Martha
Martha of Bethany ( Marta Bethany ) is a figure of the New Testament.
Martha is mentioned in the 10th chapter of Luke's Gospel and in the 11th chapter of John's Gospel. The illustrations in the two biblical stories show similarities but also significant differences.
Representation in the Gospels
The Gospel of Luke (Luke 10:38-42 EU) has before Martha and her sister Mary. Together they live in a house in a village by name not specified; there Jesus returns a: A woman named Martha received him into her. Maria Jesus sits down at his feet and listened to him, while her sister takes care of the hosting. Finally, Martha complained. Jesus answered her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled you make a lot. But one thing is needful. Mary has chosen the better part, and it should not be taken.
Martha and Mary are obviously drawn here as types that represent a certain percentage of the Christian life. Here Mary is the contemplative life, Martha for the vita activa.
Probably Luke has the episode itself designed so. The name of the sister pair, in which Jesus was a guest, he took - that shows the John Parallel - apparent from the tradition. From Lazarus, the brother, Luke knows nothing. It is remarkable that just a name that stands at the center of the sample story of Lazarus, who also Lukan special material is ( Lk 16).
The name Martha is Aramaic origin and means "she was rebellious " or " mistress ". In Hebrew, the name carries the meaning " the bitter ". It is not to assume that Jesus rebuked work, also catering for guests not. What he objected to was that Martha was worried. The Greek word for this is called persipao, " distracted, mentally tempted pulled away ."
In John's Gospel (Chapter 11), the miracle story of the disease, the death and the resurrection of Lazarus of Bethany, Lazarus is a brother of Mary and Martha, all three are close friends of Jesus. Here Martha drives forward the happening occurs with Jesus in a dialogue about the resurrection and finally confesses: Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
John designed here a story, of which he has found only one core in the tradition. To this core, the names of the two sisters must have heard ( cf. Luke), likely also Lazarus and Bethany.
In the Christian Bible interpretation, the Lukan and Johannine the information about Martha and her siblings are considered together. Martha, the 10 reset appears in Luke, gets 11 great weight in Jn.
Legend and Patrozinien
According to tradition, Martha said to have been sold together in 48 with her siblings to France. In the near Marseille is said to have founded a monastery and led an ascetic life. She traveled to Tarascon and there defeated the monster Tarasque.
The holy Martha consecrated among others the following churches:
- St. Martha (Nuremberg)
- St. Martha (Berlin)
- St. Martha ( Tarascon )
As patron saint she takes the protection of waiters and waitresses and housewives. In America it is often customary to provide a figure of St. Martha behind the counter in the hope of better tips.
In non-theological sources, however, Mary is sometimes interpreted as the upper classes, Martha than the lower layer.
Liturgy
The Memorial of Saint Martha in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Protestant churches is July 29th. In the Orthodox Church the memorial day Martha and her sister Mary is the 4th June.