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.

Title: The Universality of the Bible's Inner Meaning

Topic: The Word

Summary: The literal meaning of Scripture is about specific people, places, and events. The inner meaning has a much more universal application.

Use the reference links below to follow along in the Bible as you watch.

References:
Matthew 19:30; 20:1-16
Isaiah 5:1-7
Luke 10:38-42; 12:13-14
John 21:20-21
Luke 15:11-32
Matthew 27:45