Bible Study - Mary of Bethany - April 27, 2026

Lesson 7 – April 27, 2026

Opening prayer:

Summary of - Mary of Bethany - Worship, listening, and wholehearted devotion to Jesus

Luke 10:42 — “But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Mary of Bethany appears only a few times in the Gospels, but each moment is vivid. She isn’t described by her achievements, her leadership title, or her productivity. Instead, she is remembered for where she placed herself—at Jesus’ feet—and for what she gave—her attention and her love.

In Luke 10, while Martha works to host and serve, Mary sits and listens. Jesus affirms Mary’s choice, calling it “the better part.” In John 11, Mary’s grief is honest and direct, and her tears move Jesus to weep. In every scene, Mary shows us that devotion isn’t primarily about doing more; it’s about drawing near.

Try to picture the scene in Bethany. A home is open, voices overlap, food is being prepared, and a rabbi sits teaching. In that culture, hospitality mattered deeply, and a host’s reputation could rise or fall on whether a guest was properly cared for. Martha feels the weight of that responsibility. Mary feels a different weight: the wonder of Jesus being near enough to hear, close enough to learn from, safe enough to sit with.

Luke tells us Mary “sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.” That phrase is simple, but it is also bold. Mary chooses presence over pressure, listening over image-management, intimacy over hustle. It’s not that serving is wrong; it’s that serving can become a hiding place. Sometimes we stay busy because stillness would force us to face what we’re carrying.

If you’ve ever felt torn between what is good and what is necessary, you understand Martha’s tension. If you’ve ever longed to pause, but feared the consequences of stepping away, you understand Mary’s courage. Jesus’ words are not merely a correction; they are an invitation: “You are worried and upset about many things… but few things are needed—or indeed only one.” He calls us back to the center.

It’s important to notice that Luke 10 is not a story with a “good sister” and a “bad sister.” Martha is serving Jesus too—just in a different way—and her desire to honor Him is real. The invitation Jesus gives is about priority, not punishment: service is beautiful, but it cannot replace time at His feet.

Then John 11 brings us to another day in Bethany, one marked not by hospitality but by heartbreak. Lazarus has died, and Mary’s grief is heavy. When she finally reaches Jesus, she falls at His feet again and says the words that many believers have whispered through tears: “Lord, if you had been here…” Notice what Mary does not do—she does not pretend. She does not hide behind correct religious language. She brings her pain into the presence of the One she trusts.

And Jesus meets her there. He does not rush past her sorrow to get to the miracle. He is deeply moved; He draws near; He weeps. The Son of God stands in front of a tomb He is about to empty, and still He lets tears fall. In Bethany we learn that Jesus is not only powerful enough to change our circumstances—He is compassionate enough to enter them.

Soon after, John 12 brings us back to Bethany—this time at a dinner where Jesus is the honored guest. Mary arrives carrying a jar of perfume worth about a year’s wages. She pours it on Jesus’ feet and wipes His feet with her hair. The moment is tender and bold, and everyone notices. Some criticize her and call it a waste, but Jesus calls it worship and defends her. While Jesus is being misunderstood, opposed, and even plotted against, Mary’s devotion quietly honors Him as the One who is about to give everything.

Across these scenes, Mary’s life forms a pattern: listening at His feet, weeping at His feet, worshiping at His feet. In joy and in grief, in quiet and in costly surrender, she returns to the same place—near Jesus. That is the invitation for us too: not a life without responsibilities or sorrow, but a life that keeps coming back to His presence as the truest place of strength.

As you read these passages today, we notice Mary’s posture, her timing, and her courage. Notice also what Jesus reveals about Himself in each moment—Teacher, Comforter, Defender, Savior.

Opening Questions

1.    Are you more of a Mary, or more of a Martha?

2.    Have you ever served to avoid?

3.    What tends to pull you toward “many things,” and what would choosing the “good portion” look like in daily life?

Key Highlights

·         Mary is remembered for her posture—she consistently returns to the place of nearness: at Jesus’ feet.

·         Jesus invites us away from distraction and anxiety into what is most necessary: His presence and His word.

·         Mary shows that faith can be honest—bringing grief and disappointment to Jesus without pretending.

·         Costly worship may be misunderstood by others, but Jesus defends wholehearted devotion.

Takeaways

·         Choose presence over pressure: Sitting with Jesus is never wasted time—it’s the “better part.” (Luke 10:38–42)

·         Bring your real emotions to Him: Jesus can hold both your faith and your questions as you grieve. (John 11:32–35)

·         Jesus meets pain with compassion: Before He changes circumstances, He often draws near to our sorrow. (John 11:33–37)

·         Wholehearted worship has a cost: Love for Jesus may look extravagant, but He calls it fitting. (John 12:3–8)

·         Devotion leaves a fragrance: Genuine worship impacts the “house” around you—people notice the difference. (John 12:3)

Questions:

1. Of the takeaways we just read, which one is the hardest for you “today” and what’s the real reason (time, fear,
    control, disappointment, people-pleasing, shame)?

2. If Jesus asked you the Mary question—‘What is the one thing necessary for you right now?’—what would you
    need to stop, start, or surrender?

 Reflection

·         Where am I most distracted by “many things,” and what would it look like to choose the one necessary thing this week?

·         What grief, disappointment, or unanswered question do I need to bring honestly to Jesus’ feet today?

·         How do I want the “fragrance” of my devotion to Jesus to be felt in my home, my relationships, and my community?

