4 DIAKONIA OR DEVOTION?

4

Diakonia or Devotion?

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 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!"

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-42

When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

"Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

"Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world."

And after she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. "The Teacher is here," she said, "and is asking for you." John 11:20-28

Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. While he Jesus was in Bethany reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him... John 12:1-2, Matthew 26:6 and Mark 14:3

The Gustave Dore depiction of Martha and Mary is fairly typical of many of the art works of this event. Christ is seated, Mary lays at his feet and Martha stands above both. In several cases, Christ and Mary are shown in the background or reflected in a mirror, while Martha is foreground and dominant. Almost all representations have Martha holding some food or drink object (as here she holds a large jar) or at a table plucking a chicken or otherwise mixing food for dinner. Ofttimes Martha is depicted as worn or harsh or angry looking, and Mary appears more attractive or prettier.

Well, we don't know what these people looked like. My friend Ron wasn't about to take photos of the scene and the Gospel writers didn't have an illustrator traipsing along to do sketches. We don't know if either woman was pretty or plain. We don't even know the ages of the women. It is probably safe to assume Martha was the eldest. It is her house, so she is the head-of-household. Throughout the various situations where Martha, Mary and Lazarus appear, Martha generally is mentioned first and in each case seems to be the active one. It certainly appears that Martha and Mary live together. (It is not at all given whether Lazarus shares their domicile or has a place of his own.) Still, we can't be sure Martha is the eldest based on this. (I have three children. My two daughters once lived with each other, but their home was owned by the younger of the two, not the eldest.) It doesn't really matter who is the senior. It is the behavior which matters and where they are focused.

Although most artists depict Martha busy with dinner preparations, many commentators have taken a different tact. They like to find other symbolism in Martha and Mary's actions. One idea is this represents two aspects of the Christian life we should be engaging in, one of service and one of worship. Another is that Martha was not busy preparing dinner, but was engaged in some sort of Christian service, evangelistic effort or church matter. They argue that these women represent duties within the church, especially that of Deacon, which they ascribe to Martha. I suppose that leaves Elder to Mary.

Lets think about the aspects of our Christian life, service versus worship. Both of these are aspects of the Christian life, but must be in balance. Actually, service grows out of worship and is itself then a form of worship. And in the end, worship trumps service. We don't see this balance or growth represented here. Why would we see Martha as an example of how we should serve? Where is her concern and focus? It is on Martha. I'm doing all the work. Make Mary come help me. Is Martha feeling sorry for herself? Is she envious of Mary? We can't honestly say, but we can say she is more concerned with herself than with Jesus.

This happens. I've fell into the same trap myself when a "young" Christian, so caught up in serving I was oblivious to everything and everyone else. I see it in churches all the time. People who get involved with all the projects and duties that come along (as I did), ushering, running the audio-visuals, leading a Bible study, visitation, teaching Vacation Bible School, mowing the grass, etc., etc., etc. Soon your focus is on how much time you are serving the church and not on how little time you are spending with Christ.

I really don't feel Martha is the best example of our Christian serving. In fact, I think she is a better example of someone trying to earn her salvation through works rather than faith. I'll come back to that in another post. (Yes, Martha and Mary and Lazarus are going to be with us for a while.)

But what of the ideas that Martha represented the Deaconship within a church and Mary represented the Elders? I've seen it argued that Mary represents religious leadership because she anointed Jesus. It is true the word used was anoint. Anointing was used for several purposes at the time, one of which was in burial preparation, which is what Jesus explains she was doing. We have the same thing said about the women who went to His grave on Resurrection Day that they had come to anoint his body. We do not need make more of this act than what it was.

The idea of Martha being an archetype Deacon is from the use of the Greek "diakonia" in Luke and "diakoneo" in John. (Diakonia is a derivative of diakoneo, as is dikonos.) It is pointed out that "diakonea" and its derivatives mean "the office of Deacon in a church". But that is not the only definition and is a later meaning, not the original. The original meaning is "to be a servant, attendant, domestic, to serve, wait upon" and among several other modifying meanings was 'to wait at a table and offer food and drinks to the guests" and "of women preparing food". It is used throughout the New Testament in this context (John 2:5,9, Luke 4:39; 17:8). Even when we have the situation in Acts 6:1-7, which some consider the founding of Deacons; it is related to "serving tables".

"And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration (diakonia). Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples to them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables (diakoneo) . Wherefore, brethren, look you out among you seven men of honest report, full of the holy spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry (diakonia) of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the holy spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they [the Apostles] had prayed, they laid their hands on them. And the word of God increased . . ."

Deacon seems an office developed in the church after Pentecost. The requirements for the office are laid out in 1 Timothy 3:8-13:

Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything. A deacon must be the husband of but one wife and must manage his children and his household well. Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Can you relate the story of Martha to anything in the outline of this church office?

I think struggling to build such ideas around the events concerning Martha, Mary and Lazarus may detract from more basic lessons and concepts which are the reason these stories have been included in the scriptures.

Have you ever been invited by a friend to dinner at their home. You go in anticipation of an evening of pleasant conversation. But when you arrive, your friend is busy preparing the meal and setting the table. You are ushered into the living room to wait. Even at dinner, your friend is distracted with serving, going to get coffee or dessert, but never engaged with what is being discussed because they are too concerned with the dinner being perfect. When dinner ends and you return to the living room, your friend is in the kitchen clearing the table and putting things in the dishwasher. By the time your friend comes to join you, the friend is weary and most of the evening has passed.

This is how I see Martha behaving the day Jesus has come to visit. She is busy making a dinner, making everyone comfortable, and completely ignoring her guest. Her sister, however, has taken this opportunity to hear exactly what Jesus has to say. The literal translation reads this way, "and she had also a sister, called Mary, who also, having seated herself beside the feet of Jesus, was hearing the word." Mary is hearing the Word. Martha is not. Mary's whole attention, her whole focus is on Christ. Martha is not focused on Jesus at all, but on herself. What does she say? "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?"

What does the Lord tell her? He says she is fretting over a lot of things, but only one thing is needed, and that is the Word of God. "Mary has chosen what is better." In saying that Mary has chosen the better, Jesus is implying that Martha has also made a choice. She has chosen to fuss and fret over things that really aren't needed. This is a lesson we need to take away from this. There are things we must do, services we must perform, but they are of no import if in doing them we forget Our Lord.

Should we add to or make more of this instance than that? Isn't that enough of a message and one that we are all guilty of forgetting to suffice?

Here are some more questions. Does Martha change her ways? Was Martha truly saved? Why did Jesus weep?