Luke: 10-38-41

A Home in Bethany

Luke 10:38-41

“Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭10:38-42‬ ‭ESV‬‬

38

Ἐν δὲ τῷ πορεύεσθαι αὐτοὺς αὐτὸς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς κώμην τινά. γυνὴ δέ τις ὀνόματι Μάρθα ὑπεδέξατο αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν 39 καὶ τῇδε ἦν ἀδελφὴ καλουμένη Μαριάμ. καὶ παρακαθεσθεῖσα πρὸς τοὺς πόδας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἤκουεν τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ. 40 ἡ δὲ Μάρθα περιεσπᾶτο περὶ πολλὴν διακονίαν. ἐπιστᾶσα δὲ εἶπεν· κύριε, οὐ μέλει σοι ὅτι ἡ ἀδελφή μου μόνην με κατέλειπεν διακονεῖν; εἰπὲ οὖν αὐτῇ ἵνα μοι συναντιλάβηται.

41

Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ κύριος· Μάρθα Μάρθα, μεριμνᾷς καὶ θορυβάζῃ περὶ πολλά, 42 ἑνὸς δέ ἐστιν χρεία· Μαριὰμ γὰρ τὴν ἀγαθὴν μερίδα ἐξελέξατο ἥτις οὐκ ἀφαιρεθήσεται αὐτῆς.

“According to John x. 22 and other statements in John the Saviour journeyed to Jerusalem on several occasions during the last six months before His crucifixion.  On this occasion (verse 38) He was probably again on His way to or from Jerusalem, for it is clear from John xi. that Martha and Mary lived at Bethany near Jerusalem and this little place was situated along the main road from Jerusalem to Trans-Jordan.”    - Geldenhuys

Bethany was about two miles distance from Jerusalem.

On one occasion Jesus and his followers were entertained to a meal in the home of his friends Martha and Mary who, we learn from John 11 and 12, lived near the village of Bethany outside of Jerusalem. The scene Luke describes here is not found elsewhere and may not be in chronological order.

John G Mason, Luke: An Unexpected God, ed. Paul Barnett, Second Edition., Reading the Bible Today Series (Sydney, South NSW: Aquila Press, 2019), 159.

“Without going into a lot of detail, suffice it. To say that Mary had done her part; then she went to sit at the feet of Jesus.”  McGee

Note:  Christianity is a relationship with God.

I.  Martha.

A.  Her Reception of Christ.

“And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.”

If the parable of the Good Samaritan exposes racism and ethnic prejudice as anti-Christian, then this story exposes sexism as anti-Christian.

Thabiti Anyabwile, Exalting Jesus in Luke, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018), 184.

Martha welcomed or received Jesus into her house.

“He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

‭‭John‬ ‭1:10-12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“welcomed him” - ὑπεδέξατο - “welcome, receive”

B.  Her Ministry.

“But Martha was distracted with much serving.”

C.  Her Distraction.

Now, how many women have felt something like that? You serve your family every day, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of thanks. You wonder if what you do as a wife, mother, or woman matters in the Lord’s sight. You quietly ask, “Does anybody notice? Does God care?”

Thabiti Anyabwile, Exalting Jesus in Luke, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018), 184.

1.  Distraction that led to irreverence.

“And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.”

“But Martha was distracted” - περιεσπᾶτο - “The verb means ‘allowed her attention to wander’, which strictly implies that Martha had tried to listen but found she could not listen and think about the preparations for the meal at the same time.”  (Luce, in loc.).  Quoted by Gelenhuys

“The Greek word (periespato) means to be pulled away or to be pulled apart, hence ‘distracted,’ ‘overburdened.’”  WBC, Tenney

κύριε, οὐ μέλει σοι - is it not a care to you

To her (and most Jews) Mary’s true place is alongside Martha in the kitchen, not at Jesus’ feet. Luke, however, shows he is aware of a higher duty, calling Martha “distracted” by her household chores and unaware of the more important duties of listening to the Lord.

