MOTHER'S DAY:
Choosing What is Better (Luke 10:38-42)
Choosing What is Better (Luke 10:38-42)
Dr. Paul Manuel—2015
Children often have different ideas about how things should be, and the challenge is to find a useful way of illustrating that difference.
Martha and Mary, and their brother Lazarus, live in Bethany, a town "less than two miles from Jerusalem" (John 11:18). We do not know how they first had contact with Jesus, only that they became model disciples and good friends. John records that "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus" (John 11:5), a distinction unique to that family. As their home was along the route to Jerusalem, the capital, Jesus probably visited them whenever he came to the city.1
On this occasion, Jesus arrives, perhaps with the disciples in tow, so Martha and Mary may have a house full of guests. How large a group is uncertain.2 It was evidently enough to require extensive preparation. Martha is probably the older of the two sisters. Luke says it is "her home," so the chief responsibility for the household, such as entertaining out of town guests, falls to her.3 Nevertheless, she naturally expects her sister to help. When Mary does not, Martha is a bit annoyed. Please turn to Luke 10 where as the story opens in v. 38...
I. Martha is fussing (Luke 10:38-40).
However enjoyable it is to entertain guests, there is always some preparation. If those guests arrive without much advance notice, that preparation is of necessity more hurried and usually more frantic. In the first century, people cannot simply call ahead to say they are in town; they just drop by.6 That may be why Martha is so frantic. It is not just the additional mouths to feed. Perhaps she is in the midst of doing laundry or the dishes when they arrive. Perhaps the house is in disarray. For whatever reason, she is not ready, at least not as ready as she would like to be, and her sister is oblivious to this. She thinks Mary is being uncooperative. Surely Jesus' voice will have more authority than hers.
When reading this story, there is a tendency to jump to the end, to Jesus' response to Martha's appeal. We must not miss, though, what Martha—not Mary—does, for "Martha opened her home to him" (v. 38). Jesus' itinerant ministry depended, in part, on the hospitality of others. Earlier, when he sent out the twelve, Jesus said
While it would be nice if opportunities for ministry always came at convenient times or at least with sufficient advance notice, they do not, and the temptation is to hope that someone else will meet that need.
Christians should be engaged in the ministry of God's church, not all in the same way or to the same extent, but engaged, nonetheless. Unfortunately, in most churches 10% of the people do 90% of the work. This disparity is often not so great in small churches, but there may still be a significant portion sitting on the sidelines.
Martha understands the importance of hosting this popular teacher, of making sure that everything is just so. Her sister Mary is not of the same opinion or, at least, is not nearly as concerned with ensuring that Jesus' accommodations are as perfect as possible. Mary probably helped her sister earlier but at some point decided she had done enough. Martha hopes Jesus will convince her otherwise. Instead, he commends Mary, because while Martha is fussing...
II. Mary is focused (Luke 10:41-42).
In several places, the gospel authors remark about the public response to what Jesus has to say. Here are some of the reviews:
By praising Mary's decision, Jesus is not saying that she should neglect the household chores or leave the work to her sister, but that she has found the proper balance between the needs of her home and the needs of her soul. She could be helping Martha do the many things her older sister would like to be just so for company, "but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better," (v. 42), and Jesus will not tell her otherwise. Behind Jesus' mild rebuke is the suggestion that Martha should "curtail her domestic cares that she too will be able to have the one thing that matters" (Marshall 1978:454). Martha should follow Mary's example, for she is doing what is more enriching. Moreover...
In the midst of all the short-term things you do, even those necessary things, be sure not to short-change yourself by ignoring what is of lasting value. Attend to your physical well-being, but do not neglect your spiritual health. Like Mary, recognize that there is a time for sitting at the feet of Jesus. She is doing what is more enduring. While you cannot listen to him teach you God's word, as she did, you have what she did not have: the fuller counsel of God's word to guide you.
Christians should be engaged in the study of God's word, not all in the same way or to the same extent, but engaged, nonetheless. Unfortunately, in most churches, only a minority read the Bible regularly, and fewer still actually study it. In Baptist churches, the level of biblical knowledge is often higher than in other denominations, but there are still many in the pews who know little about this book. One minister of a large evangelical congregation wrote:
Martha and Mary both display important and admirable characteristics. The older sister shows a genuine concern for the comfort of her guests, and she is willing to do more than is necessary to ensure that their visit is a pleasant one. The younger sister recognizes that this particular guest has modest needs and would rather give something to them than expect more from them. What Martha does is good, but what Mary chooses is better.12
We do not often examine what the Bible says about women, but Mother's Day offers a suitable occasion to do so. There is not indication in scripture that these two godly examples were mothers, yet they both played a significant role in the life of Jesus, and they were both important to Jesus. If your mother is or was a godly example for you, thank her or thank God for her. If you lacked a godly example, there are women here who are. Like Mary, they are Choosing What Is Better.
