Scripture Text (NRSV)
Luke 10:38-42
10:38 Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village,
where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.
10:39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and
listened to what he was saying.
10:40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to
him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do
all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me."
10:41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried
and distracted by many things;
10:42 there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better
part, which will not be taken away from her."
Comments:
As I read this I wonder. The emphasis is not on what is being done,
but the distraction. Mary is focused on her task, Martha is not. The
better thing is to be focus on what we do for God rather than be a
distracted disciple that has no heart for the job? Just a little
thought. Nancy-Wi
Really listening is very important and very hard when it is the same
member of the congregation again and again on the same topic. I
believe that we need to listen to people who are different and who
hold different views from us. A couple asked my wife and I to attend F
911 something we wouldn't have chosen to do but it was wonderful to
hear things from a different slant and so informative to talk about it
with my parishioners. Go see the movie and share with people the good
news the way Jesus did with Martha and Mary.
good time in F911
Jesus speaks with two disciples. One is very busy, but the other sits
quietly and listens.
One of the awesome acts in the circus involves a troupe of performers
who climb up or leap onto the shoulders of one another. By climbing
and leaping, they fashion a shaky vertical column. When the feat is at
its height, as many as six performers may be balanced one on top of
another. If the timing were off, if someone leaped or leaned too far,
the human tower would collapse and the balancing act would fall apart.
In discussions of ministry and vocation, matters of balance often
arise. In order to keep from falling apart or burning out, it seems
that an intentional balance needs to be struck between activity and
leisure, between involvement and withdrawal, between work and family.
If balances are not maintained, the structure of ministry (lay and
ordained) eventually teeters and the joy of doing often becomes
drudgery.
At the core of Jesus' encounter with Mary and Martha is this concern
over balance. In commending Mary, Jesus did not deride Martha's work
of hospitality. Rather, he expresses disquiet at her distraction.
Jesus observed that she was so busy with work that she had lost her
sense of balance and proportion, leaving insufficient room for the
better part. It is as if one of the members of the troupe had overshot
a leap, lost the balance, and landed topsy-turvy.
In a different story (John 11) Martha eventually got things right, her
balance clearly in place. She was upset about her brother's death.
Even so, she responded to Jesus in a way that showed she had regained
her equilibrium. Questioned about resurrection and belief, Martha gave
a commendably balanced response: "Yes, Lord, I believe that you are
the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world" (Jn
11.27). When seeking to serve, busy is not bad; but balance is better.
Robert Brusic
Jesus has just met a man skilled in Scripture who has trouble hearing
the word of God, and Jesus offers him an example, a Samaritan. Now
Jesus visits with a woman so busy serving she does not hear the word,
and Jesus offers her an example, her sister. To the man, Jesus said to
go and do; to the woman, Jesus said to sit down, listen, and learn.
Only Luke relates this episode, but John joins him in knowing Martha
and Mary. John knows them as sisters of Lazarus and locates their home
in Bethany near Jerusalem (Jn 11.1; 12.1-3). In both stories that John
tells, the behavior of the two corresponds to Luke's description:
Martha goes out to meet Jesus, while Mary sits in the house (Jn
11.20), and at dinner Martha serves and Mary anoints the feet of Jesus
(Jn 12.1-3). In Luke, it is Martha's house, she receives Jesus into
the home, and the story centers on her and Jesus. Her sister Mary is
described, but she never speaks or otherwise enters the action. The
radicality of the story should not be missed: Jesus is received into a
woman's home (no mention is made of a brother) and he teaches a woman.
Rabbis did not allow women to "sit at their feet," that is, to be
disciples. However, this story accords well with 8.1-3; Luke has no
problem with women being numbered among the disciples.
Martha has extended hospitality and is in line for the blessings that
go to those who receive Jesus or his disciples (9.48). Her complaint
is reasonable, but Jesus' response to her anxiety is not fully clear.
Manuscripts differ on verse 42: Some read, "One thing is needful";
others read, "Few things are needful, or only one." Is Jesus saying
that Martha is preparing too many dishes; only a few, in fact, only
one is needed? The specific words are cloudy, but the symbolism seems
clear enough. The word of God and not food is the one thing needful,
for we do not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from
the mouth of the Lord (Deut 8.3; Lk 4.4; Jn 6.27). This is the portion
or dish Mary has chosen. But we must not cartoon the scene: Martha to
her eyeballs in soapsuds, Mary pensively on a stool in the den, and
Jesus giving scriptural warrant for letting dishes pile high in the
sink. If we censure Martha too harshly, she may abandon serving
altogether, and if we commend Mary too profusely, she may sit there
forever. There is a time to go and do; there is a time to listen and
reflect. Knowing which and when is a matter of spiritual discernment.
If we were to ask Jesus which example applies to us, the Samaritan or
Mary, his answer would probably be Yes.
Fred B. Craddock
from PBOB,
Perhaps we could start our posts with our "handle" then those who
don't value our opinion or scholarship can skip our comments easier?
That would "grease" the skids, pun intended!
five verses. 116 words. A ton of DaVinci Code fodder here. Mary is
taking "footnotes" to write her gospel which will later be hidden by
Martha in jealousy and become the subject of a best seller.
Who owned this house? Why did Martha appeal to Jesus to tell her
sister what to do? Who was older, Mary or Martha?
If they knew Jesus was coming why weren't they more prepared? Are we
prepared for his return?
PC in GA
I want my bulletins done a certain way. I don't want to use
mass-produced ones, I want them to be special. Therefore, I turn down
any offers of help with bulletin preparations. Ditto the church
newsletters. Then I mumble to myself that I am a slave to my computer
and wish I had more free time to do more valuable things. I am a
control freak to the nth degree. I can fully relate to Martha. We make
our own problems.
Now, Type B people are the bane of my existence. Our church Organist
is a Type B, and if it weren't for me lighting fires under him, he'd
never lift his hands to play the instrument. He'd rather sit around
and air lofty thoughts about God and how music is a grand celebration
of God. How the man gets through the day is a mystery to me. I can
fully understand how Martha was irked with Mary's "don't worry,
everything's all right" attitude.
