Mary of Bethany

“Martha, her sister, and Lazarus,” the text reads. Of the three siblings, she is sometimes Martha’s sister, not Mary.

I don’t know if there’s any kind of deeper meaning to that phrasing, but I do know that Mary of Bethany is a name we are meant to know. Mary of Bethany appears in three powerful and intimate scenes, captured in all 4 Gospels, each revealing a heart for Christ and a deep understanding of who He is. She learns at His feet, pours out her grief, and pours out perfume in an act of devotion and preparation for what’s to come.

There are only a few people in Scripture who truly understand who Jesus is and what it means while He is still there- Simeon recognizes the baby Jesus in Luke 2, the woman with the issue of blood in Luke 8, the penitent thief on the cross in Luke 23, and the Roman Centurion in Mark 15.  And, of course, Mary of Bethany.

The Veil

I find it interesting that the apostles struggled to fully grasp what was happening, even when Jesus spoke very plainly. I suppose it’s a matter of some debate as to why that is. A popular theory I hear often is that they were expecting something else- the Messiah was supposed to be a warrior or the leader of a political or social movement. Because He wasn’t exactly what they thought He would be, they had some sort of mental block that prevented them from understanding, as the theory goes. In Acts 1:6, as soon as Jesus resurrects they’re asking if it’s time to restore the Kingdom of Israel, so there could be some validity to their expectations of Jesus blocking their view. It wasn’t until they were possessed by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost that they finally understood.

Another theory I find interesting relates more to just how busy they were helping Jesus in His ministry. There were a lot of logistics involved in a growing, traveling ministry and while Jesus was on earth, they worked FOR Him. It’s not until Pentecost that He works THROUGH them. This one is particularly interesting in the context of Mary and Martha. Martha gets frustrated with her sister for just sitting there in the Presence instead of being a good hostess. Jesus corrects Martha’s thinking/attitude. Did the 12 see that exchange and think the “one thing necessary” was like one plate of food? “We just need one big pizza, not an elaborate charcuterie board, Martha.”

I have to think they didn’t really understand what Jesus was saying then either, probably because they were 12 Marthas. They were constantly working and managing situations, very rarely just resting in the Presence.

The One Thing Necessary

But look at the difference time in the Presence makes- when Lazarus dies, Martha runs out to meet Jesus and cries to Him that if He had been there, this death could’ve been avoided. Ok. Then Jesus asks to see Mary. She comes out and says the exact same thing, and in response to her emotional outpouring of grief, Jesus wept. His heart broke for her. He joined her in her grief. There is no doubt that Martha was also grieving, but her saying Jesus could’ve prevented it and Mary saying it are two different things.

The final interaction Mary has with Jesus is so significant. She pours out expensive perfume. Valued at roughly a year’s wages, the perfume was a rare luxury item representing the highest quality of beauty and intimacy. It appears earlier in the Bible in Song of Solomon 1:12- “While the king sits at his table, my spikenard sends forth its fragrance.”

John 12:3 “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.”

There’s some additional symbolism here that’s captured my attention. The fragrance may serve as a sensory bridge between the private affection of the bride and the public recognition of the king. Spikenard (only slightly less hilarious than “pure nard”) represents the best one has to offer. It is the fragrance of the beloved in Song of Solomon and a sacrificial act of preparation for Jesus’ burial to Mary.

That brings me back to my original point. Mary gets it in a way the others don’t. Perhaps they were busy with logistics, perhaps they thought Jesus was always speaking in metaphors and the things He said plainly were not plain things, maybe their expectations were undermining them in the moment. Regardless, like we just saw with Joshua, the more time spent in the Presence, the more absurd the obedience. Mary didn’t miss the moments and Jesus says because of this, she will be remembered forever. Her acts of devotion and faithfulness are part of the Gospel story, according to Jesus.

And that’s the invitation of Holy Week- to become people who understand, not because we are brilliant, but because we have learned to be still. To become people who recognize the Lamb of God, even when the world expects a warrior. To become people who pour out our devotion before we see the miracle.

Mary of Bethany reminds us that resurrection faith is born in the Presence. What an honor it is, not only that her name is remembered in the Gospel, but that ours are written in the Book of Life. The fragrance of her faith lingers still, pointing us toward the risen King who calls each of us by name.