At The Feet of Jesus

We often make reference to Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus, as Martha was “cumbered about much serving.”  Jesus said, “But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:42)    

Recently while reading through the gospel of John I noticed that being at Jesus’ feet was common for Mary.  In John 11, when Jesus had arrived in Bethany after Lazarus died, Mary “fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.” (vs. 32)  Martha had said the same thing to him earlier and then had a theological discussion with Him.  But when Mary fell at His feet making that statement, it moved His heart.

In John 12, when the dinner was held to honor Lazarus, again Mary is at Jesus' feet.  This time she is anointing them with costly oil and wiping them with her hair.  This Jesus said was an anointing for his burial and for this she would be known.   

There is something about taking the low place at Jesus' feet, the place of a humble servant, that is powerful and effectual.

Luke 10:38-42 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. ³⁹ And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. ⁴⁰ But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. ⁴¹ And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: ⁴² But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

 John 11:32-34 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

³³ When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, ³⁴ And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

John 12:3, 7-8 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment…… ⁷ Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. ⁸ For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.