Luke 10:39 - “She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.”

Throughout the Scriptures, we find pairs of people who, side by side, illustrate the attitudes and choices that please God and those that do not.  Martha and Mary provide one example of this pattern.  When these pairs present a contrast between two women (Sarah and Hagar, Hannah and Peninnah, etc.), we know that it prophetically represents the faithful church and the unfaithful who are nominal believers (see, for example, Galatians 4:21-31).   continue

Luke 2:44-49 – …Supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.  So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.  Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.  And all who heard him were astonished at His understanding and answers.  So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have you done this to us?  Look, your father and I have sought you anxiously.”   And He said to them, “Why did you seek me?  Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

This is a familiar story about Jesus going to Jerusalem when he was twelve years old.  His parents took him there every year for the Passover.  They traveled with a large caravan of friends and relatives from Nazareth.  Jesus was left behind.  In the text about their search for him, we see interesting parallels to the ways – and reasons – that many people search for Jesus today.   continue