“Jesus sinners doth receive,” and three of those sinners whom we have the pleasure of getting to know more intimately through the Scriptures are Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, Jesus’ beloved friends from Bethany. Their story illustrates faith, hope, and love and is an encouragement to those of us who also sit at Jesus’ feet, confess him as Lord in the midst of life and death, and eagerly await the resurrection.
When detailing their story, St. John the Evangelist introduces the three siblings, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, at the very moment when Lazarus is on his deathbed. However, St. Luke takes a different approach, taking us a step back to when Jesus encountered the trio earlier in his ministry. As Luke tells, while Jesus was going from town to town preaching the Gospel, he came to Bethany, a town just south of Jerusalem. This is where Martha received him into her home. But as the story goes, she began anxiously serving him while her sister Mary chose the better task: she planted herself at Jesus’ feet and listened to his voice. Because of this, Martha often represents the unfortunate lessons of neglecting God’s Word or being overly consumed by work, but there is more to see here. Martha is remarkable in her receptiveness to Jesus’ gentle rebuke, and she certainly becomes no stranger to the voice of her shepherd.
Picking the story of these three saints back up in John’s Gospel, Martha has her own turn to shine and teach us what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. When our Lord finally neared Bethany, Martha ran out to meet him to tell him that his beloved friend, Lazarus, had already died. He had been entombed, and any hope of Jesus healing Lazarus of his illness was four days gone. So on the way to greet her Savior, Martha mourned that Jesus was too late to save her brother. But in this very moment, in the midst of death, Jesus comforted her with the truth of the resurrection—a truth that was not just mythical but embodied in the man standing before her. Not only would Lazarus rise in the resurrection, but the Resurrection himself was there before her. Thus, Martha believed and confessed most beautifully, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world” (John 11:26).
After encounters with both Martha and Mary, Jesus arrived at the tomb of Lazarus. Being deeply moved, he wept for his friend. And then the unthinkable happened. “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” In saying this, Jesus manifested his glory, thanking the Father for hearing his request and calling Lazarus out from the grave. The one who was once dead was now alive! Lazarus was reunited to his sisters and became a walking sign of the glory of God, whose Son’s resurrection would also take place shortly.
In this moment, Mary once again found herself at Jesus’ feet as she witnessed his miracle. She continues in her submission to him during a joint dinner where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus are all in attendance just days before the crucifixion. After he raised Lazarus, Jesus was received in Bethany, where a dinner was prepared. During the feast, Mary took a costly ointment and anointed Jesus’ feet, washing them with her hair. Judas, the thief and traitor, criticized her for the deed, but Mary was praised for her act of faith which, Jesus’ revealed, was timely for its significance as a burial preparation. Once again Mary’s attentiveness to her Lord is recorded. Even if what Jesus was doing at the time remained hidden to many, Mary’s faith placed her at the right place and the right time: listening to and adoring her Christ.
With this beautiful account, it is no surprise, then, that Mary, Martha, and Lazarus continue to be saints whom the Church remembers for their faith, hope, and love that showed through in their friendship with Jesus. While we don’t know how their story ends after these events, legend suggests that the three siblings traveled to Cyprus where Lazarus became bishop before falling asleep once again. This is believed to be where he and his sister, Mary, await Jesus’ final coming and the fullness of their inheritance in eternal life.
Brief History
Mary, Martha, and Lazarus are commemorated together on July 29th in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Their presence on the sanctoral calendar was established by the seventh century, but it wasn’t until later that all three shared the same date. For example, one earlier Lutheran sanctoral calendar places Lazarus solely on July 29th and Martha two days earlier on the 27th. Mary, the sister of Lazarus, is not mentioned. However, if you consider that some understand that Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene to be one and the same (a recurring thought throughout Church history, although unlikely), this seeming omission becomes clear. After all, Mary Magdalene is also commemorated in July just a few days earlier.
Collect
O Almighty God, who hast knit together Thine elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Thy Son Jesus Christ, our Lord: grant us grace so to follow Thy blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living, that we may come to the unspeakable joys which Thou hast prepared for those who unfeignedly love Thee; through the same, Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost: ever one God, world without end. Amen.
Resources
Issues, Etc. interview with the Rev. Dr. Jeff Gibbs on Ss. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus
Propers found in Daily Divine Service Book: A Lutheran Daily Missal, edited by the Rev. Heath Curtis
References:
1. Pfatteicher, Philip H. Festivals and Commemorations. Augsburg Publishing House. 1980.
2. Weedon, William. Celebrating the Saints. Concordia Publishing House. 2016.
Images:
1. The Raising of Lazarus, Lucas van Leyden, Netherlands, 1507.
2. Christ in the House of Martha, Georg Friedrich Stettner, Germany, 17th century.
3. The Raising of Lazarus, Duccio di Buoninsegna, Italy, ca. 1310.
Beautiful, peaceful reminder of all that He did for us!!