As I am hurriedly marching through John 10-13, it is making me focus on what I deem to be critical elements that need clarification. In class I asked the simple question, "whom do you prefer, Martha or Mary?" Poor Martha, only one or two students timidly raised their hands. Mary seems to be the sister we have been conditioned to favour. (Yes that is the British spelling, but I chose to use it despite the Google spelling helper). There is nothing wrong with the account in Luke 10. It is a 'nice' story that fits Luke's presentation of Jesus' life. Indeed, the first Google hit for Martha and Mary story is the Luke 10 passage. gbgm-umc.org starts with this "Luke's story, though only four verses long, has been a complex source of inspiration, interpretation, and debate for centuries. John's story, which says the sisters had a brother named Lazarus, spans seventy verses." Perhaps this fact alone should cause us to question our preference for SPIN and PHOTO OPS for a valid presentation of someone's character???? I digress.
Evidently the class had been indoctrinated into Lukan portraits to the extent that their reading of John 11 in preparation for class could not change their opinion??? (yes, that is a bit of sarcasm since when I mention having read in class they avert their eyes from making contact!!) In John's Gospel Martha and Mary are presented IDENTICALLY in their initial response to Jesus when he arrives at Bethany (11:21 & 32). In order to drive out the Lukan dominance from the room I slightly (maybe more than slightly) elevated my voice to read 11:25-27, where 27 is translated interestingly by the NLT “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” (Thanks to Biblia.com!)
After a brief exposition of the importance of these word in the mouth of Martha instead of Peter (again a synoptic influence) the student preferences changed dramatically. Point of all this? What you read influences how you think.
Thanks for reading.
Evidently the class had been indoctrinated into Lukan portraits to the extent that their reading of John 11 in preparation for class could not change their opinion??? (yes, that is a bit of sarcasm since when I mention having read in class they avert their eyes from making contact!!) In John's Gospel Martha and Mary are presented IDENTICALLY in their initial response to Jesus when he arrives at Bethany (11:21 & 32). In order to drive out the Lukan dominance from the room I slightly (maybe more than slightly) elevated my voice to read 11:25-27, where 27 is translated interestingly by the NLT “Yes, Lord,” she told him. “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” (Thanks to Biblia.com!)
After a brief exposition of the importance of these word in the mouth of Martha instead of Peter (again a synoptic influence) the student preferences changed dramatically. Point of all this? What you read influences how you think.
Thanks for reading.
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