Friendship’s Door: A Humble Homely House for a Weary King
As we near Palm Sunday, I’ve found myself reflecting on one word that keeps popping up in the Passion week narratives: “Bethany”. John introduces the Passion week with these words, “Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany” (Jn 12:1).
Similarly, after describing the triumphal entry and Jesus’ cleansing of the temple, Matthew ends his intense narrative with this simple note, “And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night” (Mt. 21: 17).
In Jesus’ day the small village of Bethany was located about 2 miles from Jerusalem (Jn 11:18) on the eastern side of the Mt. of Olives. References to Bethany are rare and tend to cluster around the passion week.[1] Indeed, Mark only mentions Bethany in his description of the week leading up to the crucifixion (Mk 11:1, 11, 12; 14:1, 3).
As Psalm Sunday looms, Bethany has captured my attention. Biblical authors understood that places carry implicit meaning for people and the simple mention of a place suggests unspoken connections. For example, consider the varied emotions you experience if I mention Auschwitz or Gettysburg or Las Vegas. Places carry meaning and biblical authors say much by simply mentioning locations that have a history and connected feelings. So it is with Bethany.
Bethany was the home of Jesus’ friends Mary, Martha and Lazarus. It was in Bethany where Mary sat a Jesus’ feet and where Lazarus was raised from the dead. The memory of these events is even written into Bethany’s modern Arabic name al-Azariya which means “The place of Lazarus.”
From the time of Jesus’ triumphal entry until the day before his crucifixion, it appears Jesus ended each emotionally exhausting day in Jerusalem by walking the two miles back to Bethany to spend the night in the home of his friends. No doubt their home proved a refuge for Jesus.
We should never underestimate the power of friendship and the security of a safe nurturing place. In The Fellowship of the Ring, Frodo Baggins paused his perilous journey to destroy the ring of power to find respite in Rivendell at the house of Elrond the elf-lord. J. R. R. Tolkien described it as “the last Homely House east of the Sea.” It was, “a perfect house, whether you like food or sleep, or story-telling or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all'. Merely to be there was a cure for weariness, fear, and sadness… Evil things did not come into the secret valley of Rivendell.”
Monumental events lay ahead for Frodo, but in Rivendell he found strength in simple things.[2]
In their song Friendships Door, Dave Bainbridge and Joanne Hogg of the Celtic group Iona describe the power of simple yet safe homes.
My steps have led me To friendship's door Where faith and kindness embrace my soul And children's laughter Sounds in the air And fills my heart with joy Their feet can dance the lightest steps With smiles that grace the lovely day
These are the things Some of the things That take my breath away (Listen to Iona’s beautiful song on YouTube by following this link.)
These lyrics reverberate in my mind whenever I read of Bethany in the Passion week accounts. The biblical authors are masters of economy. A few words can move one’s soul.
In this world, our joy is always despite “something”, and Jesus’ “something” was the most monumental “something” of history. Yet Bethany was a place of respite, reprieve, safety, laughter, joy, friendship, hospitality, and good memories. May we find such places to nurture our own soul while cultivating a “homely house” for those in need who cross our paths.
[1] Bethany near Jerusalem is not to be confused with “Bethany on the other side of the Jordan” (John 1:28)
[2] Way back in 1975, the Canadian rock group Rush wrote a song entitled Rivendell about Elrond’s “Homely House.” The lyrics strike a similar chord to Iona’s song Friendship’s Door.
You feel there's something calling you You're wanting to return To where the misty mountains rise and friendly fires burn A place you can escape the world Where the dark lord cannot go Peace of mind and sanctuary by loud water's flow (Songwriters: Geddy Lee, Neil Peart)