Martha tries to change Mary. It can't be done until Mary has a reason
to change. She doesn't. Mary is unconcerned with Martha's frustration,
and probably wishes she's chill out a little. It won't happen, Martha
won't change, until she realizes she is hiding behind her busy-ness,
and can step out in trust that the world will not fall apart if she's
not in control of it.
(side thought, said in jest. Adult sisters ought never to live
together. I've known several sets of sisters who tried it and it was
Martha and Mary all over again, all the time.)
From Jo
It will be hard to preach this one without feeling hypocritical... I
am the one who is always moving and actually takes a great deal of
pleasure in the busy routines of everyday. I am much more likely to be
the hostess with not a detail overlooked, than to sit when there is
work to do.
The past few lectionary readings from Luke's gospel are contradictory
as well. Jesus says follow me and then the willing disciple is turned
away (Lk 9:59-60). Go and do (Lk 10:37) but sit and listen (Lk 10:42).
I think I will focus this week on Martha's worry and distraction. Many
people in our congregations are faced with anxieties and inadvertently
make dissipation a prevalent activity in their lives. How do we trust
in God and relieve ourselves of some of the spirit-bruising
distractions? Few verses this week but good advice.
v. 41 - (and along Nancy's lines, to give credit where due)
What distracts us as pastors in our churches? What distracts our
congregants?
For me in the church I serve, it's not being able to meet expenses
(thus, I go without air cond and heat in the office), an immature
spirituality of many congregants, sidestepping the control freaks,
doing the bulletin and newsletter ... you get the idea.
No wonder I feel tired today!
Come to think of it, not meeting expenses, lacklustre commitment, the
feeling that they're there to be served, and finding things wrong with
the bulletin and newsletter is what distracts the congregation.
Though we appear to be sitting at Jesus' feet, we can still be
distracted!
All the more reason for us pastors to stay focused.
early thoughts
Sally in GA
Distraction, distraction, distraction. It's the constant bombardment
of the 21st century. People got so used to it that they cannot
function without it. (Some young people won't watch a play because of
no shifting camera angles; others have to do homeworks with music in
the background and Instant Messenger on a computer infront of them)...
And I thought I am better than them for not getting too distracted by
the surrounding, but here the Word reminded me that I too, was
distracted from Jesus, as I attempt to serve Him. Some of us may get
distracted by the many social services we provided for the flock. I
myself get distracted in study and preparation for sermons. For the
past many days, I disappeared from DSPer forum so I can prep for this
coming Sunday sermon. (My participation in DSP are mostly for
devotional purposes).
And today I come back to the text of this week, and I found the Lord
saying, "Coho, Coho, you are worried and distracted by many things
(including your sermons); there is need of only one thing; and people
who sat at My feet and listened to what I was saying, have chosen the
better part, which will not be taken away from them."
Lord Jesus, help me to love you and not love your work more. Teach me
how to listen to what you have to say; to me as well as the flock. I
don't want to preach a message by repeating what I have read and have
heard from others. I want to really be able to say, "This is the Word
of God, for you, in this time!"
Coho, Midway City.
Nancy-WI & Sally in GA:
WOW! What great insights this early in the week! Thanks for the
fodder! I'm going to have to wrap my brain around your comments and
probably re-think my whole sermon idea. I think you're right on
target. Thanks for helping me see this pericope in a new light!
Steve
Sally in GA
I don't know your setting, but perhaps your congregation isn't busy
enough. Can you together find on mission worth doing and worth doing
well? I recommend a Book titled "Mapping your congregational Assets"
by Luther Snow.
Pr.del in Ia
Oh wow! This passage is so the life of the small church! A few who get
in and do the work and eventually get burned out. I have heard so many
in my congregation express various types of resentment at those who do
not participate, and feel sorry for themselves at having to do it all.
(I have even heard myself utter similar words. We are all off our
equilibriam, our balance. We need to sit at the feet of Jesus and
choose that "better part."
Susan in Wa.
Pre.del in Ia,
What is the publisher on that book? That sounds like something I could
use too. Thanks for sharing!
Distraction. My life is a distraction. I was newly diagnosed last
summer with ADD, and although I am now 47, I have probably had it most
of my life. I have some books on it, and it is like reading my life on
it's pages, and now there is a name for the constant barage of
messages, and the utter frustration for forgetting things, or not
getting things finished; what has been labeled in evaluations as lack
of administrative skills. There is both comfort and pain in the
knowing. Knowing the pain that I cause others who are frustrated with
my "scatterbrained" ways. Medicine helps, but so would understanding,
compassionate hearts, sitting at the feet of Jesus to pay attention to
the "Better parts."
Susan in Wa.
Here's my question: What happens when there's no Gospel in the gospel?
The way I read this, nobody looks very good. Mary doesn't lift a
finger to help her busy sister. Martha deals with this
passive-aggressively, instead of dealing with her sister directly.
Mary is equally passive-aggressive right back, in her silence.
Even Jesus (I hesitate to say) doesn't have his finest moment here. He
patronizes Martha - saying an adult woman's name twice before
admonishing her is just plain condescending. And he doesn't help with
the tasks, either!
A Gospel with some gospel in it might have all three helping to get
the work done, and then all three sitting down in mutual conversation.
I've read and heard all the various interpretations of this text -
including the well-known church women's division of themselves into "Marys"
or "Marthas" - and none of them has much good news. The closest is
Robert Brusic's "gospel of balance" and even that's pretty lame - it
could just as well be Buddhist.
I'm not planning to preach on this text this week, but good luck to
all of you who are.
LF
Wow, thanks, LF! When I read your contribution I immediately bristled
and thought, "Of course there's gospel in it!" But then I had to think
about why...
There is gospel in it because Jesus gives us the grace to sit at his
feet and not have to run around earning salvation or whatever it is we
think we're going to earn.
There is gospel in it because we are released from the world's
expectations about our gender, our tasks, our pastoral duties.
