Bible Study Mary And Martha Are Contrasted

[for_his_glory]

You're saying that Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene are sisters?

Yes, according to their genealogy

I always knew that we cannot be sure of who this Mary is.
Possibly Mary Magdalene.

We can know who this Mary is when we put all the scripture together with her genealogy.

Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, Martha and Lazarus parents were Cyrus and Eucharis from Magdala along the sea of Galilee where Cyrus was the King over the tribe of Benjamin being a royal descendant of the house of David. They had a castle there called Magdalon. A family of wealth and after Cyrus died the children inherited vast riches and possessions. Lazarus took to the military life, Martha ruled her possessions with great discretion and was a model of virtue and propriety sort of addicted to worldly cares. Probably was why she fussed so much when Jesus came to their house. Mary Magdalene involved herself with luxurious pleasures and extravagant life style she was known through all the country as "The Sinner" and very promiscuous. The seven demons which posse her that Jesus cast out of her where the seven deadly sins: gluttony, fornication, covetousness, anger, spiritual sluggishness and ego.

Luke 8:1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, 2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

Mary Magdalene is mentioned here as one of the women being one of the women of substance that helped Jesus in His travels. In vs. 2 seven spirits were cast out of her as being the seven deadly sins: gluttony, fornication, covetousness, anger, spiritual sluggishness and ego.

Luke 10:38-42 Mary is identified as Martha's sister and is the same woman in Luke 7:36-50 who had the alabaster box of ointment. An alabaster box of ointment would be very expensive and she was from a family of substance.

During Biblical times when a young woman arrived at the age of marriage her family would buy an Alabaster box for her and fill it with ointment the size of the box and the value of the ointment was to display the amount of wealth her family acquired.

The ointment or perfume is made from a plant called Nard that grows in the Himalayas. The cost of the ointment was worth about 300 denarii, about $54,509 in US dollars. The disciples where not only upset by the cost of the ointment, but also how much Mary Magdalene was using. They would have thought she bought it out of their treasury.

 

[Susannah]

The most important thing to me is it Jesus treated women equally. This was unusual in his culture. We've come so far from that time and yet I still see the remnants of the patriarchy in Christianity.

 

[for_his_glory]

The most important thing to me is it Jesus treated women equally. This was unusual in his culture. We've come so far from that time and yet I still see the remnants of the patriarchy in Christianity.

Gods will for woman was and still is to be a helpmate to the man in every way, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically. She was also created to bare the generations to come. A woman was not greater or less than the man, but was his equal as she completed the man and the man completed the woman.

 

[Susannah]

We will have to agree to disagree. That is not God's will for me. His will for me is to be the best person I can be. To help people. To be a writer. To have a career. When you say my role is to be a helpmate to a man you negate my whole life. I have been a helpmate. It was very fulfilling. I took care of my husband as he died of cancer. But God wants more from me than that. And I would like to believe that I'm fulfilling his will for me as a single woman.

 

[humble soul]

And I would like to believe that I'm fulfilling his will for me as a single woman.

You are.

 

[for_his_glory]

We will have to agree to disagree. That is not God's will for me. His will for me is to be the best person I can be. To help people. To be a writer. To have a career. When you say my role is to be a helpmate to a man you negate my whole life. I have been a helpmate. It was very fulfilling. I took care of my husband as he died of cancer. But God wants more from me than that. And I would like to believe that I'm fulfilling his will for me as a single woman.

That was more directed at what God had planned in the beginning in the union of a man and a woman in marriage. Even being single though, we can still be a helpmate to others mentally, spiritually, emotionally, socially and physically in helping and loving our neighbors.

God will use our talents in ways of helping others, like what you write, to bring glory and honor to His name.

 

[GodsGrace]

Yes, according to their genealogy

We can know who this Mary is when we put all the scripture together with her genealogy.

Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany, Martha and Lazarus parents were Cyrus and Eucharis from Magdala along the sea of Galilee where Cyrus was the King over the tribe of Benjamin being a royal descendant of the house of David. They had a castle there called Magdalon. A family of wealth and after Cyrus died the children inherited vast riches and possessions. Lazarus took to the military life, Martha ruled her possessions with great discretion and was a model of virtue and propriety sort of addicted to worldly cares. Probably was why she fussed so much when Jesus came to their house. Mary Magdalene involved herself with luxurious pleasures and extravagant life style she was known through all the country as "The Sinner" and very promiscuous. The seven demons which posse her that Jesus cast out of her where the seven deadly sins: gluttony, fornication, covetousness, anger, spiritual sluggishness and ego.

Luke 8:1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, 2 And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, 3 And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.

Mary Magdalene is mentioned here as one of the women being one of the women of substance that helped Jesus in His travels. In vs. 2 seven spirits were cast out of her as being the seven deadly sins: gluttony, fornication, covetousness, anger, spiritual sluggishness and ego.

Luke 10:38-42 Mary is identified as Martha's sister and is the same woman in Luke 7:36-50 who had the alabaster box of ointment. An alabaster box of ointment would be very expensive and she was from a family of substance.

During Biblical times when a young woman arrived at the age of marriage her family would buy an Alabaster box for her and fill it with ointment the size of the box and the value of the ointment was to display the amount of wealth her family acquired.

The ointment or perfume is made from a plant called Nard that grows in the Himalayas. The cost of the ointment was worth about 300 denarii, about $54,509 in US dollars. The disciples where not only upset by the cost of the ointment, but also how much Mary Magdalene was using. They would have thought she bought it out of their treasury.

Great post FHG. So much information.
Thanks!

