone,
but again Mary did not understand and just pondered all He had to say in her heart.
·
I like that word “Ponder” – A farmer would say his cow was chewing
the cud – I like to pause for awhile and Chew
the Cud; to chew on Stuff; to think; to Ponder – As the psalmist would say; SELAH.-
Pause and ponder that.
Luke 2:19 – Mary pondered all the things she saw in her heart
19 But Mary treasured
up all these things and pondered them in her heart. NIV
Matt 2:13 – Warned in a dream
13 When they had gone, an
angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up,"
he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell
you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." NIV
Luke 2:22-24
– Mary and Joseph consecrate Jesus to the Lord
22 When the time of their
purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and
Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the
Lord
23(as it is written in the
Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord"),
24 and to offer a
sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: "a pair of
doves or two young pigeons." NIV
Luke 2:25-32
– Simon prophases to Mary about Jesus
25 There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon,
just and devout he came by the Spirit into the temple and when the parents
brought in the Child Jesus,
28 he took Him up in his
arms and blessed God and said: For my eyes have seen Your salvation
Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,
32 A light to bring
revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel." NKJV
Luke 2:36-38
– Anna prophases to Mary about Jesus
36 Now there was one, Anna,
a prophetess; this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did
not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and
day.
38 And coming in that
instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who
looked for redemption in Jerusalem. NKJV
Luke 2:48 –
When Jesus is Twelve, Joseph is still alive.
48 When his parents saw
him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you
treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching
for you." NIV
Luke 2:46-50
– Mary does not understand what Jesus says
46 Now so it was that
after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the
teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
49 And He said to them,
"Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's
business?"
50 But they did not
understand the statement which He spoke to them. NKJV
Luke 2:51-52 – Mary kept all these things in her heart
51 His mother kept all
these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in
wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. NKJV
John 1:46 -
Can anything good come out of Nazareth
46 And Nathanael said to
him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to
him, "Come and see." NKJV
1 Cor 1:27 – God chooses the simple to confound the wise
27 But God hath chosen
the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen
the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; KJV
Mary’s
Family
- Some believe Mary
remained a virgin after the birth of Jesus. - Some commentaries “force” the issue by saying that
Joseph had been married before and had a gaggle of children, but this just
isn’t found in the Protestant Bible. - Scripture “implies” that
Mary did not remain a virgin, but later did have sexual relations
with Joseph. (“Before they
came together” she was found with child) implying that they
did come together. - There is no reason NOT to believe that
Mary bore other children to Joseph.
- Because God was the
father of Jesus and not Joseph, Jesus’ siblings would then be considered half
brothers and half sisters, not step brothers and sisters.
- Mary and Joseph’s
sons were James, Joseph, Judas
and Simon and with the Gnostic mind set, of course the daughter’s
names are not mentioned.
- Scripture always list
the oldest or most prominent first; that would be James - Jesus appeared
to James after His resurrection and before He appeared to the other
disciples. This is probably when James
was fully persuaded that Jesus was the Messiah and converted to
Christianity. Just saying
Matt 1:18 – Implies that Mary later had relations with Joseph
18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came
about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they
came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. NIV
Mark 6:3 – Half Brother of Jesus
3 Isn't this the
carpenter? Isn't this Mary's son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and
Simon? Aren't his sisters here with us?" And they took offense
at him. NIV
Matt 13:55 – Half Sisters
too
55 "Isn't this the
carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James,
Joseph, Simon and Judas?
56 Aren't all his
sisters with us? NIV
Plum
Crazy
- Joseph is
dead
- When we see Mary mentioned later in scripture, Joseph is not
present and must already have died.
- Jesus
has gone plum CRAZY - Scripture usually depicts the family minus Joseph, standing
far off in the distance, mainly because of the crowds. Then at some point just after Jesus was
casting out demons, the whole family went down to take charge and reason
with him because they thought He was losing His mind.