There is gospel in it because the free gift of Jesus' teaching and
love is right there for us, for the taking, even if we don't "do"
anything.
Again, thank you! Peace to all, Beth in Ga.
It's early in the week and as I read the many commentaries written for
this site, it reminds me of words spoken in a lecture by Fr. Thomas
Keating that I heard last Friday on Contemplative Prayer. I'm not sure
where I'm going to go in this text, especially since I serve as
Chaplain at a Nursing Home. But, it seems to speak to me that Jesus
promise is with both women. Martha was busy, too busy to hear Jesus.
Maybe, too busy to enjoy his presence. Mary enjoyed the presence of
Jesus. Contemplative Prayer is taking the time to enjoy the presence
of Jesus. Fr. Keating also made one statement that will live on in my
heart. He said that the time we spend with Jesus is not only allowing
us to know Jesus, but it allows Jesus to know us. Maybe, just working
through this in my mind, the real desire of Jesus was to get to know
Martha. Well, just some random thoughts for a Monday. Lynn in Blair
Martha's life is filled with many tasks. So are ours. Having so many
tasks can be appropriately appreciated as part and parcel of the
nature of vocation (vocatio). But the malady of these tasks is when
they become (as they obviously do for Martha, and for us) a burden,
nothing more than life's hassle. It soon becomes clear that her
hospitable welcoming of Jesus into her home and the preparation of a
meal is itself converted into a "chore" of a demanding (law-oriented)
lifestyle. Likewise, in our daily living, we cannot escape the
temptation to pervert our work from being our joy into being a demand.
How off-base we can get is evident by Martha's one impetuous question,
whereby she (1) violates her so-called hospitality by chastising
Jesus; (2) tries to embarrass her sister, Mary, in front of her guest
(?!); and (3) seeks to make herself commendable for all her noble
efforts. The truth of the matter is that not only is her behavior dis-tasteful,
but her inner soul is filled with disdain for God, for others, and for
her tasks. Such agitated distraction is a sign of worry (v. 41). But
that worry is more problematic than simply the matter of completing
the tasks. That worry is the unfaith that if we don't get it done, we
will not be righteous—it is the basis on which we have staked our
life's merits.
Ultimately, for that worry, it is she who is taken to task by Jesus,
who points out to her that she has done her tasks based on her
worrying choices for lesser portions. Those who live by the law of
having their work-performance as the measure of their life reap those
rewards. But the rewards are really recompense, for they (we) fail to
love God as well as sister/brother. Indeed, there is some basis to the
worrying distraction. We are left unfulfilled by our task-driven life,
and ultimately judged as lacking any portion at God's banquet.
Starved by worry and impending judgment, the nourishing presence of
our Lord Jesus provides the "one thing" we need. Jesus cuts through
the tension by calling Martha by name (twice, almost comically). It is
not to ridicule Martha, but to give Martha (and us) the assurance that
there is nothing to fear. Jesus has taken our anxieties upon himself,
in order that we might live in the joy of his feast. Indeed, Jesus is
the Host, not the guest, for our lives.
The faithful response is one of sitting and listening to Jesus' Word
as the daily nourishment for sustaining our souls. In turning our
attention and our ears to his promise, our attention is diverted from
the worry of having to live up to the demands (however much based in
the Law) that are pressing upon us—and by so doing, we count ourselves
as having self-worth that emanates from our dining on the One Thing
Needful.
Nourished, we nourish. Our new task (commission) comes in living our
lives, even in our daily working, as though it all depended on the
Work of our Lord. Indeed, many in our world have tasted and seen the
goodness of our Lord from simply wondering where we get the energy to
keep at it, to take on new and bold ventures. It has led to the
eventual spread of Christianity—and what a spread it is! But we live
the best part, because we live in the best-ing partnership of our
hospitable Host.
Mike Hoy
Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, the three friends of Jesus. In all three of
the narratives involving this household, Mary and Martha each seem to
exhibit the same behaviors in each case. In this story from Luke,
Martha is bustling around making sure that everything is taken care of
while Mary listens at Jesus' feet. In the story of the death of
Lazarus in John 11, Martha is taking care of business. She hears that
Jesus is coming and confronts Him in a matter of fact manner that her
brother had died because of His absence. She does not appear to be
weeping and wailing because there is work to be done; she will mourn
when she has time. Jesus responds to her (and re-assures her) by
reminding her who He is. Mary is totally undone when she sees Jesus
and confronts Him from the depth of her pain. Jesus responds to her by
sharing her pain: He cries. In John 12, Martha prepares a feast while
Mary pours nard on Jesus' feet and wipes them with her hair. One loves
with her service, the other with her emotions. Both love and both
glorify. Mike in Soddy Daisy, TN
I will be preaching on the Colossian lection, looking at (as suggested
by John Hall on this site) "The image" of Christ which is above all.
Asking the question "What does "The image mean to me" It is possible
to reflect on What Jesus mean to Martha and Mary. I don't see Jesus as
being as harsh to Martha as has traditionally been proported. I want
to continue to dig deeper.
What could it mean if we looked at the Martha and Mary side in
ourselves? I wonder which side is taking the better part? Could it be
at another time Jesus the Christ would have had a correcting word for
the Mary side?
What does the Greek word "Agathos" really mean? Good, better?
I heard somewhere that the women activities in the congregations to
which this Gospel was written, consisted of too much "busy" work, and
that they were not attentive to Christian teaching." Therefore this
"saying of Jesus" was used.
When I've preached on this pericope before, even though I wasn't
strongly condeming the actions of Martha, the female congregants to
which I spoke tended to come to me afterwards and speak condemning
words about themselves, and that bothered me. I hope further
reflection on the deeper meaning in this story would help guard
against self deformation of the Martha personality.
How many offsprings are still trying to let go of the teachings taught
their foreparents from Scriptures that say "Slaves be kind to your
masters?" Some still will not read Pauline Epistles for this reason.
Could this also happen eventually with this story?
