The Bible

 

Luke 10:38-42 : Jesus in the home of Mary and Martha

Study

38 εγενετο δε εν τω πορευεσθαι αυτους και αυτος εισηλθεν εις κωμην τινα γυνη δε τις ονοματι μαρθα υπεδεξατο αυτον εις την οικιαν

39 και τηδε ην αδελφη καλουμενη μαριαμ η και παρακαθεσθεισα προς τους ποδας του κυριου ηκουεν τον λογον αυτου

40 η δε μαρθα περιεσπατο περι πολλην διακονιαν επιστασα δε ειπεν κυριε ου μελει σοι οτι η αδελφη μου μονην με κατελιπεν διακονειν ειπον ουν αυτη ινα μοι συναντιλαβηται

41 αποκριθεις δε ειπεν αυτη ο κυριος μαρθα μαρθα μεριμνας και θορυβαζη περι πολλα

42 ενος δε εστιν χρεια μαρια γαρ την αγαθην μεριδα εξελεξατο ητις ουκ αφαιρεθησεται αυτης

Commentary

 

Jesus reproves Martha

By Rev. John Clowes M.A.

Jesus Christ with Mary and Martha

There's a brief story in Luke 10:38-42, where Jesus is visiting in the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus - two sisters and their brother. It's a busy time at their house, because people have come to see Jesus, and to marvel at Lazarus, who was just raised from the dead by Jesus. Martha is working to serve the guests, and Mary is sitting and listening. Martha asks Jesus to tell Mary to help her, and - surprisingly - he doesn't. Instead, he gently reproves Martha for worrying, and says that Mary has "chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her".

It doesn't seem fair, on the face of it. But here's what's going on in the internal sense of the story:

In verses 38-39, when the Lord stops in this village to visit Martha and Mary, it means that the Lord is received by people who are love truth and of good.

In verses 41-42, when Martha is busy and stressed, she represents our state of mind when we are in the affection of truth, but are not yet purified from the anxieties of self-love. Then the Lord instructs us, that we should pay attention to the higher affection of good, and exalt it in our lives.