A Mary can be found at key moments of Jesus’ life—Mary of Nazareth at birth, Mary of Bethany leading up to the cross, and Mary of Magdala in death. Our heavenly Father orchestrated time and space and people and events to reveal His Son, harmonizing these three Marys into His beautiful symphony. They are examples set before our faith for imitation. In Mary Magdalene we see who Jesus reveals Himself to—a heart watching for Him, listening to Him, and remembering His deliverance. We now turn our gaze to Mary of Bethany.
We are introduced to Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to His word, while her sister, Martha, is slaving away making dinner. Jesus denies Martha’s irritable appeal, saying, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Lk 10:41-42 NKJV). Mary made being with and listening to Jesus her top priority.
Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come buy and eat! … Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food.
Isa 55:1, 2 ESV
This rich food comes by listening to Jesus like Mary did. Whereas Martha had prepared an earthly feast, the Lord had prepared a heavenly feast that Mary delighted herself in. “Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live” (55:3). One thing is necessary for spiritual life. Imitate Mary’s faith.
Mary’s home is in Bethany on the Mount of Olives, two miles east of Jerusalem. To understand Mary we need to understand Bethany. Mary is the face of Bethany. Although a little village, Bethany towers with epic significance. And Mary is the Mount Everest of the Himalayas of Bethany. Bethany streaks as a bright meteor across the sky of our Lord’s climactic week before the cross. Bethany is the opening scene where Jesus raised Lazarus, Mary’s brother, from the dead. As the final days play out, we see Bethany not only where Mary’s hunger was satisfied, but Jesus’ as well.
And the next day, they having come out of and away from Bethany, He became hungry.
Mk 11:12 Wuest
Where did Jesus become hungry? Out of Bethany. The physical illustrates the spiritual. In Bethany He is full, satisfied. Finding no figs on the tree, only leaves, Jesus curses it. The very next scene is the temple in Jerusalem. Our Lord hungered for fruit, a house of prayer, but found nothing but the fig leaves of a religious marketplace. When Mary delighted in the rich food of Jesus’ words, Jesus was satiated, too. It is more blessed to give than to receive (Ac 20:35). Jesus is more blessed in giving His words than we are in receiving them.
The Son of Man had no place to lay His head—except in Bethany. Jesus looked all around the temple religiosity, selling doves and exchanging money, then chose to lodge at Bethany (Mt 21:17). So Bethany was not only Mary’s home but Jesus’ home. As they put away the tabernacle in the wilderness when Solomon’s temple came, Jesus set aside the temple and set up the living stones of Bethany as His dwelling place. The Carpenter’s Son still desires to build you and me into a Bethany today.
Here it is where Jesus got the donkey for His famous ride into Jerusalem, the “triumphal entry.” While in nearby Bethphage (“the house of unripe figs”), a mile from the City of David, Jesus told two disciples to go into the village opposite (Mt 21:1), meaning Bethany. Jesus refers to it as “the village in front of you,” counterintuitive since Bethany was actually behind them as they made their way towards Jerusalem. This hints, though, at what Lord had on His mind. From then on Jesus wants His followers to see Bethany as “the village in front” of them. Keep it in mind; don’t forget it.
After Jesus was raised from the dead, “He brought them out to within view of Bethany” (Lk 24:50 Moffat). He could have picked anywhere. Yet with chosen Bethany before their eyes, He says goodbye and ascends to heaven in a cloud (Acts 1:1-9). When Jesus returns, where is He coming back to? The Mount of Olives (Zech 14:4), where Bethany is! Bethany, populated with people of Mary’s caliber, is always on Jesus’ heart.
The people of Bethany will immediately loose whatever the Lord has need of, whether a donkey or a fragrant perfume worth nearly a year’s wages. Before the curtain closes on Mary, we see her sacrificing that expensive spikenard to anoint Jesus’ head and feet for burial. Jesus praises her, saying, “…she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.” (Mt 26:10-11 ESV). We learn from Mary what true service is. It’s giving Jesus first place. Certainly there was a time for feeding the poor. Mary’s habit of listening her Teacher, though, cultivated a spiritual sensitivity to timely service.
Being a Bethany is not without cost, however. Bethany outside the walls of Jerusalem echoes a time when Moses had to go outside the camp to meet with God. Bethany is both approval by the Lord and rejection by man. Mary’s extravagant love was assessed a “waste” by even His closest disciples but not Jesus: “And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her” (Mk 14:9 ESV). Critiques and criticisms are not reserved for Mary alone. “So Jesus also suffered outside the gate…Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured” (Heb 13:12, 13 ESV).
Learn from Mary to choose the good part, feasting on Jesus’ words. As we follow Jesus, He will lead us to Bethany where He feels at home.
Glory Unveiled: Discovering Jesus 