Shalom
bammamma
LF
THANKYOU!!!
You did for me what I rarely experience but thirst for: a moment of
spiritual stunning and spiritual 'dumbfoldedness'! (sorry I tend to
make up words since english is not my first or second or third
language ....)
So, LF, before you abandon this text entirely, prod this text some
more. What would have needed to happen in this story so it gets
"fixed" into the gospel which you preach?
And speaking her name twice ... i had not thought of it as
patronizing. I had already imagined he had to to yell at her because
she was so busy and it was all so hectic Martha could not hear.
Story Teller
LF
THANKYOU!!!
You did for me what I rarely experience but thirst for: a moment of
spiritual stunning and spiritual 'dumbfoldedness'! (sorry I tend to
make up words since english is not my first or second or third
language ....)
So, LF, before you abandon this text entirely, prod this text some
more. What would have needed to happen in this story so it gets
"fixed" into the gospel which you preach?
And speaking her name twice ... i had not thought of it as
patronizing. I had already imagined he had to to yell at her because
she was so busy and it was all so hectic Martha could not hear.
Story Teller
Salvation is not a chore-oriented thing. We don't have to work to win
Jesus over, to impress him. We have already won his approval, without
all the effort we think we have to put into it. Having thus received,
we can stop killing ourselves to look worthy and just enjoy the
companionship of our Friend.
i've spent quite a bit of time with the stories of mary and martha.
before my final year of seminary i made the decision to drop out of
the process which would ordain me, but finish my mdiv.
i used the stories of these women (from luke and john) to help me
discern my call. mary carthledge-hayes calls martha breadmaker and
confessor in a book called claiming delilah. this understanding of
martha helped me to understand the possibilities of being both a
pastor and a wife/mother.
just like the priest and the levite weren't the "bad-guys" in last
week's text, neither is martha.
it's clear that these 3 siblings were supporters and close friends of
jesus. my guess is that they were a family of means and supported his
ministry financially as well as being a "home-base" for Jesus and the
disciples when they were travelling around jerusalem. (remember mary
annoints jesus right before he goes to jerusalem to die.)
both sisters served jesus. (there is even a theory that lazarus was
the beloved disciple in john's gospel, although i don't agree). and
jesus taught both sisters how to minister and be disciples.
i love these two women. and as someone pointed out... martha is the
only other person (besides peter) in the gospels to make such a
confession of faith in jesus.
serving jesus is not just about sitting at his feet and listening, but
it's also not just doing the work or going through the motions. the
story about martha and mary is about serving christ with our whole
self. in the things we do and in the way we listen to christ's
message.
serving christ is being a bread maker and a confessor.
God's peace, christine at the shore
Christ's message is to go. Go into the world. Serve God and serve your
neighbor. Teach them and tell them all that Christ has taught. But
before you can go and do all that you have to know what it is you are
going out into the world to do. That's where the listening comes in.
We aren't going and doing our own thing, we are doing the work of
Jesus Christ. We must first be students of the Lord, disciples in our
own right, before we can become go-ers and tellers and servers and
ministers.
Just a thought for children's message; passing out M & M's and sharing
that no matter what color the candy, it all tastes good, I love them.
Jesus talks to Mary and Martha (M&M) in today's message. They were
different, but he loved them both very much. etc. Another thought;
recently a friend asked me to pray for her daughter-in-law. Seems the
children run wild and the house is a mess, because Mom just listens to
Christian radio or watches Christian TV all day long, all night long.
The children are neglected as is the house. My friend said,"She loves
focus on the family, but that is the one thing she does not do. Pray
for her, we are worried about the children." Seems this young lady has
chosen to sit at the feet of Jesus exclusively. Thoughts? LS
I liked the Living by the Word this week from the Christian Century,
where the focus was upon hospitality. Martha is the one being
"hospitable" at first blush, but is focused not really on her guest
(or she would have recognized his will), but on the expectations she
thinks are put upon her and the ones she has for others.
It is Mary who is being truly hospitable in the moment. For Mary sees
Jesus, the guest, and hears his heart. I have been on both ends of
this. There have been the parties where the goal was to "throw a good
party" (and I stay busy) and the parties where the goal was to "be
with these people I love," (and I sit and talk).
Martha was doing the first. Mary the second. Both can be fun - but I
prefer the second. They are both forms of hospitality, but I will take
love over service whenever I can get it.
We need both the sanctuary and the soup kitchen. But some need to be
prodded into one and some into the other.
Besides, what better Christ figure can you get than Curly in "City
Slickers," who points his gloved finger at us and defines the secret
of life as "one thing, just one thing." Which you have to figure out.
Jesus would have liked Curly.
jc in KY
Mary chose "The better part that will not be taken away."
Martin Luther wrote in verse 4 of a mighty fortress:
Were they to take our house, Goods, honor, child or spouse Though life
be wrenched away, They cannot win the day The Kingdom's ours forever!
Martha was working on temporary things, creature comforts, and even
played a vital role in the service of Jesus, but Mary let Jesus serve
her with something that would endure forever.
~~PC in GA
LF, LF, why have you forsaken me?
Whoever you are... I haven't forsaken you.
LF
Beth: I respect your interpretation, and I think it will preach well.
But I still disagree with your three key points, because I think the
text doesn't support them.
You say, Jesus "gives us grace to sit at his feet and not have to run
around earning salvation." Amen! I believe that this is so! But you
certainly wouldn't know it from his response to Martha. He does not
invite her to come and sit too; if he had, I would agree with your
interpretation. Instead his reply is judgment and criticism, and I
think you have to squint pretty hard to see any sense of invitation or
grace.
You say there's gospel in it "because we are released from the world's
expectations about our gender, our tasks, our pastoral duties." I
think you are saying that Jesus implicitly supported women receiving
theological education.
However, recent feminist scholarship has opined that this text was
used to suppress, not support, women's leadership in the church. cf
Jane Schaberg in The Women's Bible Commentary.
