MARTHA, Sister of Lazarus and Mary, and Mistress of the House where our Saviour was used to be entertained, in the Village of Bethany. We have already spoke of her under the Article LAZARUS, and shall speak of her again under the Article MARY. Martha is always named before Mary, which makes it probable that she was the elder Sister. Once as our Saviour came to lodge with Martha and Mary, Martha was very busy in preparing Supper, whilst Mary sat at our Saviour’s Feet, hearing his Doctrine with great Assiduity and Luke x. 38, 42.Attention. Martha complained of this to our Saviour, desiring him to bid Mary rise and assist her. But Jesus made Answer, Martha, Martha, you are very busy and in much Trouble to provide indifferent or unnecessary Things; there is but one Thing necessary, and Mary has chosen the better Part, which shall not be taken from her.
Some Time after Lazarus falling sick1, the two Sisters sent Word of it to Jesus, John xi. 11, 45.who was then beyond Jordan. He made no Hast to go to heal him, nor departed from thence till he knew Lazarus was dead. Being come almost to Bethany, Martha knowing of his coming, went out to meet him. As soon as she saw him, she said to him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my Brother had not died. Jesus answered, thy Brother shall rise again. To this Martha replied, I know that he shall rise again at the last Day. But Jesus told her, I am the Resurrection and the Life, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. Believest thou this? Yea, Lord, answered she, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the World. Having said this, she went away, and gave her Sister private Notice that Jesus was come. Mary, without saying any Thing to those about her, rose, and went to Jesus. She said to him as Martha had done before, that if he had been here, Lazarus had not died. Jesus bid them bring him to Lazarus’s Tomb, where he raised him from the dead, as has been said already.
Six Days before his Passion, Jesus being come to Bethany for the Feast of the Passover, was invited to eat by a certain John xii. 1, 2, 3, &c. Matth. xxvi. 6, &c. Mark. xiv. 3, &c.Pharisee, called Simon the Leper. Martha waited, Lazarus was one of the Guests, and Mary poured a Box of precious Perfumes upon the Head and Feet of Jesus. And this is all that the Scripture informs us of concerning Martha. The ancient Latins and Modern Greeks maintain, that she died at Jerusalem, as also Mary and Lazarus, and that they were all buried there. Several ancient Martyrologies put their Feast on the 19th of January. Others put it on the 17th of December2. The Latins now place it on July 29. Some very uncertain Writings pretend, that Martha, Lazarus, Mary, and Marcella their Servant, being put Aboard a very leaky and shattered Vessel, arrived safely at Marseilles3, from whence Martha retired to Tarascon in Provence, where her Body (they say) was found, in 1187.
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