- Jesus did not
acknowledge them, but said, “His mother and brothers and sisters are those
that do the will of the Father”. – Knowing Mary, I’m sure she silently
PONDERED all of what He said in her heart. - Her son Jesus had come to “live the
life of the spirit” and His love for God transcended that of
family.
Luke 8:19-20 – Came to see Jesus without Joseph - DEAD
19 Now Jesus' mother
and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him
because of the crowd.
20 Someone told him,
"Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see
you." NIV
Mark 3:21 – The family thought Jesus was out of his mind
21 When his family heard
about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He
is out of his mind."
NIV
Matt 12:47-49 – Who is my Mother and Brothers
47 Someone told him,
"Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak
to you."
48 He replied to him,
"Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" 49 Pointing to his
disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. NIV
Matt 12:50 –
Those that do the will of the Father
50 For whoever does the
will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." NIV
Mary
Believed
- As Jesus was in
anguish, being tortured on the cross, we see Mary silently watching
her son’s life slip away. – If you have ever lost a loved one, you have
some idea of the grief, sorrow and agony that had fallen upon her spirit. -
I know the sorrow and pain of seeing
my 21 year old grandson in his casket; I know the sorrow as I watched my
puppy’s life slip away in my arms. - How much more sorrow when it’s
your own flesh and blood SON.
- Mary
did not fully understand the Person, Purpose and Mission of Jesus
until after His resurrection.
- Believed: I firmly believe Mary and Joseph both
believed that Jesus was the Messiah at birth, but because of the pressure
of the times, the family just simply didn’t understand and were confused and
intimated by the villagers to be seen around Jesus. – Just saying
- I think Mary wanted
to believe; and eventually the timidity of the family would be
replaced with boldness because of the testimony of James His half brother
who Jesus appeared to just after the resurrection. Just
saying”.
- Tradition has James as an
important leader in early church history; he was appointed as the first
bishop of Jerusalem by the apostles and
the Lord Himself. - James was not one
of the Twelve
- Mary and Jesus’ half
brothers are numbered among the 120 believers gathered in the upper room
waiting for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. – I think his half sisters
were there also, but as the “custom” of the NOSTIC thinking, their presence
would go un-mentioned.
- Jesus committed Mary
to the care of His beloved friend John before He died..
- After the birth of
the Church on the day of Pentecost, Mary sort of disappears out of the
scriptures. – Other writings indicate that John moved back to his home in Ephesus and took Mary with
him.
- There is house in Ephesus called the “House of the Virgin” that dates
back to her time.
- There is no record of
her death, but she lives on in the hearts of the believer for all time;
regardless of denomination, race or class.
Acts 1:13-14 – Mary and the family numbered with the Believers
13 When they arrived, they
went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were
Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew;
James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.
14 They all joined
together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother
of Jesus, and with his brothers.
NIV
John
19:26-27 – John takes Mary to his home
26 When Jesus saw his mother
there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother,
"Dear woman, here is your son,"
27 and to the disciple,
"Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took
her into his home. NIV
Mary; Sister
of Martha
- It’s hard to speak of
Mary without mentioning Martha because of their close bond to each other
and to Jesus. – The respect that Jesus had for women was
something strikingly new.
- Mary appears
apparently to be single, living with her sister Martha and her brother
Lazarus.
- She lived on the Jericho Road in the small village of Bethany just outside of Jerusalem near the Mount of Olives. – From there it was
only a two mile trek over the mountain to the Temple in Jerusalem.
- It seems that the
home actually belonged to Martha who opened it often to Jesus when he was
in town. The family seems to be “well-to-do”
and had given of their means and themselves to the community as well as to
“The Way”; the Jesus movement. -
The family was well respected and loved by the folks in the village.
- Since Martha’s name
is mentioned first, it can be surmised that she is the older sister and
probably a widow; and for sure she “MOTHERED” the younger carefree,
but sensitive Mary.