The NRSV translation above does not quite accurately reflect the Greek
text. In verse 40, it says in Greek that Martha was distracted by her
"much serving." The word for serving, diakoinein, had become a
technical term for diaconal ministry by the time the New Testament was
written. While we read the text through our Sunday-school illustration
glasses, expecting that Martha is a harried hostess, the technical
term for her serving indicates that she is more like the busy pastor
of a house-church.
For Jesus to say, in effect, "Sit down and shut up" reinforces a
submissive role for women in the church. Even if it is true that
Mary's theological education is supported, she doesn't "do" anything
with it. She doesn't become an evangelist or spread the word that
she's been given.
Your third point is similar to your first, but again, you read into
the text your sense of Jesus' love and grace. I guess that's one way
to put some Gospel into the gospel.
LF
Someone wrote "Christ's message is to go. Go into the world. Serve God
and serve your neighbor."
I'd like to tweak that a little bit. Christ's message is salvation,
God's love for all creation--Martha's and Mary's included. Service is
well and good, but it is not the center of the message. Martha's work
is good, until she forgets the reason for the work, by neglecting her
guest (Jesus, the center). Mary's work is good, but if no one has the
means to satisfy bodily needs because nothing is prepared, soon they
will leave and not hear the story, and the center will again be lost.
The message is the good news of God's love for us in Jesus Christ. The
mission is the response, the sharing of the good news through WORD and
DEED.
Early, Thoughts...Michelle
LF,
Interesting interpretation I'd not heard before. No wonder you're
irked about this gospel not being quite the good news we strive to
preach. The KJV did translate the distractions in verse 40 as "much
serving," and I see how it could have meant diaconal service. If so,
then Martha's request to Jesus would have been to ask Mary to help her
with the church work! The "do all the work by myself" is also better
translated as "serve alone."
However, to see this text as one that discourages the service of women
in the early church would be to contradict the rest of Luke/Acts. It
may have been used that way by the early church, but I don't believe
it was intended that way by the author (or by Jesus). Usually Luke is
known as the gospel that uplifts the service of women.
How to explain Jesus' words here? Maybe Mary does not yet know the
good news. Maybe she needs to hear what Martha already knows. Maybe
Mary does not yet help with the serving because her heart has not yet
been inspired.
Do we need to give the gospel time to sprout and grow in the hearts of
the converted before demanding service? Has Martha been serving others
so exclusively she has not seen the emptiness in her own sister? Does
Mary sit at the feet of Jesus in order to try to discern why her
sister is so enthused about her ministry.
Just a lot of questions inspired by your post. Still musing...
Michelle
I'm trying to figure out the beginnings of a sermon while still on
vacation, which I know is a no-no, but which will save me much grief
later. At least getting started on an angle. And what occurred to me
in response to the Christian Century piece is that here, in my
mother-in-law's house, I'm the guest, and I can easily act the same
way, staying busy, looking at catalogs, doing things that should be
relaxing but aren't and that don't connect me to anyone, either. So
here I am the guest, and I'm acting like Martha, for whatever reason
not letting down and centering in on what's important when you're on
vacation. Which I assume has something to do with resting and becoming
refreshed, in myself and in God. Just funny that the dynamic extends
way past hospitality.
Laura currently in MA but normally in TX
what a great site this is, although I rarely contribute..too shy! Was
it the present Pope who said 'Be careful of spending all your time
doing the work of the Lord, and forgetting the Lord of the work'? Last
week was more focussed on being a neighbour to others (the work of the
Lord), this week seems to be keeping the balance in spending time with
the Lord. I thought last week's contributions were really helpful!
jonno
I gotta toss in my two cents here...
Sometimes I wanna just wring the throat of people who want to ignore
the challenges of Kingdom living by saying, "It's just about loving
Jesus." Other times I wanna swing the other direction and say, "Hey,
dummy... don't forget it's all about grace, not about your own
feeble/failing efforts."
This passage makes it clear that it's just about listening Jesus. The
problem is that we don't wanna say that too clearly, because we're
afraid all our congregants (and maybe us too) will sit around on their
big fat behinds even more than we do already, and ignore the work of
the kingdom (or at least, the work of our church).
Of course, this worry ignores the context of the entire life of Jesus.
If nothing else, the life of Jesus teaches us that if you listen to
him, you will be challenged to accept or reject kingdom living!
Martha's failing is not that she's working. Her failing is that she's
not learning what she should be doing and how she should be doing it.
In addition, she's ignoring the great opportunity to immerse herself
in the presence of Jesus, much as we do when we ignore the people in
our world to do the tasks of our ministry.
(I hope that makes as much sense when I recover from insomnia as it
does right now at 4:30 in the morning.)
Love & Bananas, Pastor Stinky
jonno,
thanks for the quote from the Pope. It will preach, or at least it
will help illustrate this text. I really like this idea of juxtaposing
doing the work and taking time to listen to the work.
Steve in NC
Mary is the true host for she has chosen the one thing needfu! Her
willing attention at the feet of Jesus, listening ... unmoved by the
world around her, not distracted by worry ....
Martha is a true host, she prepares something to eat, to welcome Jesus
at her table, but she is distracted, resentful, anxious ... unable to
serve her Lord with gratitude and love.
The early church fathers saw in these two the two hands of the church,
the contemplative life (which of course was far better) and the active
life (for those who just couldn't sit still). But in truth, we are the
contemplatives and the actives, we house Mary and Martha within
ourselves. When Mary gets wrestless, or forgets what is needful then
Martha becomes upset and angry .... why don't others help me, why am I
the only one to really care ... But when our inner Mary centers
herself in the presence of Christ, our Martha is content and happy and
loving.
We know so many people within our parishes that are Martha's and a few
Mary's. We need to introduce Mary and Martha to one another. We cannot
have a lasting active ministry, no matter what it is, Outreach,
Stewardship, Pastoral Care, Christian Education, Evangelism, etc
without developing the Mary within us.
