Luke 10:38-42

Please read the text first.

Luke in 10:25-28 stated that the Jewish Law finds a summary in loving God with all that you are and loving your neighbor. In verses 29-37, we read the story of the Good Samaritan, where Jesus reminds us that the most questions in our relation with others is to be a good neighbor to those we meet.

Beginning with the story of Mary and Martha in verses 38-42, Jesus gives us further content to what it means to love God with all that you are. Many people automatically connect these sisters with the story in John 11 about Lazarus. That story occurred in Bethany, near Jerusalem. This story, toward the beginning of the travel of Jesus toward Jerusalem, would likely occur near or in Galilee. The names of Mary and Martha were common enough that they do not necessarily need to be the same family.

The power of Mary is that she has her priorities straight. She has discovered her passion. She is going to follow Jesus, and therefore she must listen. Neatnik Martha fusses around in the kitchen, “distracted by her many tasks” (v. 40), while Messy Mary leaves her stuff in a pile and plops down at the feet of Jesus. She’s showing that she loves the Lord her God with all her heart, all her soul, all her strength, and all her mind (v. 27) — she’s demonstrating her love of God by focusing intensely on his word as it is coming to her through Jesus.

Martha, on the other hand, is distracted by her work, and unable to hear the word of God. She is serving, which is to her credit, for that is what Jesus urged his disciples to do. Yet, something seems quite wrong in her attitude toward her sister. Biblical scholar Alan Culpepper reminds us that Jesus told a story, just two chapters earlier in the gospel of Luke, about what happens when a seed — representing the word of God — falls among thorns. In that case, the fruit of the seed cannot mature, because the thorny people are preoccupied with “the cares and riches and pleasures of life” (8:14). Poor Martha, as hard working as she is, is a thorn. Although she is fulfilling her social obligations, she is allowing her duties to distract her from hearing God’s word. In this situation, she simply does not have her priorities straight.

Martha demands Jesus to instruct Mary with regard to her proper place in the scene. Her assumption is that Mary's choice not to be in a traditional female role is cause for rebuke from Jesus. The fact that he does not rebuke her, but rather commends her, sends the message to the gospel's readers that even if other women, in this or any future generation, were to object to women seeking to be Jesus' disciples, Jesus himself did not object.

As for Mary, she “has chosen the better part,” says Jesus, “which will not be taken away from her” (10:42). Mary knows that a person “does not live by bread alone” (4:4). Like the disciples, she leaves everything to follow Jesus (5:11). Like the good soil in the parable of the seed, she hears the word, holds it fast in an honest and good heart, and bears fruit with patient endurance (8:15).

            Yet, both sisters show Jesus hospitality. They open their door to him. Traditionally, we have sometimes interpreted this story in a way that makes good old pots-and-pans Martha look bad. There she is slaving away in the kitchen, making a good home-cooked kosher meal for Jesus, and there is her sister Mary, sitting at the feet of Jesus, doing nothing but hanging on his every word. Jesus tells Martha that she is overly troubled about too many things and tells her that Mary has chosen the best thing to do, namely to sit at his feet and take in his teaching. I am not sure that the text demands that we treat Martha so critically. In her hustle and bustle in the kitchen, Martha is doing what the Scriptures teach her. She is offering hospitality to this stranger, offering Jesus food and drink. Maybe Martha is not good at theological conversation.

            Mary, for her part, is sitting there listening to Jesus, which really bothers Martha. She asks Jesus to tell Mary to get up and come in the kitchen and help. When Jesus tells Martha that Mary has chosen the best portion, I do not know that Jesus means this as a great criticism of Martha. After all, both women are showing openhearted hospitality to Jesus. They are just showing that hospitality in different ways.

Tonight, as Jesus is on his way toward Jerusalem, on his way to death, it is better to sit and listen to his words.