Martha

by Diana Wallis Taylor

Martha was the sister of Mary, and Lazarus. The brother and sisters are mentioned in Luke 10 and John 11
While Claudia, written by the same author, pulls you by the hand through the via of Rome and Palestine on an ever exciting journey, Martha walks beside you through a meadow of soft breezes.
You can smell the bread and date cakes baking in the oven as Martha bakes them, taste the fruit, and feel the heat descending in the middle of the day.
Taylor brings out the differences between the sisters from the beginning. Martha is the excited one, the one that wants to accomplish much, and has much responsibility, while Mary saunters along at her own pace, truly marching to the sound of her own drum.
Early in the story Martha is rejected by a match pursued by her father and afterward fears she will never marry, until she meets Thaddeus, a soldier in the Roman army. But their secret meeting place is discovered and beside that Thaddeus has been ordered to the detail hunting down the murderous Barabbas. It is at this point she loses him.
When Lazarus' engagement is broken off because his betrothed confesses her love for someone else, Martha vows not to marry but will take care of her family. Despite her vow she cannot easily contain her jealousy when Mary falls deeply in love with one of Jesus' disciples and they are wed.
But even in her busyness she has a kind heart and opens her home to Jesus and his companions when they need rest and respite from the crowds demanding signs and wonders and the Pharisees questioning his every move and word.
Nathan, the blacksmith in his late twenties is married to Rhoda who is unwell with a wasting disease from the beginning of the story. He is an imposing muscular figure who at the beginning of the story he is shy and tends to keep to himself which discourages friendships. But he is befriended by Martha's father. He becomes a widower soon after Martha's friend Esther marries Micah. After Rhoda's death he goes to Capernaum to return some of her things to her family and meets Jesus in Bethsaida and becomes a believer. He brings Simon who has been healed by Jesus back to Bethany. At the celebration he joins the men in a dance and Martha realizes there has been a change in him. The shy, taciturn man has gone to be replaced with a laughing, dancing man who is "almost handsome."
I love the way Taylor brings out the part of Jesus that's only hinted at in scripture. Showing his fun side as he relaxes and jokes at Martha's table.
She gives background to how the death of Lazarus may have happened, filling in the blanks for our imaginations and expertly weaves the story of the resurrection through the eyes of those who were there, solidifying their beliefs.
Martha is in for a surprise at the end of the book, one which I admit I didn't see coming either, but Jesus did.