It is amazing to me how many of us run away from the quiet presence
that we are invited into, there is nothing more healing and refreshing
than simply being in the presence of the living Lord:
"Be stil and know that I am God."
tom in ga
Michelle, you are right, and so am I. It was the Great Commission
where Jesus told the disciples to go out into the world and preach,
baptise, teach all that he had commanded. Within that would be the
message of salvation, right? So, his final message was to Go and share
what you have listened to me say.
I tend to read the Gospels as complete narrative unto themselves
rather than piecemeal. So...
We are on the way to Jerusalem. Jesus has "set his face" (9:51f)...
For me this text is a anti-thesis of the story we preached earlier in
Luke 9:52ff with a Samaritan village's inhospitality. Martha is the
very anti-thesis of the Samaritan village. She welcomes Jesus. She is
the model of how to do it right.
Earlier on the disciples had come to Jesus and had asked him to
endorse their threat to annihilate the inhospital Samaritan village.
Jesus tells the disciples to let the Samaritans be. In a very similar
situation Martha comes to Jesus and asks him to endorse her policy on
Mary to get off her fat-lazy-you-know-what. Jesus tells Martha to let
Mary be.
...still listening to and for the story.
Story Teller
A new participant to your discussions... Luke puts this text and last
weeks text up against each other. A number of times in his gospel he
moves from a story featuring a person of one sex to a story featuring
another. It is a pattern repeated at times through the gospel, though
not entirely consistent.
But he also does it to show a paradox of spirituality- doing and not
doing. In the GS story, he lifts up the doing of religion (and calls
the non-doers on the carpet). In this text, he lifts up the non-doer
and calls the doer on the carpet.
The practice of our Christian life and faith involves both aspects.
However, we are most comfortable celebrating the doing; after all we
need the doers, and our parishoners expect us to be the chief doer of
relgious activity. What would it look like if we could come to
celebrate the "being" of faith (the non-doing)? What would it look
like if we could encourage the "being" in the same way we encourage
the doing? Would that shape our ministry in a different way? Would it
provide a balance to the current ministry picture?
I think the two texts tell us that faith has a rhythm- the breathing
in (being) and the breathing out (doing). Both are neccessary for
wholeness in the activity of faith. revnewt in CA
Storyteller, thank you for your post. I am in full agreement with you
when you say that Martha should let Mary be.
We're not all cut from the same cloth, and we offer Jesus different
gifts. Sometimes we mumble and grumble about what we give, other times
we give with a heart full of love. Some people are better at working
in the nursery with the babies every Sunday and missing the worship
service, others are better at painting the fences, and some are better
at praying for other people or holding a hand in time of sorrow. Let's
just pool our resources and together we can get all the work and
learning done.
Besides, who's to say Mary didn't do her fair share of the work before
Jesus walked in the house? Maybe she chopped the wood for the fire, or
cleaned the house and picked the vegetables from the garden. We don't
know the whole story here. Cooking and serving and fretting and
fussing may have been Martha's "look at ME!" thing, you know, like a
hoity-toity chef.
If Mary had been in the kitchen too, Jesus would have been sitting
there by himself. In that culture, to ignore a guest would have been
inhospitable for sure! (Lazarus is not mentioned)
Early thoughts with no clear message.
KHC
Question: If Martha had just rejoiced in her service without demanding
that Mary "do it her way," would Jesus have said anything? If the
"doing" was bad and the "sitting and listening" was good, one would
expect Jesus to have said something before. Until Martha "condemns"
Mary, Jesus doesn't "condemn" Martha. Different gifts are involved
here and there is no issue until the "hand" tries to make the "ear"
into a "hand." Mike in SD, TN
Ah, Jonno and tom in GA, I think you've got it. Together with the very
first posts this week. Martha's problem was not in serving but in
being distracted. She was probably "running on empty" as many of us do
from time to time, without taking time to "Be still and know that I am
God," without listening to God in silence to be refueled for the
neighboring we were called to in Luke 10:25 -37 last week. If Martha
were focused on the source of her call to serving, she would not have
been distracted. A balance is needed. I'm calling my sermon "Do Be Do
Be..." (Not very original, but it says what I'm aiming for)
Max in NC
If this pericope had been teamed up with Paul's words about there
being different gifts (as someone mentioned earlier) but the same
Spirit who gives them, I wonder which direction this text would be
taking this week.
A small-potatoes example here, but at our church we have a fellowship
time after services. Coffee, cookies, salty snacks, juice. It seems
very few people were signing up to provide the treats, but many were
coming to enjoy them. One woman got very emphatic that she was not
going to do it all the time, that it was too expensive, too much work
and everyone needed to take their turn. She was giving me her spiel
one day when I calmly told her if she chose not to do it any more, to
stop doing it. Those who thought the fellowship time was important
would step up to the plate and provide treats. She looked like I had
hit her with a lawsuit. She was back at baking cookies within the
month, but did begin a sign-up list and took it around for others to
have the chance to sign up. Here's the kicker - they all thought she
loved doing it, and did not want to tread on her turf by providing
treats. Once they knew the real story, she has only had to bake about
twice a year because everyone is sharing the load and nobody is
unhappy about too much work.
If you want help, ask, and ask the right people. Don't go gripe to the
minister.
Glen
GEC Comments Jc in KY wrote: “We need both the sanctuary and the soup
kitchen. But some need to be prodded into one and some into the
other.” A really helpful and succinct observation!
Perhaps when we read the Gospels we are looking for more detail than
is really warranted. I think the gospels, basically, are messages, not
biographical sketches. Martha is anxious, Mary has chosen the better
part, Jesus speaks with love and authority! Maybe that’s all the
gospeler wants us to see: Not Martha’s whole life experience, not
Mary’s motivations, but the fact that we should not be driven by
obligation to the point we forget to listen to the Lord of Life when
He is present. Some of the ideas already posted have pointed to this
view, and I just thought it was worth a little summary…
from GEC in Mich I’ve been reading a book called “Not Trying Too Hard”
by David Sitze. It’s about church growth and renewal, etc. The premise
is that we should work smart, not “hard”. We should choose tasks that
are do-able, not trying to push our congregation from this world into
the Kingdom of God, by our own efforts, in one single push. Sitze
points to the myth of Sisyphus: The king who was condemned to an
eternity in Hades of unceasing effort pushing a boulder up a hill,
only to have it roll down again... He notes than when you have your
shoulder pressed against a task bigger than yourself, you can’t see
around it; you can’t see other ways to go; you can’t invent a
successful strategy. It's hell, and it's in your face! Is Mary the one
who has chosen to work smart, and does Martha have to learn this?
