https://open.spotify.com/episode/4A5YbIM8zxKpc3awPiNMES?si=a387d736a2ea4835
Gospel Reading:
³⁸Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. ³⁹She had a sister named Mary [who] sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. ⁴⁰Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me.” ⁴¹The Lord said to her in reply, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. ⁴²There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”
Commentary:
[10:38]
Since the parable of the good Samaritan emphasizes love of neighbor, many scholars suggest that this next passage instead highlights love of “the Lord, your God” (10:27; see vv.
39–41, where the title “Lord” is again used for Jesus). Moreover, like the earlier list of women who followed Jesus along with the Twelve (8:1–3), this passage highlights women disci-
ples, Martha and Mary, who happen to be siblings. In typical Lukan fashion, they complement James and John, siblings as well, who appeared at the beginning of the journey (9:54) that now continues. Martha welcomed Jesus, and so the passage further explains what it means to welcome Jesus and his gospel message (10:8).
The village of Martha and Mary, unspecified by Luke, is Bethany, according to John’s Gospel (John 11:1). Bethany is near Jerusalem (“about two miles away,” John 11:18), so Luke fittingly mentions it toward the end of the journey there (Luke 19:29). However, the mention of Bethany here near the beginning of the central section, when Jesus is presumably still some distance from Jerusalem, would not fit the geographic framework. The “orderly sequence” of Luke’s narrative can be logical rather than chronological (1:3).
[10:39]
Mary assumes the posture of a disciple, by sitting beside the Lord at his feet (8:35; Acts 22:3).44 Her focus is on listening to him speak—literally, “to his word.” She is doing ex-
actly what the voice at the transfiguration said to do: “Listen to him” (Luke 9:35). She realizes what a blessed opportunity it is to hear what she hears (10:23–24).
[10:40]
Martha, on the other hand, is burdened or “distracted” (RSV) on account of much serving. Certainly, Martha’s efforts to serve her special guest are all well and good (see 4:39; 8:3).