- Martha was practical,
unemotional and handled all the shopping and the tasks of the home
while the younger Mary exuded a passionate and imaginative
heart especially concerning Spiritual things and assisted with whatever
was needed – Although they had totally different personalities, they
certainly were both of ONE SPIRIT.
- The traditional site
of their home shows that it was a secluded two story stone house with
access from the covered porch to the spare bedroom on the second floor. – It
was a special place that overlooked a garden where you could have a glass
of wine and chill out in a rocker. - SELAH
- Jesus was very close
with the whole family, especially with Lazarus whom He loved. Some commentaries indicate Lazarus
earned his living as a writer or scribe making copies of the TORAH; the
Law, which certainly made for interesting discussions between the two of
them
- Their loving loyalty in
opening their home to Him meant a lot, especially because from time to
time He could experience loneliness. Yes He
did, He experienced all emotions that are common to man.
- Mary was quite
devoted to Jesus and appears in three stories; one of which was the
raising of Lazarus up from the dead.
Acts 24:14 –
Followers of THE WAY
14 However, I admit that I
worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call
a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is
written in the Prophets, NIV
Luke 10:38 –
Martha opened her home to Jesus
38 As Jesus and his
disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha
opened HER home to him.
Lazarus
Dies
- Jesus Himself said
that Lazarus’s illness had come about for God’s glory and that the
Son of God would be glorified through it. – Jesus said He was glad that He
was not there because it made it possible for many others to come to
believe in “THE WAY”. – With the delay of Jesus coming, many villagers began
to collect, waiting to see what Jesus would do.
- Martha told Jesus
that after four days, Lazarus would surely “STINKITH”. – Her sister Mary
was in seclusion, deep in grief for Lazarus and would not venture out of
the house.
- Jesus sent for Mary
to be with Martha before this miracle would be performed. - You can see
how God feels about DEATH as you picture Jesus groan in his Spirit
and weep.
- NOTE: Jesus had waited for four days to go to
Lazarus so that no one could possibly doubt that Lazarus was actually dead.
– Jesus prayed aloud for the benefit of those who had put their Faith in
Him as well as those who were just curious. He specifically called out
Lazarus’s name; “Lazarus come forth”; not wanting ALL the rest of the dead
people to come out their graves.
- There were a number
of Jewish mourners who were also present and because of this miracle, they
BELIEVED and became Christians and followers of “The Way”.
- I would like to point
out,
that there were a number of resurrections mentioned in the Bible, but all of
those resurrected would eventually die again. - Jesus is the only one that
died and was resurrected that would never see death again. – Now; TODAY;
this miracle is still available for those that would believe.
- Martha would hear the
famous words “Whosoever lives
and believes in me shall never die” and Martha declares; “I
believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God”. - WOW
- The take away is; to “practice” the Love that
Mary, Martha and Lazarus had for each other, the community and
for our Lord.
John 11:39 – After four days Lazarus STINKETH
39 Lord, by this time he stinketh:
for he hath been dead four days.
John 11:1-45
– Mary sees Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead
1 Now a man named Lazarus
was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.
2 This Mary, whose
brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord
and wiped his feet with her hair.
3 So the sisters sent word
to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."
4 When he heard this,
Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's
glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." - Jesus loved
Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
11 “Our friend Lazarus has
fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up." - So then he told them plainly, "Lazarus
is dead,
17 On his arrival, Jesus
found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.
20 When Martha heard that
Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
28 And after she had said
this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher
is here," she said, "and is asking for you." 29 When Mary
heard this, she got up quickly and went to him.
32 When Mary
reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said,
"Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
35 Jesus wept. - Then
the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
39 "Take away the
stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the
dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four
days."
43 When he had said this,
Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" - The dead
man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth
around his face. Jesus said to them,
"Take off the grave clothes and let him go."
45 Therefore many of the
Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their
faith in him. NIV
John
11:25-26 – The Believer will not taste the second death.
25 Jesus said to her,
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live,
even though he dies; and
26 whoever lives and believes in me will never
die. Do you believe this?"
