Mary

AI summary: Mary of Bethany matters because the cross references present her as a disciple whose instinct is to sit near Jesus, weep before him honestly, and honor him extravagantly. She listens while Martha serves, mourns at Lazarus's tomb, and anoints Jesus in a gesture the Gospels present as deeply fitting even when others object. Her actions are not numerous, but they are spiritually weighty. Taken together, the material presents this Mary as a perceptive and devoted follower whose love helps interpret both Jesus' person and his approaching death.¹

Mary the sister of Lazarus is brought to our notice in connection with the visits of our Lord to Bethany. She is contrasted with her sister Martha, who was “cumbered about many things” while Jesus was their guest, while Mary had chosen “the good part.” Her character also appears in connection with the death of her brother (John 11:20, 31, 33). On the occasion of our Lord’s last visit to Bethany, Mary brought “a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus” as he reclined at table in the house of one Simon, who had been a leper (Matt. 26:6; Mark 14:3; John 12:2, 3). This was an evidence of her overflowing love to the Lord. Nothing is known of her subsequent history. It would appear from this act of Mary’s, and from the circumstance that they possessed a family vault (11:38), and that a large number of Jews from Jerusalem came to condole with them on the death of Lazarus (11:19), that this family at Bethany belonged to the wealthier class of the people. (See MARTHA.) ³