“As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” - Song of Solomon 2:3-4
“Now it came to pass, as they went that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:42
Johnannes Vermeeer: Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, public domain image
Luke 8:2 tells us that at one time Mary Magdalene had seven devils cast out of her by Jesus. The gospel accounts do not tell us she had a husband or children, wasn’t a hospitable homemaker like her sister, not the fairest virgin daughter of Israel, but nevertheless it’s Mary that gets to fulfill this scripture from Song of Solomon later on when she breaks a box of ointment over Jesus ahead of his arrest:
“While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof (SOS 1:12).”
The gospels tell us that Jesus loved both Mary and Martha, and Martha surely believed that Jesus is the Messiah as we see elsewhere in the gospels. But Jesus tells us in Luke chapter 7 that the one who has been forgiven of much, tends to love much more than the one who has the smaller debt forgiven. I think that was true of Mary and true of me.
Selah.
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