Rev 20:6 -
The second death has no power over them
6 Blessed and holy are
those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power
over them, NIV
The First Meal
- Chairs were not very
common in the homes, and folks just set on the floor around a long low
table. - Jesus is there and Martha is busy with the preparations in the
kitchen. - Mary has finished her chores and in deep humility is sitting
at the feet of Jesus drinking in His ever word; unaware of the extra preparations
that “Mother Hen” Martha was working on.
- Jesus had sent a
silent message that, Women had the same right as men, to listen and
to be a part of Spiritual matters; the kingdom of God is for ALL that would listen
and BELIEVE. Unintentionally this was sort of the beginnings of the
Women’s Liberation Movement.
- When Jesus is around;
Mary becomes very quiet, pensive with deep thoughts which give evidence that
she was “Spiritually Sensitive” to His words, His wisdom and His power.
- You must picture “Mother”
Martha as an attentive hostess, eager hearted and striving for perfection.
– Martha, as a disciple
of Christ had the gift of “Service”
as mention in Acts with waiting on tables. – Her kindness
corresponds to that of the office of Deacon.
- Don’t
get your pants all in a wad here - A Disciple is a pupil or follower
of someone. – A Deacon or Deaconess
is someone that helps the minister in things not related to worship.
- Martha becomes frustrated
that her younger sister Mary is sitting idly by and not helping her out with
the extra preparations for the meal
- Martha asked Jesus to
send Mary into the kitchen to help her, but Jesus knowing Mary’s desire
for “SPIRITUAL FOOD” tells Martha that the
physical food can wait. – Jesus wants Martha to also come and share in the
Spiritual Food. – SERVICE, programs and busyness should not become such a
priority that it substitutes for sitting at the feet of Jesus.
Luke
10:38-42 – Tell Mary to help me
38 As Jesus and his
disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha
opened her home to him.
39 She had a sister called
Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.
40 But Martha was
distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and
asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by
myself? Tell her to help me!"
41 "Martha, Martha,"
the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,
42 but only one thing is
needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away
from her." NIV
Acts 6:1-4 –
The gift of Service – Feeding folks
1 In those days when the
number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained
against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the
daily distribution of food.
2 So the Twelve gathered
all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to
neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.
3 Brothers, choose seven
men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We
will turn this responsibility over to them
4 and will give our attention
to prayer and the ministry of the word."
The Second Meal
- This time the meal is
less than one week before Jesus would die – Mary and Martha had
prepared a FEAST in gratitude; to honor and thank Jesus for bringing their
brother Lazarus back to life. - Along with the disciples, many who had
come to believe in Jesus were also there as well as those who had come out
of curiosity to see Lazarus, the cool dude who had been raised from the
dead.
- This is reminiscent
of the scripture from the Parable of
The Prodigal Son. - “We had to celebrate and be glad, because this
brother of yours was dead and is alive again”
Ø NOTE: The scriptures do not
actually say the meal was served at Martha’s house, it said it was in Bethany where Lazarus lived. - Scholars disagree about was there two different meals or just
one?
Ø There is a similar story
in Mark where Jesus was anointed with oil at a meal at “Simon the
Lepers” house. – The presupposition is that the un-named “anointing” woman was
Mary.
Ø In scripture we find that
Simon appears to be a Pharisee that had already recovered from leprosy; if not
he would not have been allowed to associate with people.
Ø I must admit it is possible that the
meal was at Simon’s larger house in Bethany and not at Martha’s, but
she was the one that had organized it and had honored Jesus by serving Him.
- Martha showed her
love for Jesus through her hospitality; the gift of Service. Mary showed her love in a different way; by
sitting at His feet and listening to Him. - She seems to have the gift of encouragement.
- It
was the custom to take any traveler into the home and provide water to
wash their feet. This would be
performed by a servant or the host if there was no servant present. At a banquet, it was the custom to
refresh guest by applying cool fragrant oil to their heads and
occasionally they would also apply it to their feet.
