Working Notes
by
Sylvia Dooling
This month’s Scripture lesson is a powerful one. Jesus’ words to Martha ‘I
am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they
die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do
you believe this?” force us to answer the question for ourselves.
The Key Idea (Page 55) is also one that leads us to an important study of
the Scripture passages that are given to us. ‘Discipleship is demonstrated
in speech and in service.” Professing the faith along with active obedience
sums up the life of Christian discipleship.
Note #1
Having said this, I was a bit dismayed to be told in the first paragraph of
the lesson that the stories of Mary and Martha have ‘suffered
misinterpretation through the years,” and, that ‘It shall be our joy to
study them together in these lessons *to restore their power*.” [emphasis
my own]. It is my hope that each of you who studies this lesson will come
away reaffirming the power that belongs to ONLY to God. Mary and Martha are
privileged witnesses to Jesus’ teaching and miraculous signs, but the power
belongs to him.
Note #2
In my opinion, Dale Lindsay Morgan sidetracks the study by spending valuable
time talking about the ways in which priests and preachers who are
*primarily men *[again my emphasis] have used the story of Martha and Mary
to keep women in their place. There isn’t a story in the Bible that hasn’t
been used to serve some human being’s purposes rather than the glory of God.
What is important in Bible study is to read the Scripture as it is written,
and to understand how Jesus treated women with respect and drew them into
the inner circle of his disciples. It is unnecessary to make every lesson an
opportunity to talk about how women have lacked places of leadership in the
past. That’s ‘grinding an axe,” and in the process missing the point of the
text. So, let’s get on with the lesson.
Note #3
Again, instead of the studying the lesson, we are invited to ‘imagine” a
more fitting ending to the story of Martha and Mary than that provided in
the text (Page 56). But, I would suggest that the important question is
this: what is the point of Jesus’ encounter with Martha? (Which in my
opinion has absolutely nothing to do with Luke’s literary device of pairing
a man with a woman. Fred Craddock says it better in the Interpreters’ Bible:
”Jesus has just met a man skilled in Scripture who has trouble hearing the
word of God, and Jesus offers him an example, a Samaritan. Now Jesus visits
with a woman so busy serving she does not hear the word, and Jesus offers
her an example, her sister. To the man, Jesus said to go and do; to the
woman, Jesus said to sit down, listen, and learn.”
Craddock goes on to say that the symbolism in this story between Martha’s
preparation of a ‘meal,” and Mary’s attention to the word of God is clear,
for ‘we do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the
mouth of the Lord.” Mary was intent on not missing a word.
Craddock closes his commentary on this passage by stating correctly that
‘There is a time to go and do; there is a time to listen and reflect.
Knowing which and when is a matter of spiritual discernment. If we were to
ask Jesus which example applies to us, the Samaritan or Mary, his answer
would probably be Yes.”
And, this has nothing whatsoever to do with gender.
Note # 4
The second part of this lesson is the story of the raising of Mary and
Martha’s brother, Lazarus. In this story it is important to note that Martha
did, in fact, ‘listen and reflect.” It is she who confesses her faith
stating unequivocally that she believes that Jesus is the Messiah, ‘the Son
of God, the one coming into the world.”
Note #5
The third part of this lesson focuses on the story of Mary anointing the
feet of Jesus it was ‘A Fragrant Offering.” The point is made that John
adds ‘The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume,” as ‘the
scent of life reclaims the surrounding atmosphere from the stench of death
that had lingered there not long before.” But, that’s not what Jesus
teaches them. He says, ‘She bought it so that she might keep it for the day
of my burial.” The fragrance that filled the house filled the nostrils of
Jesus and reminded him (and his friends) of his own death that was quickly
approaching.
Note #6
Dale Lindsay Morgan brings her key idea to a meaningful conclusion in her
last paragraph.
‘Mary and Martha both listened to Jesus’ words; both proclaimed him in
service and speech. Both women were servants and both were disciples. Both
demonstrated the role blessed by Jesus for women in the church: the role of
listening to the Word, serving in mission, proclaiming the faith, believing
in the Christthe role women continue to celebrate to this day.”
I would add that this includes men as well as women. The work of listening
and serving are genderless.
Note #7
I am disappointed by many of the questions offered for discussion on Page
60. Most of them are ‘feeling-based” questions. Of course, feelings are
important but when it comes to the study of God’s Word, it is even more
important to learn what the words mean, and how to apply them in concrete
ways. For, instance, question #8 asks ‘How do you balance listening and
service, worship and work?” It is a good question that calls for both
solid, concrete, self-analysis vis–vis the examples set by Mary and Martha.
Another question that would be excellent to discuss comes from the lips of
Jesus. After telling Martha, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; those who
believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and
believes in me will never die,” he asks, ‘Do you believe this?”
That is an excellent question for you to ponder seriously, and to answer
honestly. And, if you do, how will it change the way that you live?