The Way of Martha and the Way of Mary — A Reader’s Guide

The Parable of the Two Hermits

Graham includes a striking story from the Russian philosopher Solovyof about two Egyptian hermits who, after years of asceticism, succumb to temptation and journey to Alexandria. One hermit perceives their time there as a debauch with drunkards and sinners; the other interprets the same events as a pious visit to the patriarchate, complete with holy kisses and church services. The repentant hermit howls and beats his head on a rock, while the joyful one sings psalms. This parable encapsulates a central tension in the book: the same actions can be read as sin or sanctity depending on one’s inner disposition. Graham does not resolve which hermit is correct, leaving the reader to ponder the nature of perception and grace.

Martha, Mary, and National Character

Graham explicitly links the Martha-Mary dichotomy to national identities: “Speaking roughly, Eastern Christianity is associated with Mary’s good part and Western Christianity with the way of Martha and service.” He argues that a nation’s religion defines its unity, citing a “British idea,” an “American idea,” and a “Russian idea.” The preface suggests that these ways are not irreconcilable, and that their reconciliation holds “a great beauty.” However, the excerpts do not show how Graham develops this reconciliation. The reader is left to track how he applies the sisters’ contrast to Russian culture, art, and daily life, and whether he ultimately favors one path or seeks a synthesis.

The Sanctuary Book as a Form

Graham reveals that he originally intended to write “the sanctuary book”—a volume that would itself be a sacred refuge for the reader. This ambition shapes the work’s tone and structure. The preface describes the book as “one of seeking and finding, a making of discoveries,” suggesting an exploratory rather than dogmatic approach. The inclusion of the hermit parable, with its unresolved ambiguity, fits this design: the book offers material for reflection rather than a fixed thesis. Readers should approach the text as a personal quest, noting how Graham’s own journey through Russia and Egypt informs his observations, and how the sanctuary ideal competes with the analytical task of comparing two Christian traditions.

Graham’s book resists easy categorization: it is part travelogue, part theological meditation, and part cultural analysis. The hermit parable, with its dual interpretations, serves as a key to reading the whole—every episode may be seen from Martha’s or Mary’s perspective. Readers attentive to the recurring contrast between outward action and inward vision will find the work’s coherence. The preface’s claim that the two ways are reconcilable invites scrutiny of how Graham handles that reconciliation in the chapters that follow.

I keep coming back to The Way of Martha and the Way of Mary, that odd, lovely tension between getting things done and simply sitting still. It reminds me, somehow, of an old, patient friend I found in The Expositor's Bible: The Gospel According to St. Mark — A Reader’s Guide—both whisper that grace often arrives quietly, between the busy moments we thought mattered most.