Choosing Rest
Choosing Rest
Translation Martha was distracted with much serving refers to Martha’s state of mind, viz. her feeling very busy, and to the correlated activity, viz. her doing many things for her guest(s). This has been variously expressed, e.g. ‘all kinds of work to do had gone to M. ‘s heart’ (Tzeltal), ‘M. was wearing-herself-out how/the-way her feeding them’ (Tagabili), ‘because much work fell to M., her agitation flew/flared-up’ (Marathi), ‘M. ‘s mind was stirred up with excess of service’ (Zarma), ‘she danced to and fro in serving’ (Timorese), ‘much work overwhelmed M.’
She went to him, or, better to bring out that Martha comes up to Jesus for a moment only (as indicated by the punctiliar aorist), ‘she came-near for a moment’ (Javanese, South Toradja).
Do you not care that, expecting a negative answer. The phrase has been expressed variously, ‘do you feel it is good that’ (Tzeltal), ‘you haven’t been thinking of the fact that’ (Tagabili), and cp. TH-Mk on 4:38.
That my sister has left me to serve alone, or, ‘that my sister has left me without help, so that now I must serve alone’ (A-G s.v. 1 d), ‘that my sister leaves to me (all) our (exclus.) work, or, (all) the work we (two) have to do’, ‘that my sister does not help me work’; or again, ‘that I do all the work and my sister does not do anything (or, my sister nothing)’.
Translation Martha, Martha. Where repetition of a proper name does not convey the right meaning one will have to find an equivalent form, e.g. ‘you, Martha, you are …’, or, E Marta (Tagabili, expressing the emphasis by the use of a particle requesting close attention); cp. also Phillips’ “Martha, my dear”.
You are anxious and troubled about many things is rendered in Tzeltal, ‘doing all kinds of things has gone to your heart and you have difficulty because of it’ (cp. v. 40). The two terms reinforce each other and express one idea. Some idiomatic renderings of anxious, or, ‘worried’, are, ‘eating for oneself one’s heart’ (Shona 1966), ‘black with worry’ (East Nyanja), ‘breaking one’s head’ (Sranan, cp. also ‘our heads are breaking’, Cuyono in 2:48), ‘hanging up the heart’ (Bulu), ‘crumbling in one’s abdomen’ (Conob), ‘one’s stomach is rising up’ (Gurunse), one’s mind is killing one’ (Navajo). Cp. also on 12:29. For troubled cp. N.T.Wb./71.
(v. 42) One thing is needful, or, ‘needed’, or, ‘(only) one thing you need, or, are in want of’.
Mary has chosen the good portion, i.e. has taken for herself the lot of one who expresses her devotion by listening to Jesus rather than that of one who does so by preparing his meal. Better to bring out the contrast one may say, ‘it is M. who has chosen the good part’ (cp. Jerusalem, similarly Shona 1966). The good portion, or, “the right thing’ (Goodspeed), ‘what is good’ (South Toradja). Some versions prefer ‘better’, or, ‘best’ (e.g. NEB), since a comparison is implied.
Which shall not be taken away from her, or, ‘that which no one will take from her’ (Tagabili); often better co-ordinated, cp. ‘there-is-not who will take (it) from her’ (Ponape, similarly Tzeltal, Zarma).
10:38. The long journey to Jerusalem continues. John 11:1 and 12:1–3 locate Mary and Martha in Bethany. Luke simply placed them in a village. Location was not important for him. Response to Jesus is. Martha responded in the typical homeowner’s way: fulfilling the social obligations.
10:39. Sister Mary responded in a different way. The rabbis had taught people to listen to wise men or teachers but not to talk much with women. Jesus, the wisest of men, welcomed Mary to his audience of learners.
10:40. Social obligations finally got the best of Martha, especially when her sister proved to be of no help. Rather than inviting her sister to help, Martha went straight to Jesus for authority to force her sister to work.
10:41–42. For once a person in need did not receive Christ’s blessing. The need was out of focus and misplaced. Martha was too stressed out about earthly things. Her life was out of focus, dedicated to fulfilling the world’s expectations rather than Jesus’. Life has one essential need: to hear and obey the Word of God (see 8:18–20). Mary made the right choice. Jesus would not take away from her the blessing and opportunity. At the crossroads of decision making, Martha had opted for worldly expectation and social obligation; Mary, for hearing Christ’s Word. Martha needed to change her priorities. When the Word is taught, listen. All else is secondary.
MAIN IDEA REVIEW: Jesus demands more than listening to his teaching and agreeing with what he says; he places us at the crossroads of life and forces us to decide to live his way or the world’s way.
Above everything else, it was a weekly sign that the Lord loved his people and wanted to draw them into an ever closer relationship with himself. Those who valued that relationship enjoyed the sabbath, calling it “a delight” and “honorable” (Is 58:13, 14). Those on the cold fringes of the community, like the eunuch and the gentile outsider, were warmed on the sabbath as they were drawn into the center of God’s love (56:1–7).
It is left to the writer of the letter to the V 2, p 1879 p 1879 Hebrews to explain just how the twin biblical “sabbath themes” of creation and redemption find their joint fulfillment in Christ. He does so by linking together the ideas of God’s rest after creation and his redemptive act in bringing Israel to her “rest” in Canaan; and by showing how both relate to the present and future rest that Christians can and do enjoy in Jesus (Heb 4:1–11).
God intends all his people to share his rest—that is his promise (Heb 4:1). He showed this intention clearly when he brought Israel to the Promised Land, but that did not mark the complete fulfillment of his promise (v 8). The “full, complete rest still waiting for the people of God” (v 9 LB) is in heaven. “Christ has already entered there. He is resting from his work, just as God did after the creation” (v 10 LB). And because of his redeeming work he invites all those who believe in him to share that same “sabbath rest” now (v 9).