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Martha Sister of Jesus
Jesus' second sister, Martha, was born on September 13, 3 CE. After Joseph's death, Jesus took on a fatherly role for her. Though slow in thought, she was reliable and an expert weaver. Martha got married at seventeen.
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Summary
Jesus’ second sister, Martha, was born Thursday night, September 13, 3 CE. Martha was the sixth child born to Mary and Joseph. When Martha was only five years old, Joseph died and Jesus became her brother-father from then on. Jesus was ten years older than Martha, and he got along very well with his sister.
Martha was slow in thought and action but a very dependable and efficient child, and she had artistic talent from an early age. Later, she became an expert weaver. She was homeschooled by James beginning at age seven.
As time went on, the duties of taking care of Ruth and the household responsibilities fell to Martha as the eldest daughter when Miriam prepared to take leave following her marriage. Martha herself was married one year later in 21 CE, at age seventeen.
And when Jesus appeared to the whole family at his fourth resurrection appearance, Martha was present there at the Bethany home of Lazarus and his sisters.
Martha’s Artistic Talent as a Child
When Martha was five years old, she colored and decorated the smooth boards on which Jesus, then fifteen years old, had written out the Ten Commandments in Greek. These boards hung on the wall over James’s workbench for a long time. By the time she was fourteen, Martha had become an expert weaver and was able to contribute to the family’s financial welfare.
Martha is Homeschooled
Ordinarily, the girls of Jewish families received little education, but Jesus maintained (and his mother agreed) that girls should go to school the same as boys, and since the synagogue school would not receive them, there was nothing to do but conduct a home school especially for them.
Although Jesus had started homeschooling his siblings when he was twelve, he eventually handed over this task to James, who took charge of the teaching of his three sisters, two of whom were old enough to begin serious study. Martha was then seven years old. As soon as Ruth, the baby of the family, grew up, she was taken in hand by Martha and her sister Miriam. Martha did certain special work with Ruth in her schooling.
Martha is Taken Under Miriam’s Wing
When Miriam, Martha’s older sister, planned to be married, Jesus agreed to give his blessing, as long as Miriam felt that Martha was competent to assume the duties of the eldest daughter of the home. In two years’ time, Jesus did give his blessing; Miriam was married in November, 20 CE, and after the wedding, Martha took Miriam’s place as eldest daughter in the home. She was seventeen years old.
Martha is Married
Martha was married in October, 21 CE, when she was eighteen years old. Jesus returned home from Capernaum to attend her wedding. Close to nine years later, on April 9, 30 CE, Jesus appeared to Martha and the rest of his earth family at the home of Lazarus, Mary and Martha after his resurrection.
Suggested Reading from this Essay
Related Locations
Nazareth
The town of Jesus’ upbringing.
Contributors
MaryJo Garascia, Mike Robinson, Gary Tonge