Thank you all for the cogent conversation this week! Especially the
quote from the Pope, and the illustration of the woman who spends her
days watching Christian TV and listening to Christian radio while her
family goes neglected.
I am still struggling on how to present this to MY congregation,
though. It is another link in the chain of thought of "focus," yet in
this particular pericope, my congregation seems to be neither Mary nor
Martha.
At the risk of airing dirty laundry, here is a case in point ... we're
holding, for the first time in over 20 years, a Vacation Bible School
(praise the Lord LOUDLY!) - this is the beginning of my fourth year
here, and each year has been a small step forward for having a VBS.
The first year, all I heard was, "but we don't have any children." The
second year, I heard (I swear I'm not making this up) "but we don't
have the right kind of septic tank." Last year, I didn't hear much of
anything, but I also didn't get any help, either. This year, after
receiving a conference grant for a person to do it - plus a church
merger increasing our labor pool, plus using my ministry candidates
and several friends, it's a go! So, one of the things we wanted to do
was to serve a simple meal since this will be an evening VBS... It is
fairly popular in this area to do this. The objection? "I don't know
why we have to serve them dinner! We're not a big church. When I had
my kids, I fed them at home!" you get the drift. Yet, this is from the
crowd that, if we were to call a "tater bash" we'd have no lack of
help! We'd have a surplus of potatoes and toppings. The difference?
One is inviting in outsiders (VBS) the other is a church get-together
(tater bash).
Their Sunday school is poorly attended, and from everythign I see,
they've been having the same conversation for 20 years in each class.
I speak frankly because I know that my church is not alone in this;
many on this site could express the same phenomenon in different
scenarios. The mainline church in the USA has become the third sister
- (Mavis?) ;-) - we're helping ourselves to all kinds of service,
while neglecting BOTH the doing of and the being in the Word. It's
time for the mainline church in America to get out of the countryclub
mindset and into the Lord's mindset! It's time for the mainline church
EVERYwhere to find some Gospel for a new Gospel conversation.
Someone asked "when is the Gospel not the Gospel?" My reply: the
Gospel is most unlike the Gospel when it fades to embers then dies and
no one cares enough to try to fan the flames back up again.
And, it's a long post (but better than my usual bit-by-bit, huh?), so
I apologize (I'm fired up) ... a confession. Last night was the
community club meeting. I blew it off because I was tired - missing at
least 45 contacts for VBS. I didn't sit at the Lord's feet, though, I
watched "Fear fActor." Like those I just griped about, I neither did
nor heard the word.
And one last weird comment: I can't help but envision this scenario,
and I picture Mary being rather vapid.
Sally in GA
LS-- Thanks for the thoughts on a children's sermon. As someone who
does one every week, it's nice to have some ideas. I would also
recommend for you sermons4kids.com. It's been a great help.
I would also echo the story this week reflects last week's text. We've
been told to go and do, now we hear the fact that we need to sit and
listen. Perhaps it is because after we go and do, we need to be
reminded why we are going and doing, and that requires a return to the
feet of the Lord.
PBG in IL
great conversation.
for the last few years i have slowly been writing a fictionalized
story of mary martha lazurus and jesus in a modern day setting.
the premise i've imagined is that martha is the middle child who wants
to be noticed; lazurus is the oldest child and is successful in all he
does, and mary is the baby... a free spirit. laz is jesus' best
friend.
martha... in trying to find her place in life sees her gift as being
the care-giver and baker. i remember somewhere reading that mary's
sitting at jesus' feet is a very intimate act, devoid of modesty,
perhaps her head even rested in his lap.
martha is seaching for her own intimacy with jesus (aren't we all in
our own ways?) and over does it with preparations and being
hospitable... she's making a seven course meal when jesus would have
been happy with a sandwich.
ultimately i see this story as one about relationships. how do we
relate to jesus? how do we see ourselves relating to jesus? how should
we relate to jesus? and how do we relate with our neighbors (or
siblings) when it comes to our faith?
i suppose i'm taking quite a bit of poetic license, but it helps me to
see the text. don't know if i'll ever finish my book, but i do love
this story.
God's peace, christine at the shore
Sally - thank you for your speculation on the third sister, "Mavis". I
know exactly what you mean.
LF
This is off the subject, perhaps. I was thinking about the subject of
balance. Our congregation is going to try doing the Forty Days of
Purpose in the fall. Rick Warren says worship is all about God, trying
to get us to think about the things we need to do in worship for
non-believers/pre-Christians/seekers. I do agree we need to be
sensitive to others. But if we only sing choruses, use screens and
cater to these people (the business of Martha), what about us sitting
at the feet of Jesus? If everything in worship is about praising God,
giving, etc., what about sitting and receiving food from God, being
spiritually fed? Don't we need the balance of both? PH in OH
from JG in WI (per the suggestion of PBOB)
LF - Dr. Robert Smith, whom I've often heard lecture on preaching has
been able to preach the gospel from just about every passage in the
Bible. It's there, one just has to find it.
I believe it was he who presented this three-point outline from this
passage (and borrowing from John 11).
In this town of Bethany (meaning "house of dates," or "house of
misery,") Jesus found welcome in the house of Lazarus, Mary, and
Martha. These three demonstrate proper balance (in keeping with Robert
Brusic's fine comments) in the Christian life.
Martha was a servant - a worker.
Mary was a listener - a learner.
Lazarus was obedient - he came when he was called (John 11:43-44).
