And so Jesus came - and, with Him and in Him, Heaven's own Light and Peace. He was to lodge in one of the booths, the sisters in the house, and the great booth in the middle of the courtyard would be the common living apartment of all. It could not have been long after His arrival - it must have been almost immediately, that the sisters felt they had received more than an Angel unawares. How best to do Him honour, was equally the thought of both. To Martha it seemed, as if she could not do enough in showing Him all hospitality. And, indeed, this festive season was a busy time for the mistress of a wealthy household, especially in the near neighbourhood of Jerusalem, whence her brother might, after the first two festive days, bring with him, any time that week, honoured guests from the City. To these cares was now added that of doing sufficient honour to such a Guest - for she, also, deeply felt His greatness. And so she hurried to and fro through the courtyard, literally, distracted [3946] about much serving.'
Her younger sister, also, would do Him all highest honour; but, not as Martha. Her homage consisted in forgetting all else but Him, Who spake as none had ever done. As truest courtesy or affection consists, nor in its demonstrations, but in being so absorbed in the object of it as to forget its demonstration, so with Mary in the Presence of Christ. And then a new Light, another Day had risen upon her; a fresh life had sprung up within her soul: She sat at the Lord's Feet, [3947] and heard his Word.' We dare not inquire, and yet we well know, of what it would be. And so, time after time - perhaps, hour after hour - as Martha passed on her busy way, she still sat listening and living. At last, the sister who, in her impatience, could not think that a woman could, in such manner, fulfill her duty, or show forth her religious profiting, broke in with what sounds like a querulous complaint: Lord, dost Thou not care that my sister did leave me to serve alone?' Mary had served with her, but she had now left her to do the work alone. Would the Master bid her resume her neglected work? But, with tone of gentle reproof and admonition, the affectionateness of which appeared even in the repetition of her name, Martha, Martha - as, similarly, on a later occasion, Simon, Simon - did He teach her in words which, however simple in their primary meaning, are so full, that they have ever since borne the most many-sided application: Thou art careful and anxious about many things; but one thing is needful; [3948] and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.'
It was, as we imagine, perhaps the first day of, or else the preparation for, the Feast. More than that one day did Jesus tarry in the home of Bethany. Whether Lazarus came then to see Him - and, still more, what both Martha and Mary learned, either then, or afterwards, we reverently forbear to search into. Suffice it, that though the natural disposition of the sisters remained what it had been, yet henceforth, Jesus loved Martha and her sister.' __________________________________________________________________
[3870] Perhaps this may be a fuller English equivalent than appoint.'
[3871] The reading: Seventy-two' seems a correction, made for obvious reasons.
[3872] St. John xi. 54.
[3873] St. Matt. x. 5 &c.; St. Mark vi. 7 &c.; St. Luke ix. 1 &c.
[3874] Num. xi. 16.
[3875] In Bemidb. R. 15, ed. Warsh. p. 64 b, the mode of electing these Seventy is thus described. Moses chose six from every tribe, and then put into an urn seventy-two lots, of which seventy had the word Zaqen (Elder) inscribed on them, while two were blanks. The latter are supposed to have been drawn by Eldad and Medad.