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A narrative in which Mary of Bethany plays a central role is the anointing of Jesus, an event reported in the Gospel of John in which a woman pours the entire contents of an alabastron of very expensive perfume over the feet of Jesus. Only in this account is the woman identified as Mary, with the earlier reference in John 11 displays in establishing her as the sister of Martha and Lazarus. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus visits the home of two sisters named Mary and Martha, living in an unnamed village in Bethany, located on the pilgrimage route from Galilee in the north to Jerusalem in the south, so Jesus passed through Bethany many times journeying to Jerusalem. Mary is contrasted with her sister Martha, who was "encumbered about many things" while Jesus was their guest, while Mary had chosen "the better part", that of listening to the master's discourse. After he began his public ministry, Martha opened her home to Jesus and his disciples on one of these trips. The reference, “opened her home” implies that she was not married and was the head of the household. Martha served the large group assembled in her home, and she wasn’t at all happy about Mary’s choice to shirk her expected role and hang out with Jesus instead. We can only guess the ages of these two sisters. Scripture shares no biographical data about them. No mention of their parents or other family. No mention of having been married or having any children. The only possible conclusion we can draw from the gospels is that Mary and Martha were either unmarried or recently widowed. This is a huge departure from the typical Jewish womanhood of that time, but the sisters remained pretty well off. This is clear from their ability to live independently as well as support Jesus’ ministry. “Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again” John 11:1–5 (NKJV).
Mary of Bethany is one of the most beautiful characters in all of Scripture, and we can learn valuable lessons from studying her life. Bethany is a small town on the Mount of Olives, just east and near Israel’s capital, Jerusalem. Mary was the sister of Martha and Lazarus, her brother whom Jesus raised from the dead. Mary can be found three different times in the New Testament. Martha was so frustrated and “distracted with much serving” that she actually rebuked Jesus, accusing Him of not caring about how Mary sat at His feet while He did all the work. Jesus’ response is a window into the life of Mary of Bethany. The incident in the home of her sister, Martha, where Jesus, and presumably the disciples who traveled with Him, were entertained. Martha was so distressed and “distracted with much serving” and frustrated that her sister wasn’t helping that she rebuked Jesus, accusing Him of not caring that Mary sat at His feet while she did all the work. Jesus’ response gives us our first insight into Mary of Bethany. Jesus commended her for “choosing the better,” meaning that Mary’s desire to be near her Lord and hang onto His every word was far more beneficial than running herself ragged with preparations for a meal. Jesus further said that choosing the better thing, learning from the Lord, would not be taken away from Mary. By “choosing the better,” Jesus meant that those whose priority in life is Christ, the knowledge of Him, and nearness to Him have chosen what will last through eternity, such as the “gold, silver, and costly stones” referred to in 1 Corinthians 3. From this incident, we learn that those who are distracted with the mundane and earthly are building upon the foundation which is Christ with “wood, hay and straw,” materials that will not stand the fires that come to us in times of testing, nor will they be remembered in eternity. “Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” Luke 10:38-42 (NKJV).
Jesus is not only approving but rather declaratory about Mary’s radical act. Mary had a choice to make, and she chose not to let anything come before or between following Christ and being instructed, guided, and following him. Earlier in this chapter, Jesus has provocatively asserted a Samaritan can be good and equal to a Jew in loving one’s neighbor. Now, Jesus defends a woman’s prerogative to be equivalent to a man in following God. There was obviously a close friendship among Mary, her brother Lazarus, her sister Martha, and Jesus. Martha, the more aggressive sister, went to meet Jesus. Mary was learning from Jesus in a manner that was normally reserved for men. When Martha protested that she was left to do the serving alone. Jesus defended Mary's choice to be in the presence of her Lord and her right to learn directly from Him alongside the other disciples. She was deeply spiritual, knowing that Jesus would be sacrificing himself for others centuries ago. Mary gave all that she had and devoted it all to Jesus at that moment, and for that, she is one of the greatest people of faith in the Bible. “Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always” John 12:1–8 (NKJV).
Mary of Bethany does not speak as she interacts with or anoints Jesus. She does not answer back when she is publicly rebuked for her actions. Instead, she simply allows her actions to communicate her devotion and gratitude to her Lord. Mary may have remained silent but as Jesus goes on to add in Mark and Matthew’s version of this story: “But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always. For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” Matthew 26:10-13 (NKJV). AND “But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” Mark 14:6-9 (NKJV).
Mary’s story is a perfect example of what can happen when we prioritize sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening. She had an intimate knowledge of Him, His love was unparalleled in her heart. She trusted entirely that He knew her intimately, as well. Mary had a settled conviction and confidence in her Lord, so much so that she was not compelled to defend herself in the face of criticism. How often do we jump at the chance to justify ourselves in the eyes of others who criticize and mock us, particularly where our faith is concerned? But if we, like Mary, make sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to Him our priority, we will have her depth of understanding, her passion for Christ, and her complete faith in His plan for our lives. We may not have Jesus sitting in our living rooms in person, but we have His Word and the Bible, and from it, we have all the knowledge and understanding we need to live a life of secure and confident faith like Mary of Bethany. Lastly, Mary of Bethany showed her faith in Jesus by listening to His teaching, bringing her emotions to Him, and performing a humble act of service. May we learn to love and serve our Savior with this same passionate abandon. “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward” 1 Corinthians 3:11-14 (NKJV).
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