Neither the worker nor the learner is of much use unless they are
obedient to the call of the Lord. The call of the Lord won't mean much
if one is only a worker when the Lord calls to listen, or if one is
only a listener when the Lord calls to work.
"Blessed are the balanced." - Dr. Warren Wiersbie.
The gospel is a call to obedient listening and working.
wow i haven't used the Gospel readings as my text for sermons in the
last few weeks so i haven't been looking on the gospel section I
forgot how much stuff there is here. Anyway, I think I'm running down
the same track as stinky (theres no way to make that sound good). I
always shy away from the "one woman does good the other does bad" idea
or even the whole distraction angle. Mostly because i think in order
to be destracted you have to know what you are supposed to be doing in
order to be distracted from it. I'm not convinced that Martha "knew
better". She was doing what she was supposed to after all there are
LAWS about hospitality in her culture. Ithink the problem is that she
never took the time to ask what Jesus wanted. Or to notice that Mary
was recieving something from Jesus. I know that often i think I know
exactly how what and how Jesus wants of my worship devotion and
service and never take the time to ask him. Its not that I'm
distracted from what Jesus wants but that I never took the time to
find out what Jesus wants.
Mark in SW WA
to PH in OH
I don't think it's off-subject at all! We've been doing the Warren
study (though not in its formulated time frame, quite) and in teaching
it, I've been concentrating on our "focus." Trying to help folks see
"what's really important," or, maybe better said, "what's really a
spiritual issue (the ultimate craving we have for God)" vs. what's
just an issue (typos in the bulletin). Ironically, I had a typo on
this study in the bulletin - it read "The Purpose-Driven Live" rather
than "Life." A woman who has attended every one of the classes circled
it and showed it to me. That was the day when we looked at what
spiritual needs are vs. what we often spend our time focusing on. Oh,
the irony!
Sally in GA
Here we go with the add-on posts again! Sorry, but I just had a
thought...
It's interesting that Jesus would (just last week, in lectionary time)
exalt the doing above the learning and knowing ... and now he's
exalting the learning over the doing...
It's also interesting that the learning is by a woman this time, and
it occurred to me that maybe Jesus isn't simply saying that "it's ok
for women to learn, too," but by placing a woman as learner, he's
(from the ancient Jewish paradigm) highlighting the learning of
SITTING AT THE FEET, learning submissively like an ancient Jewish
woman rather than with an agenda, like a Pharisee.
While in real-life I see that we all have a Mary and a Martha (and
even Mavis) side, Jesus is nonetheless clear in v. 42: "there is need
of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be
taken away from her."
The difference is in the MODE of the learners (last week, the Lawyer's
agenda vs. this week's desire to drink in the goodness).
God is good all the time!
Sally in GA
Found this on a link to an article by Chris Rice, called "Choosing the
Better Part" - from the Gen. Board of Discipleship of the UMC website.
If God stripped away your works, who would you be?
The parable of the Good Samaritan and the real life story of Martha
and Mary and Jesus are mirror-images of each other, and illustrate the
same one point:
Love for myself as each word and its opposite is the one thing I need:
which us why God commands me to love myself first: so that with my
whole Love: Love for myself as each half of each word, two half-Loves
making one whole Love: I will know when to do in Love and when in Love
to not do: Eccles 3:1-8, and so I'll never know when to not to have
that ONE needful thing: Love in attitude or in spirit to myself as all
others and Love in spirit to all others as myself. John 13:35. And not
only will that God-given whole Love not be taken from us; we will
never give it up once we have it! Romans 11:29
Therefore:
The Levite and the Priest and Mary and JC do nothing: so the one
needful thing that the Levite & Priest lacked had nothing to do with
they did NOT do: it had everything to do with the sin of the lack of
the needed Love for themselves as or with the sin of the unneeded Hate
for themselves as helpless and as unhelpful and as helpees. They only
loved selves with HALF of the Love they needed: they loved selves as
helpful and as helpers. So it was in Hate that they were helpless:
they were doubly helpless: no helping of Love and no physical help.
So too, the Good Samaritan[GS] and Martha do many things for their
respective neighbors, who do nothing back for the GS and Martha: so
too Martha's problems and the one needful thing she lacked had nothing
at all to do with all the things she did. It had all to do with the
sin of her lack of that needed Love for herself as, or Hate for
herself as unhelpful, which led her to hate JC and Mary as unhelpful.
Like Love/Charity, Hate also begins at home.
In effect, the Levite, the Priest and Martha each had what we all and
all of our members and all humans have until and unless we all are led
by the goodness of God to repent of it:
that loathsome combination of Love and Hate that JC referred to in
Matthew 6:24 and 5:43-48, and that Tom Jefferson used with a few other
words: 'that loathsome combination of Church and State.' NB: Therefore
Martha was not distracted because of how many things she had going on:
she had ALREADY been distracted from Love OF SELF, the one needful
thing, a long time before: whenever she was taught to hate herself as
being helpless! So too, in that unneeded self-hate, she wd have been
STILL distracted even IF she were sitting listening with rapt
attention to JC as Mary in Love was!
On the other hand, what the GS and Mary and JC each have is whole Love
for themselves: Love for self as helper AND Love for self as helpless
and as any synonyms.
So in and with that whole Love for self as helpler and Love for self
as helpee/helpless/unhelpful,
the GS helps because he wants to, and gives his help with no looking
for someone else to love him back nor to help him in return: Luke
6:35: In Love he is doubly helpful: his helping of Love and his
physical help.2 Corin 12:10.
and Mary and JC do not physically help Martha, but give her the full
helping of ALL of their WHOLE Love: so that in Love, Mary and JC are
totally helpful spiritually even when they are NOT helping physically!
2 Corin 12:10.
By the way, this proves that even when JC is at his worse, he is
better than any man in Hate is at his best and finest! Psalams 39:5.
Plus,.... uh oh, this is going on too long already! I literally have
to tear my fingers away from typing more so that this will not be so
long! smile
So let me oil-skidaddle in Love outta here!
in all love,
one in whole love: oiwl