Strengths (What we learn from Mary)

·         Attentive listener: She prioritizes Jesus’ words over distraction. (Luke 10:39)

·         Humble posture: Again and again she comes to Jesus’ feet—teachable, reverent, surrendered. (Luke 10:39; John 11:32; John 12:3)

·         Emotionally honest faith: She brings her grief and questions directly to Jesus instead of pulling away. (John 11:32–33)

·         Extravagant worship: She offers her best to Jesus even when others misunderstand. (John 12:3–8)

Questions

1.    Which of Mary’s strengths do you most desire to grow in right now—listening, humility, honesty, or worship—and what is one step toward it?

2.    Where have you seen Jesus defend or honor quiet devotion (in your life or someone else’s)? (choosing closeness to Jesus and obedience to Him without needing recognition from people)

Weaknesses / Warnings to Learn From

·         Delay in coming to Jesus: In grief, Mary stays back at first—pain can make us withdraw instead of drawing near. (John 11:20, 28–29)

·         Letting others’ opinions shape devotion: Worship can be criticized as “too much,” and we may be tempted to shrink back. (John 12:4–6)

·         Confusing busyness with faithfulness: The Bethany story warns us not to let “many things” crowd out the one necessary thing. (Luke 10:41–42)

·         Missing Jesus’ timing: We can assume love would prevent suffering, when sometimes Jesus delays to reveal deeper glory and trust. (John 11:21, 32, 40)

Discussion Questions

1.    Which warning feels most relevant for you right now—delay, people-pleasing, busyness, or misunderstanding Jesus’ timing—and why?

2.    What is one practical boundary or habit that would help you draw near to Jesus sooner rather than later?

Observation & Insight

1) Luke 10:38–42 — Listening over striving

·         Mary’s position “at the Lord’s feet” reflects a learner’s posture—attention, humility, and readiness to receive.

·         Martha’s service is real and valuable, but anxiety and resentment creep in when service becomes the measure of worth.

·         Jesus does not shame Martha; He redirects her. The issue is not serving, but being “worried and upset about many things.”

·         “The better part” is a choice that cannot be taken away: presence with Jesus and His word shaping the heart.

2) John 11:17–37 — Honest grief and compassionate presence

·         Mary brings her sorrow directly to Jesus: “Lord, if you had been here…” Faith and disappointment can exist in the same sentence.

·         Mary falls at Jesus’ feet again—this time not to learn, but to lament. Devotion makes room for tears.

·         Jesus is “deeply moved” and weeps. Before He changes the situation, He enters the pain.

·         This scene shows that Jesus’ power is never cold; His compassion is not shallow.

3) John 12:1–8 — Costly worship and prophetic love

·         Mary gives what is precious—pure nard—without calculating how it will look. Worship is not performative; it is poured out.

·         The fragrance “filled the house.” Wholehearted devotion affects the atmosphere around us.

·         Judas frames worship as waste. Jesus calls it fitting and defends Mary’s act.

·         Mary’s anointing points toward Jesus’ burial. Love often sees what others miss and responds with timely obedience.

Suggested Application for the Week

·         Daily “at His feet”: then sit in one minute of silence asking, “What is the one necessary thing for me today?” (Luke 10:38–42)

·         Name one burden + remove one distraction: Write down your “many things,” pray over them, then fast from one distracting habit for a day to make space for listening (Luke 10:41–42).

·         Practice honest prayer Write your “Lord, if you had been here…” sentence, then finish with “Yet I trust You with…” (John 11:32–35).

·         Offer something costly (and let it spread): Pour out one gift for Jesus—time, generosity, serving, forgiveness, or surrender—without needing recognition, and share one sentence of encouragement/testimony with someone (John 12:3).

Closing Comparison / Trend

·         Sarah: She moved from trying to control the promise to learning that God is faithful even when fulfillment feels impossible.

·         Rahab: She chose courageous faith in the true God and acted on it, showing that redemption can begin with one decisive step of trust.

·         Abigail: She brought wisdom and peacemaking into a volatile situation, modeling humble courage that prevents unnecessary destruction.

·         Samaritan Woman: She met Jesus in her shame, received living water, and became an unashamed witness who invited others to Him.

·         Canaanite Woman: She persisted in faith despite barriers and silence, trusting Jesus’ mercy and refusing to let go until help came.

·         Mary of Bethany: She consistently returned to Jesus’ feet—listening, grieving, and worshiping—showing that nearness to Christ is the source of strength and wholehearted devotion.

Suggested Memory Verses

·         Luke 10:42 — “But one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
John 12:3 — “The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.”

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, we come to Your feet like Mary—hungry for Your word, honest about our pain, and ready to worship You with our whole hearts. Forgive us for the “many things” that distract us and make us anxious; teach us to choose the one necessary thing: being with You. Meet us in our grief and unanswered questions, and help us trust Your timing and Your love. Receive the best we have to offer—our time, our attention, our obedience, and our surrender—and let our devotion fill our homes and relationships with the fragrance of Christ. We love You, we listen to You, and we belong to You. Amen.

Suggested Readings for the Week

Luke 10:38–42 — Mary chooses to sit at Jesus’ feet

John 11:17–37 — Mary’s grief and Jesus’ compassion

·    John 12:1–8 — Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with perfume

·    Mark 14:3–9 (parallel) — anointing at Bethany and Jesus’ defense of worship

·    Psalm 27:4 — a prayerful companion verse about seeking Gods presence.