Mary or Martha? John or Peter?

In your relationship with Jesus, are you a Mary or a Martha......a John or a Peter?

It pleases the Lord for us to do good works but, sometimes He'd rather we just be still, enjoy His presence and listen......


Luke 10:38-42 (NIV)
At the Home of Martha and Mary
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.
39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,
42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”



John 13:22-25 (NIV)
22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant.
23 One of them, the disciple (John) whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.
24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”
25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

You address a grand point. My experience is that the Lord sees the heart, even if it is the heart of Martha - and He causes circumstances where you just can't serve. You have no option but to sit at His feet and listen and learn. Moses comes to mind. Moses is prepared by God for a most noble but demanding job. His first forty years bear this result;

"And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds" (Acts 7:22)

But his second forty years of preparation produced this result;

"And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue" (Exodus 4:10)

At first this may seem like the spirit of Moses was broken. Moses had lost that which a man needs to lead 2 million people for 40 years in the wilderness - decisiveness and eloquence. But no! He had been sitting at God "feet" because the words in red indicate that God had been speaking to Moses before. In Psalm 103:7 we learn that ...

"He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel."

That is, Israel watched in awe as God did this and that, but Moses knew what was behind it. The Christian who wants to see God in action must serve like Martha. But the Christian who wants to know WHY God is doing what He does, must sit at his/her Master's feet.

Are you sure about this? Three years? I always thought forty days upon Mount Sinai.

The Galatians 1 account is deliberately unclear about that

15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace,

16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:

17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.

Mount Sinai is located at Arabia. But the "after 3 years" may not encompass all the time he spent in Arabia.

Although yes, I believe it was at Arabia that the ascended Christ taught him all the mysteries of the new grace dispensation, that Paul would reveal to us in the Body of Christ later (Ephesians 3:9).

Hello John, I think I am. Take a look at Galatians 1:11-24 (“three years” is mentioned in v18, just FYI).

~Deut

Hi Guojing, why do you believe that the Galatians 1 passage is “deliberately” unclear?

Thanks!

~Deut

Martha was working away, but it was without love as we are told of her complaining about Mary. We are told that works without love is like sounding brass or a tinkling cymbol. 1 Cor. 13:2

Yes, I know and teach this. Notice it says he went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus....then after three years.... After returning from Arabia, Paul spent three years in Damascus.

I believe as Moses was forty days upon Sinai receiving the OT law for God’s physical people Israel, so too Paul was forty days upon Sinai receiving the teachings for the NT church, God’s spiritual people.

See my post 12.

Lol, see my post 12.

Other than what John 146 explained, you realized that Paul was revealed so many more things, that God forbid him to tell any of us?

The best scriptural example was what Paul saw in the third heaven, in 2 Cor 12

It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.

2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth such an one caught up to the third heaven.

3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth

4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.

I think the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write those and yet not allow him to reveal what he saw, as part of the blessed hope for all of us.

Well, Paul did NOT specifically state in Galatians 1 that he was 40 days on Mt. Sinai in Arabia and I'm pretty sure if he had gone there he would have mentioned it because that would have been VERY significant, especially how adamantly he would later speak about the law not able to save but that there is a righteousness that is received by faith, NOT by obeying the law.......and Paul was very specific about saying how many days he was with Peter in Jerusalem.

However, I do see a pattern forming when we compare what happen to Moses, Jesus and Paul right before they began their public ministry........ the pattern is they all go into the wilderness.

Moses was in Midian for 40 years before sent to Egypt by God. Jesus was 40 days in the wilderness then tempted by Satan; and Paul went immediately into the wilderness of Arabia (for some time - maybe 3 years or less) then, Damascus and then to Peter in Jerusalem.

All three - Moses, Jesus and Paul were in the wilderness prior to ministry and it was God's plan that they do so. But, all 3 came out of that "wilderness experience" full of the power of God with total commitment and faith and understanding of God and the Father's Will.

Even at times Jesus would sneak away to a desert place to be alone with the Father.....

Time alone with God is so necessary for all of us......

I understand there is a balance - meaning at times we need to be busy like Martha and Peter but, there are times we need to be sitting right at Jesus' feet like Mary and John.

Below is a Bible map of Sinai and you can see the dark arrow at center top pointing to Damascus. That sure was a lot of walking Paul did!

Yes, since the physical distance between all those places was vast, it was highly unlikely all three years were spent in Arabia.

The 3 years included all the traveling time too.

I know I don't like it when I go to visit a friend and they don't sit down with me, rather they busy themselves.....I feel ignored and not important to them....I desire their full attention because I made time for them....I'd like them to sit with me for a little while.....

I think Martha was working hard because of love but, she needed to learn how to know when to stop and just enjoy Jesus' presence......

My instinct is telling me that Martha was likely pressuring Mary and being burdened with "what will people think about us" notion, and that she felt the need to show herself off as a capable housekeeper before others, and Jesus didn't want her to operate with that burden. A lot of women have this pressure and constantly apologize that their house is a mess unless it's like pharmacy. But it's important to put life first. If people are going to come to your house and roll eyes at you secretly because they saw a speck of dust or something not perfectly in order, they are not your friends, you don't need to be killing yourself over what people think of you, all this is external appearances and a cause for a lot of mean gossip and vain pride among women.

The matter of Martha is not negative. Our Lord Jesus did not chide with her for her service. He mentioned her inordinate "caring". Then, by saying that Mary had chosen "the BETTER part", He put a value on Martha's service. If taken precisely, Martha rendered a good and necessary service, but because she had not first been at the Savior's feet, her welcome care ended in to much caring. Mary did end up serving in Chapter 12, but her serving was much more profound. Martha cooked again (12:2). How many of you would like the opportunity to cook a meal for the Son of the Living God? Most of us.

But what was the result of sitting at His feet FIRST? The serving was of a much deeper nature. Mary alone knew and believed in His coming death. Her service was then much elevated in effect and cost. She anointed Jesus for His death while He was still alive. Peter had just been called "Satan" for denying this. The rest of the Apostles did not agree with, nor believe it. But Mary had the picture and the faith. She alone, after sitting at His feet, could do a real service. She could anoint the God-Man while He was still alive.

So I ask you all .... who had the revelation? And who did the highest service? Our Lord survived 40 days without food or water. Martha did well to feed Him. But who was one who served His greatest need - the need to be confirmed in His terrible death?

As to Paul's training, Galatians 1 and 2 show that Paul did not receive training from men for a period of three years. Then, after three years he went to meet Peter and to connect with the source of God's move - the Church at Jerusalem. But then he went back for another 14 years before he was commissioned with Barnabas. Seems to me that Paul was trained by the Risen Lord for 17 years before his ministry really took off.