- As Jesus reclined at
the table, Mary with her deep faith, came quietly up behind Him and
sitting down at His feet, took a 12 ounce jar of Pure Nard, an
expensive perfume and without a word, began to gently rub it on His feet
and then proceeded to dry them with her long hair. – Mary now had the same
aroma that Jesus had; this smell would make her aware of His presence long
after He was gone.
- Jesus knowing His death
was imminent said that the Nard although unintentional, was
poured out in preparation for His burial. – Mary has just let Jesus know
that she has entered into His death with Him.
- NOTE: This Spikenard had been kept in an
expensive Alabaster box from India. It had been purchased and SAVED for
HER funeral, her burial; but now she pours it all on the feet of Jesus
who in just a few days would be crucified. – You must step back and wonder,
PONDER; what did Mary know that no one else knew. – “chew the cud” on that; - SELAH
- Judas
the treasurer and THIEF of the group objected by saying the
cost of” pure Nard” was equal to a year’s earnings ($60.00 then) and said it should
have been sold and given to the poor. - I can just hear the loneliness
in Jesus’ voice as He sighs; just "Leave her alone”.
- Did
you get it;
Mary is symbolic of the LIGHT;
Judas is symbolic of the DARK.
- LIFE IS CHOICE DRIVEN and has eternal consequences.
Luke 15:32 - This brother of yours was dead and is alive again;
32 But we had to celebrate
and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again;
he was lost and is found.'" NIV
John 12:1-5
– Mary anointed Jesus feet with perfume of.
1 Six days before the
Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived,
whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
3 Then Mary took
about a pint pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus'
feet and wiped his feet with her hair.
5 "Why wasn't this
perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's
wages."
John 12:7 –
The Nard was saved for my burial.
7 "Leave her alone,"
Jesus replied. "[It was intended] that she should SAVE this perfume
for the day of my burial. NIV
Mark 14:3-9 – Home of
Simon the Leper
3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table
in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an
alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke
the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
9 I tell you the truth,
wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also
be told, in memory of her."
Rom 12:6-8 – Some of the
gifts in the Body
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace
given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his
faith.
7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is
teaching, let him teach;
8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage;
if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously NIV
We don’t need a miracle –The
problem in not in the lack of evidence – The Problem is the unbelief of man. J. Vernon McGee
The Picture
- The Home of Mary and
Martha pictures the three essential elements of the Church today; Worship, Adoration and Service.
- So many Churches
especially on TV are preaching “The
Feel Good” message with the essential elements of worship, adoration
and service pushed somewhere in the background.
- In the story of
Lazarus we see the picture of Jesus
weeping, but he is not weeping for Lazarus or for the dead, He is
weeping for the living that WILL experience DEATH and never see “The Glory
of God”.
John 11:40 –
Those who believe will see the Glory of God
40 Jesus saith unto her,
Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see
the glory of God? KJV
Mary Magdalene
Mary from Madala
- Mary was from a
town called Madala in the region of Galilee - It was primarily a
Gentile City located on the southwest coast of the Sea of Galilee noted
for their dye works and fine woolen textures. It was considered a resort
community and was notorious for its moral corruption.
- PROSTITUTION was the
reputation of this city according to the “Talmud” Rabbinic writings
- The word “Madala” is
Hebrew for “Watchtower”
and probably got this name because of the tower that guarded their
city.
- It had about 4000
inhabitants, sported about 230 boats; had 80 weaver shops and some 300
shops that sold just pigeons for sacrifices. This town was in the same region as Nazareth, but was much
larger.
Mentally ill
- Guilt
By Association – Because Mary was from Madala which was notorious for
prostitution, students of the Word immediately jump to the conclusion that
Mary was a Prostitute. – There were UN-NAMED women in scripture that were
prostitutes assumed to be Mary.
- Demons - Mary was said to
have seven demons cast out of her by Jesus.
- In scripture the
number seven represents completeness.