Grant R. Osborne, Luke: Verse by Verse, ed. Jeffrey Reimer, Elliot Ritzema, and Danielle Thevenaz, Awa Sarah, Osborne New Testament Commentaries (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018), 291.

Note:  Do you ever try to tell God what He should do?

2.  Distraction that led to anxiety.

“Martha, Martha, you are anxious”

“On several occasions, according to Luke’s account, Jesus repeated a name when he wanted to make some unusually impressive statement (see 22:31; cf. Acts 9:4).”  WBC, Tenney

μεριμνᾷς -

3..  Distraction that led to a troubled spirit.

“and troubled about many things”

troubled - καὶ θορυβάζῃ

II.  Mary.

“Mary”is the Greek form of “Miriam”

A. Her Position.

“And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching.”

1.  Sitting at Jesus’ feet.

“who sat at the Lord’s feet”

Note:  significance of the word “Lord” as applied to Jesus.

“We must either sit at Christ’s feet or be made his footstool; but, if we sit with him at his feet now, we shall sit with him on his throne shortly.”  Matthew Henry

2. Listening to Jesus’ word.

“and listened to his teaching.”

ἤκουεν τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ - ἤκουεν - imperfect active indicative

Note:  Prominent place of women in the New Testament.

B.  Her Prize.

“but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

“but one thing is necessary”. - ἑνὸς δέ ἐστιν χρεία

“Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Μαριὰμ γὰρ τὴν ἀγαθὴν μερίδα ἐξελέξατο ἥτις οὐκ ἀφαιρεθήσεται αὐτῆς

not be taken away—Martha’s choice would be taken from her, for her services would die with her; Mary’s never, being spiritual and eternal. Both were true-hearted disciples, but the one was absorbed in the higher, the other in the lower of two ways of honoring their common Lord. Yet neither despised, or would willingly neglect, the other’s occupation. The one represents the contemplative, the other the active style of the Christian character. A Church full of Marys would perhaps be as great an evil as a Church full of Marthas. Both are needed, each to be the complement of the other.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 110.

The Lord Jesus is the good portion that we should choose before or instead of being busy with all kinds of acts of service.

Thabiti Anyabwile, Exalting Jesus in Luke, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018), 186.

“Material things and the honouring of Him through outward means are evanescent matters, but the soul’s communion with the Lord can never be removed, not even by death.  Therefore the highest form of service consists in this.”  - Geldenhuys

“They also serve Him best who watch and wait.”    Milton

III.  Jesus.

“Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.”

A.  His Love for His Own.

“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭KJV‬‬

B.  His Desire for Fellowship with His Own.

“But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

‭‭John‬ ‭4:23-24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

C.  His Gentle Rebuke to His Own.

“Martha, Martha”

1.  Rebuking Martha’s anxiety.

“casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭5:7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:6-7‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Be careful - μεριμνᾶτε - verb form of the same word used in vs. 41

2.  Rebuking Martha’s troubled spirit.

“The eternal God is thy refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms: And he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; And shall say, Destroy them.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭33:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

D.  His Priority for His Own.

Jesus says to Martha and women (and men) everywhere: In all your busyness don’t forget that only one thing is necessary. That one thing is not the next task on your to-do list. That one thing is not serving others. The one necessary thing is enjoying the Lord himself.

Thabiti Anyabwile, Exalting Jesus in Luke, Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018), 185.

“Good is Semitic for ‘better.’” - The New Bible Commentary: Revised

“Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Deut. 32:9  But the Lord’s portion is his people,

Jacob his allotted heritage.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Dt 32:9.

“You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in You.”  - Augustine

Note:  the importance of maintaining a balance between our spiritual worship and our practical Christian service.

“Martha, He said, was busy trying to provide an elaborate supper with many dishes when only one course would be sufficient.  Mary had chosen to listen to Jesus, and that was more important than preparing a large supper.”  - The New Bible Commentary - Revised

This occurred at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles according to Edersheim.

“I come to the garden alone, While the dew is still on the roses,

And the voice I hear, Falling on my ear, The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me, And He tells me I am His own;

And the joy we share as we tarry there, None other has ever known”