Three Studies in Medieval Religious and Social Thought Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- Preface
- List of abbreviations
- I THE INTERPRETATION OF MARY AND MARTHA
- The sisters together
- The sisters distinguished
- The sisters apart
- II THE IDEAL OF THE IMITATION OF CHRIST
- III THE ORDERS OF SOCIETY
- Bibliography of secondary works
- Index of manuscripts
- Biblical index
- General index
The sisters together
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 08 December 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of illustrations
- Preface
- List of abbreviations
- I THE INTERPRETATION OF MARY AND MARTHA
- The sisters together
- The sisters distinguished
- The sisters apart
- II THE IDEAL OF THE IMITATION OF CHRIST
- III THE ORDERS OF SOCIETY
- Bibliography of secondary works
- Index of manuscripts
- Biblical index
- General index
Summary
the story of Christ's visit to the house of Mary and Martha is found at two places in the Gospels. According to the better-known account, in Luke 10.38–42, Jesus entered a certain town and was received in the house of a woman named Martha.
And she had a sister called Mary, who, sitting also at the Lord's feet, heard his word. But Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? Speak to her therefore, that she help me. And the Lord, answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful and art troubled about many things; But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.
The other version of the story, in John 12.1–8, added four significant facts: (1) the town in question (which is called a castellum in the Vulgate) was Bethany; (2) Mary and Martha were the sisters of Lazarus, who joined Jesus at table; (3) Mary anointed Jesus's feet with a precious ointment and wiped them with her hair; and (4) Jesus accepted and praised her action. The story of the raising of Lazarus in John II further added that Jesus loved Lazarus and his two sisters, that Martha went to meet Jesus while Mary stayed at home, and that Martha believed that Jesus was the Son of God.
This study is concerned with the interpretation of this story in the Middle Ages, not with what actually happened in the house of Mary and Martha almost 2,000 years ago nor with its meaning either for the writers of the Gospels or for modern historians and theologians.
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- Three Studies in Medieval Religious and Social ThoughtThe Interpretation of Mary and Martha, the Ideal of the Imitation of Christ, the Orders of Society, pp. 3 - 43Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1995
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