It is reasonable to believe that Mary was completely taken
over by demons and Jesus completely cast them ALL out and completely
forgave ALL her sins.
- We cannot limit
Mary’s illness to one sphere alone, the physical, the mental
or the moral, but it seems more Mentally Ill than Morally
Dissolute.
- This would account
for her complete and profound devotion to Jesus.
Luke 8:1-2– Jesus cast out
demons from Mary Magdalene
1 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town
and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with
him,
2 and also some women who had been cured of evil
spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom SEVEN
demons had come out;
Married to Jesus
- Is
it possible that Jesus was married to Mary? YES…
It is also possible that He was married to Martha or her sister Mary, or
to one of the many women in the entourage.
- It’s more possible
that Mary was married to someone from her hometown, as was Joanna her
co-worker; the canonized scripture (our
Bible)
does not tell us.
- Married - Obscure writing indicate that Mary was
married to the Jew, Pappus ben Juda and divorced him to marry ”Panther” an
officer of Herod Antipas entourage which aroused public indignation (sinful)
- although this is widely circulated, the information is not deemed
correct from a historical prospective.
- Mary is always
pictured with other women providing for the needs of the ministry.
- No record in the
Gospel, canonical or non-canonical is reported to show the relationship
between Mary and Jesus as being married -
NONE
- She is not mentioned
during the lifetime of Jesus except at the end of His ministry.
- Mary referred to
Jesus as “Teacher”, not “Sweet Cheeks”
or some other special term of endearment.
THE APOCALYPTCIST Mindset – This is who we are.
- The belief that the
Kingdom of God would soon arrive. They were living in the end times when
God would intervene and overthrow the forces of evil with a cataclysmic
event.
- Women’s
Lib
- The Apocalyptic mindset might have also been a “QUALITY” which drew women into the
ministry; believing that they
would be part of the kingdom in EQUALITY.
No more oppression based on gender or class.
- The
Essenes
who are thought to have provided the Dead Sea scrolls were
Apocalyptcist and so was Jesus.
- The Essenes were celibate
and had moved to the desert to devote themselves totally to God. - They were ALL single men – John
the Baptist was single - Paul was single – So just in case you were
wondering did Jesus marry Mary Magdalene, it is more plausible that Jesus
remained single than married.
- In the kingdom of God we will have a sexless and marriage-less
existence. – EQUALITY – We will certainly get to see our “believing” spouse
in heaven, but we will just not married to them. – We will have a “different”
sexless glorified body.
Mark 12:25 – Sexless in Heaven
25 When the dead rise,
they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels
in heaven.
NIV
1 Cor 7:7 –
Paul remained single
7 I wish that all men
were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift,
another has that.
NIV
Phil 3:21 – Our bodies will be transformed into a glorious body
21 who, by the power that
enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly
bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. NIV
Gift of Service
- Assets - You will also note
that Mary had substance or assets as she helped provide for the ministry
of Jesus out of her own means.
Other writing indicate Mary’s family was very wealthy and had died
and left her a substantial inheritance.
It should be noted here that there was no “Middle Class” – Some had
a lot of wealth, but the majority were scrape along poor. – NYOBS 05.02 MARY MAGDALENE
- Service - The Greek term for
“ministered” can be translated “served” and can be extended
to mean – facilitate, promote, advance forward, and even underwrite - to “finance”.
Luke 8:1-3 – Many women
gave money to support the ministry.
1 After this, Jesus
traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news
2….Mary (called
Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Cuza, Susanna;
and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means NIV
Luke 8:3 – (NIV) - Mary
had assets.
3 Joanna the
wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna; and many others. These
women were helping to support them out of their own means.
Luke 8:3 – (KJV) – Ministered,
Served, facilitated and financed
3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward,
and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their
substance.
Female Disciple
- Women were considered
“Second Class” to their
father, brothers and husband. The
message of Jesus was of freedom and equality of the sexes; liberation from
the constraints, restrictions of Jewish Law concerning women. This may be why so many women were
attracted to the teachings of Christ.