 

[JohnDB]

We will have to agree to disagree. That is not God's will for me. His will for me is to be the best person I can be. To help people. To be a writer. To have a career. When you say my role is to be a helpmate to a man you negate my whole life. I have been a helpmate. It was very fulfilling. I took care of my husband as he died of cancer. But God wants more from me than that. And I would like to believe that I'm fulfilling his will for me as a single woman.

Ummm
You already have been and are fulfilling the role.
You were married, you had children...you are still out there helping others.
Just because you are currently single has no bearing.
The concept of men and women living symbiotically with each other is not a bad thing. Mankind is to live in symbiosis with the Earth. You are assisting others as you can.

How can you even go there? (Talking about not living in God's will)

You're doing as much if not more than anyone else. Possibly going too far.

 

[GodsGrace]

The most important thing to me is it Jesus treated women equally. This was unusual in his culture. We've come so far from that time and yet I still see the remnants of the patriarchy in Christianity.

I agree.
The reason men are chosen to be priests/pastors is because the Apostles were all men and so they like to follow this model.

Personally, I don't have a problem with this, as long as women are treated with respect, which they are.

I mean, I can't imagine going to a woman Catholic priest, for instance, for confession. Or how about women doctors? Do you feel the same about them? I like men better...they seem more sure of themselves.

 

[GodsGrace]

We will have to agree to disagree. That is not God's will for me. His will for me is to be the best person I can be. To help people. To be a writer. To have a career. When you say my role is to be a helpmate to a man you negate my whole life. I have been a helpmate. It was very fulfilling. I took care of my husband as he died of cancer. But God wants more from me than that. And I would like to believe that I'm fulfilling his will for me as a single woman.

God said it was not good for man to be alone...and so God created a helpmate for man.

A helpmate means that man would have had a difficult time doing God's work alone. It means that man needs woman and V V.
It's not a bad idea. We need to help each other and this is how married couples should get along. It's when we start to believe we don't need each other that the problems begin.

OTOH,,,if a person is single, or widowed and single again, it does not mean that their life if over. There is much that God wants us to do to further the Kingdom of God. For each one of us it may be something different.

We always have a role to fulfill, whether or not there's a man by our side.

 

[iLOVE]

The story of Martha and Mary teaches the Believer that His Voice makes the difference (the Lamb of God). I believe their brother Lazarus will agree.

His Disciples said, "What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" (The Disciples were right! The wind and sea did obey Him, and so does everything else. So why should we fear?) His Voice makes the difference!

 

[GodsGrace]

The story of Martha and Mary teaches the Believer that His Voice makes the difference (the Lamb of God). I believe their brother Lazarus will agree.

His Disciples said, "What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?" (The Disciples were right! The wind and sea did obey Him, and so does everything else. So why should we fear?) His Voice makes the difference!

Right.
And it was when Peter stopped hearing Jesus and began to doubt that he started to sink into the sea of Galilee.
Matthew 14:30 (different bible story).

We must keep our eyes on Jesus and hear and listen to His voice.

 

[Susannah]

Single, [unhappy]; married, [beaten]; divorced, [happy]; single, [unhappy]; boyfriend, partner, husband, [happy]; widowed,[ unhappy for awhile]; now a writer who is happy no matter what she is. I am thinking about becoming a nun. LOL

 

[Susannah]

I mean, I can't imagine going to a woman Catholic priest, for instance, for confession. Or how about women doctors? Do you feel the same about them? I like men better...they seem more sure of themselves.

When I was young I idealized my father even though he was an alcoholic. As a result of not liking my mother I looked down on women and thought men were superior. When I began my own career as a writer I learned that women can do what men can do. . . and should.

My grandmother was a suffragette who worked toward getting women the vote. Before that they has no rights. They could not own property and take custody of their children after a divorce. If divorced they were a fallen woman to be scorned. Freed slaves got the vote before women. Women are not mentioned in the constitution. The first draft was about men only and those who owned property.

I am so happy to have google and to be able to find out that their were women prophets. As for women in a so-called man's profession. I would love to have a woman priest hear my confession. I only go to women doctors, especially my gynocologist. LOL

Well this is my story and I am sticking with it. Take care.

 

[humble soul]

Im no feminist but I empathise with anyone made to feel like a second class citizen.
My mother needed to assert herself more. Have more confidence.we really took her for granted. having 7 sons and no daughters she was outnumbered.

 

[Susannah]

She certainly must have been a good mother. Look how you turned out. Thanks for your support of women. It takes an extraordinary man to understand that we need to be more than homemakers sometimes. What I believe in is free choice. That's all I've ever wanted; the freedom to choose. And now that women have the vote we can choose. And I'm not going to let anyone bring me down. Thanks humble soul ?

 

[Susannah]

The amendment that gave women the right to vote came down to one state and one vote. Preliminary publicity said it was going to be 51--5 in favor of denying the vote. It all came down to one man. He changed his vote and granted women's suffrage. They asked him why he did this and he said because his mother asked him to and he really loved his mother. "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world." LOL.

 

[humble soul]

in an ideal world men and women are friends, not enemies.

 

[Susannah]

Amen to Friendship. Men and women were meant to complement each other. The division of labor used to be different. It was kind of like "me Tarzan you Jane." Men were the breadwinner and women were homemakers. Now things are different and we have freedom of choice; you can be whoever you want to be. This is God's will for us that we get to choose. This is why I have struggled so long with Christianity. Because it seems we are to follow the Bible even when the Holy Spirit tells us something different. But the people on this board are so kind and loving I really want to be a Christian now. Thank you and God bless you all.