Martha from the Margins Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae Texts and Studies of Early Christian Life and Language Editors J. den Boeft – B. D. Ehrman – J. van Oort – D. T. Runia – C. Scholten – J. C. M. van Winden VOLUME 98 Martha from the Margins Th e Authority of Martha in Early Christian Tradition by Allie M. Ernst LEIDEN • BOSTON 2009 Th is book is printed on acid-free paper. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ernst, Allie M. Martha from the margins : the authority of Martha in early Christian tradition / by Allie M. Ernst. p. cm. — (Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae, ISSN 0920-623X ; v. 98) Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-90-04-17490-0 (hardback : alk. paper) 1. Martha, Saint. I. Title. II. Series. BS2480.M3E76 2009 226’.092—dc22 2009012186 ISSN 0920-623x ISBN 978 90 04 17490 0 Copyright 2009 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, Th e Netherlands. 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Fees are subject to change. printed in the netherlands To Dr Rick Strelan in gratitude and in memory of Dr Paul Ernst CONTENTS List of Illustrations ............................................................................. xi Preface .................................................................................................. xiii Acknowledgments .............................................................................. xv Abbreviations ...................................................................................... xvii 1 Retrieving Martha from the Margins ....................................... 1 1.1 Re-reading the canonical Martha .................................... 2 1.2 Th e apocryphal Martha .................................................... 4 1.3 Gender, authority and text ............................................... 7 1.3.1 Women, text and reality ....................................... 9 1.3.2 Retrieving the interpreter .................................... 14 1.4 Text and image ................................................................... 16 1.5 Conclusions ......................................................................... 20 2 A Second Peter? Martha in the Gospel of John ..................... 23 2.1 Th e raising of Lazarus within the Gospel of John ....... 24 2.2 Th e Story ............................................................................. 26 2.2.1 Introducing Martha .............................................. 26 2.2.2 Th e confession of Martha .................................... 29 2.2.3 “He stinks”: Martha at the raising of Lazarus ... 38 2.2.4 Links between the raising of Lazarus and the resurrection of Jesus .............................................. 41 2.3 Sources for the narrative ................................................... 43 2.3.1 John 11 as a narrative based on independent sources ..................................................................... 44 2.3.2 John 11 as a narrative based on Synoptic sources ..................................................................... 46 2.4 Th e raising of Lazarus within the Gospel of John: Some conclusions .............................................................. 49 2.5 Th e story in the hands of its interpreters ...................... 49 2.5.1 Origen ..................................................................... 50 2.5.2 Cyril of Jerusalem ................................................. 51 2.5.3 Amphilochius ......................................................... 52 2.5.4 Pseudo-Eustathius ................................................. 54 2.5.5 Romanus Melodus ................................................. 56 viii contents 2.5.6 Th e story pictured ................................................. 58 2.6 Th e story in the hands of its interpreters: Some conclusions ......................................................................... 64 3 A diff erent tomb, a diff erent story: Th e Epistula Apostolorum 67 3.1 Th e Epistula Apostolorum ................................................. 67 3.2 Th e Easter narrative in the Epistula Apostolorum ........ 71 3.2.1 Th e appearance to the women ............................ 73 3.2.2 Th e commission ..................................................... 76 3.2.3 Th e appearance to the men ................................. 78 3.3 Th e function of the narrative and the women in it ..... 79 3.4 Th e signifi cance of the names ......................................... 81 3.5 Origins of the Easter narrative in the Epistula Apostolorum ........................................................................ 84 3.6 Conclusions ........................................................................ 93 4 Apostola Apostolorum: Hippolytus on the Song of Songs ........................................................................................ 95 4.1 Th e Commentary on the Song of Songs ........................ 95 4.2 Th e Easter narrative in the Commentary ...................... 98 4.2.1 Th e women at the tomb ....................................... 98 4.2.2 Th e appearance of the Saviour ............................ 104 4.2.3 Th e women as apostles ......................................... 108 4.3 Origins of the narrative .................................................... 112 4.4 Martha as anointing woman ............................................ 115 4.5 Conclusion .......................................................................... 116 5 Singing a new song: Martha in liturgy and hymnody ....................................................................................... 119 5.1 Th e Ambrosian Missal ...................................................... 119 5.2 Th e Syrian Catholic Fenqitho .......................................... 121 5.3 An Easter hymn ................................................................. 123 5.3.1 Martha in the Easter hymn .................................. 127 5.4 Conclusions ......................................................................... 136 contents ix 6 Picturing the myrrhophore ........................................................ 139 6.1 A Syrian Gospel Illumination .......................................... 139 6.1.1 Th e image ............................................................... 142 6.2 An Early Christian Amulet .............................................. 146 6.2.1 Th e image ............................................................... 146 6.3 Th e myrrhophores in the liturgy of Jerusalem ............. 152 6.4 An ancient iconographic cycle preserved in Abyssinian art .................................................................... 159 6.4.1 Dating the iconography in the manuscripts ..... 159 6.4.2 Th e Easter image in the manuscripts ................ 162 6.4.3 A related image in Mozarabic art: Ashburton 17 ......................................................... 165 6.5 Martha watching at the tomb of Jesus ........................... 166 6.6 Th e myrrhophores in the liturgy of Constantinople ... 167 6.7 Before the fourth century ................................................. 168 6.8 Conclusions ........................................................................ 173 7 Martha, diakonia and the Gospel of Luke .............................. 177 7.1 Th e meaning of διακονία in early Christian texts ....... 178 7.1.1 Th e interpretation of Beyer ................................. 178 7.1.2 Th e interpretation of Collins .............................. 179 7.1.3 Gender and διακονία ........................................... 181 7.2 Th e modern debate over the interpretation of Luke 10:38–42 .............................................................................. 185 7.2.1 Martha in the kitchen .......................................... 185 7.2.2 Out of the kitchen and into the church ............ 187 7.3 Th e text(s) ........................................................................... 190 7.4 Th e story ............................................................................. 192 7.5 Th e story in the hands of its interpreters ...................... 204 7.5.1 Martha, Mary and the women of Corinth ....... 204 7.5.2 Martha and the widows ....................................... 207 7.5.3 Martha and the Good Samaritan ....................... 209 7.5.4 Martha goes to church ......................................... 210 7.5.5 Mary and the rabbi ............................................... 213 7.5.6 Martha and the prophets ..................................... 214 7.5.7 Martha and Mary as types .................................. 215 7.5.8 In the hands of the Messalians ........................... 218 7.6 Conclusions ........................................................................ 221 x contents 8 A Eucharistic ministry for Martha: Th e Apostolic Church Order and the Acts of Philip ..................................................... 225 8.1 Th e nature and function of church orders .................. 225 8.2 Th e Apostolic Church Order ........................................