- Mary is always
mentioned first among the women and thus by interpretation, she can be
assumed to be the leader of the Women’s Ministry, and obviously had
leadership qualities.
- She was a female
disciple.
(a follower)
- After all the
Disciples had disappeared, Mary was still following.
- Mary was present
during the mock trial of Jesus;
heard His death sentence; saw
the beatings, felt His humiliation and stayed near even
to his death and burial. - She was the last to
leave the cross and the first to arrive at His tomb.
- Mary had seen how the
body of Jesus was laid; it was not a finished burial. After the Sabbath, she had planned to
anoint Him with more spices and perfume.
His resurrection occurred just before dawn and before she got
there.
- Why
did Jesus appear to Mary first – God says in Proverbs that; “I love those
who love me, and those who seek me find me.
- When He appeared to
her she did not recognize Him until He spoke her name.
- She called him
"Rabboni" which means “Teacher”. (She
didn’t call to Him with a term of endearment)
- Here
is how it all played out. – Mary watches everything that happens to Jesus.
from a distance including the mock trial – Stood near the cross as Jesus
died – Followed them to the tomb and saw WHERE and HOW he was laid – Was
there when the stone closed the entrance – Went back after the Sabbath –
Brought spices to anoint the body – Found the stone rolled away – Jesus
appeared to her – Jesus commissioned her to go tell the Disciples – She
did and they thought that what she said was nonsense. – She was among the 120 in the upper room on
the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out.
Mark
15:40-41 – Mary had followed Him
40 Some women were
watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the
mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome.
41 In Galilee these women had
followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with
him to Jerusalem were also there. NIV
Matt
27:55-56 – Mary watches at first from a distance
55 Many women were there,
watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs.
56 Among them were Mary
Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's
sons.
NIV
John 19:25 – Mary stood near the cross
25 Near the cross
of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary Magdalene.
NIV
Mark 15:46-47 – Mary saw WHERE Jesus was laid
46 So Joseph bought some
linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in the linen, and placed it in a
tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.
47 Mary Magdalene
and Mary the mother of Joses saw WHERE he was laid. NIV
Luke 23:55-56 – She saw HOW the body was laid
55 The women who had come
with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and HOW his
body was laid in it.
56 Then they went home and
prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in
obedience to the commandment.
NIV
Matt
27:59-61 – Mary was at the tomb when it was closed
59 Joseph took the body,
wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
60 and placed it in his
own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in
front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.
61 Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. NIV
Matt 28:1 –
Mary went to the tomb after the Sabbath
1 After the Sabbath, at
dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went
to look at the tomb.
NIV
Mark 16:1 –
Mary took spices to the tomb
1 When the Sabbath was
over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought
spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. NIV
John 20:1 –
Mary found the stone removed from the tomb
1 Early on the first day
of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb
and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.
NIV
Prov 8:17 – Mary
seeks Jesus and finds Him
17 I love those who
love me, and those who seek me find me.
NIV
John
20:15-16 – Mary called the resurrected Jesus – “Teacher”
15 "Woman," he
said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking
he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me
where you have put him, and I will get him."
16 Jesus said to her,
"Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic,
"Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).
NIV
Luke 24:9-11
– Mary’s words were NONSENSE to Peter.
9 When they came back from
the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.
10 It was Mary
Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who
told this to the apostles.
11 But they did not
believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.
NIV
Acts 1:14 - Upper Room; Awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit
14 They all joined
together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother
of Jesus, and with his brothers. NIV
The
First Apostle –Beginning of Christianity
- It is also thought
that Mary was one of the women present in the upper room awaiting the
coming of the Holy Spirit.
- At the resurrection
of Christ, He first appeared to Mary at the empty tomb.
- Mary
Magdalene
was commissioned to go and tell His Disciples what had happened. That would make her the first apostle.
- The Greek word “Apostle” means “One who has been sent” – Disciple
means “follower”
- God used a woman;
deemed “second class”, to spread the Gospel - He used the weaker
vessel, considered foolish, to confound those who think themselves wise.
- I know that this is a
stretch,
but Mary Magdalene could be said to have established or originated
“Christianity” as she was the first to believe that Jesus Christ was “raised
from the dead” and went on and told others as none of the Twelve Disciples
were present.
Mark 16:9 – Mary
saw the Risen Lord first.
9 When Jesus rose early on
the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of
whom he had driven seven demons.
NIV
Mark 16:6-7
– Mary commissioned to go and tell
6 "Don't be alarmed,"
he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He
has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.
7 But go, tell his
disciples and Peter, `
NIV
John 20:18 –
Mary told the Disciples that she had seen the Lord
18 Mary Magdalene
went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!"
And she told them that he had said these things to her. NIV
SUMMARY OF MARY MAGDALENE
- Mary was from the
town of Madala, a town located on
the Southwest coast of the Sea of Galilee. This town was notorious for its moral
corruption. i.e.: Prostitution.
- Jesus cast seven
demons out of Mary – We believe seven symbolizes completeness
and she was completely healed of her illness and completely forgiven of
her sins.
- Mary became a devoted
follower of Jesus and used her wealth to provide for the needs of the
ministry. She embraced the apocalyptic
mindset of Jesus and “Women’s Lib”.
- She could have been
married before she joined the ministry as other writings suggest.
- She was not a prostitute
– Did not anoint Jesus with Oil – was not His wife – bore Him no children.
– And only referred to Him as”Teacher”.
- She was the leader of
the women apostles – “Women of the Church”
- She was present at
the mock trial, death sentence, beatings, humiliations, death &
burial.
- She was the first to
see Jesus resurrected and was commissioned to “Go and Tell”.
- I feel a need to point this out here, that Mary totally believed
that Jesus was still dead; she did not go to the tomb looking for a
risen Savior. – Unbelief causes
Blindness to our Faith, that’s why she did
not recognize Jesus; but she did know His voice; she recognized the voice
of the Shepard and she followed Him.
- God used Mary, the
weaker vessel, considered foolish, to confound the mighty and wise.
I encourage you to read the more detailed version
of Mary Magdalene in
NYOBS 05.02 MARY MAGDALENE
John 10:27 – My sheep
know my voice
27 My sheep hear My voice,
and I know them, and they follow Me
NKJV
1 Cor 1:27 - God chose
the foolish things
27 But God chose the
foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things
of the world to shame the strong. NIV
Unbelief causes
Blindness to our Faith
I ENJOY WALKING THROUGH ALL THE COMMENTARIES;
CRAWLING INTO THE STORIES;
LOOKING AROUND;
BEING THERE JUST FOR THE MOMENT.
In the multitude of counselors,
there is wisdom.
Prov 11:14
I
am grateful for those that went before me providing concepts, ideas, historical
information, and scripture verses.
Because of them I can stand on their shoulders and see further that I
otherwise ever could have.
All the Women of the Bible
– Edith Deen
Bible Almanac; The – Packer – Tenney – White
Dake’s Annotated Bible – F. Dake
Fascinating Bible Facts – Howard & Burger
Girls of the Bible – Harvey Albert Snyder
God’s Arithmetic – Don Kistler
Harpers Bible Dictionary – Harper & Row
Illustrated Bible
Dictionary – Nelson’s
Mysteries of the Bible – Readers Digest
New International Version Bible – NIV
New International Dictionary
of Bible – Douglas - Tenney
New World College
Dictionary- Webster’s
Theomatics – Jerry Lucas
Thru the Bible Commentary – J. Vernon McGee
Victor Journey through the
Bible – Beers
Who’s Who in the Bible – Paul D. Gardner
Who’s Who and Where’s
Where – Stephen M. Miller
Why do Catholics do that? – Kevin Orlin Johnson