When Jack was still quite young, his mother read to him the Nativity story. Jack asked her what a stable was. She thought for a moment how to explain it to him in terms he could understand, then said, "It's something like your sister's room...but no stereo or computer."Children often have different ideas about how things should be. Martha and Mary had different ideas about how they should respond to Jesus' visit, Choosing What Is Better.
Martha and Mary, and their brother Lazarus, live in Bethany, a town "less than two miles from Jerusalem" (John 11:18). We do not know how they first had contact with Jesus, only that they became model disciples and good friends. John records that "Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus" (John 11:5), a distinction unique to that family. As their home was along the route to Jerusalem, the capital, Jesus probably visited them whenever he came to the city.1
On this occasion, Jesus arrives, perhaps with the disciples in tow, so Martha and Mary may have a house full of guests. How large a group is uncertain.2 It was evidently enough to require extensive preparation. Martha is probably the older of the two sisters. Luke says it is "her home," so the chief responsibility for the household, such as entertaining out of town guests, falls to her.3 Nevertheless, she naturally expects her sister to help. When Mary does not, Martha is a bit annoyed. Please turn to Luke 10 where as the story opens in v. 38...
I. Martha is fussing (Luke 10:38-40).
Luke 10:38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"We do not know what the age difference between the sisters may be, but the older one is evidently the more responsible of the two. Their reactions to Jesus' visit may also reflect a difference in personality. In any case, Martha is not pleased with her sister's obvious indifference to the needs of their guests. Martha would like to listen to Jesus, but the demands of being a good hostess prevent her.4 Martha is also a bit miffed that Jesus seems oblivious to the fact that she is doing all the work while Mary is just sitting there.5
A. She thinks Jesus is being uncaring....so she lays on a little guilt: "[M]y sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" Evidently, Martha thinks any appeal she might make to Mary would be useless. Siblings have a way of tuning out other siblings. Perhaps a suggestion from Jesus will get Mary's attention because at this point, She thinks Jesus is being uncaring, and...
B. She thinks Mary is being uncooperative.My wife and my mother have a close relationship, which is good, but sometimes it is too close for my comfort. When they talk on the phone, Mom naturally wants to know what we have been doing, and Linda will recount some of our activities. If those activities include preparing for company, my mother almost invariably asks if I am helping, a question my wife dutifully relates to me. Linda recognizes that some voices have more authority than others.
However enjoyable it is to entertain guests, there is always some preparation. If those guests arrive without much advance notice, that preparation is of necessity more hurried and usually more frantic. In the first century, people cannot simply call ahead to say they are in town; they just drop by.6 That may be why Martha is so frantic. It is not just the additional mouths to feed. Perhaps she is in the midst of doing laundry or the dishes when they arrive. Perhaps the house is in disarray. For whatever reason, she is not ready, at least not as ready as she would like to be, and her sister is oblivious to this. She thinks Mary is being uncooperative. Surely Jesus' voice will have more authority than hers.
When reading this story, there is a tendency to jump to the end, to Jesus' response to Martha's appeal. We must not miss, though, what Martha—not Mary—does, for "Martha opened her home to him" (v. 38). Jesus' itinerant ministry depended, in part, on the hospitality of others. Earlier, when he sent out the twelve, Jesus said
Matt 10:11 Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave.Jesus knows the importance of hospitality and certainly appreciates Martha's invitation.7
While it would be nice if opportunities for ministry always came at convenient times or at least with sufficient advance notice, they do not, and the temptation is to hope that someone else will meet that need.
- In a rush to get to the store and back before your favorite TV show begins, you pass a woman whose car has broken down on the side of the road, but you think: I'm in a hurry; someone else will stop.
- You realize that a visitor to church would like to stay for Bible study yet lives too far away to go home for lunch, but you think: The house isn't ready for company; someone else will invite him.
- At the last minute, another church calls to say that its youth group will be attending the retreat, and the coordinator sends out a frantic appeal for more food, but you think: I'm tired; let someone else do that.
Christians should be engaged in the ministry of God's church, not all in the same way or to the same extent, but engaged, nonetheless. Unfortunately, in most churches 10% of the people do 90% of the work. This disparity is often not so great in small churches, but there may still be a significant portion sitting on the sidelines.
- If you are part of the active segment in this church— and you know who you are—thank you for helping to make our congregation productive in God's kingdom.
- If you are part of the passive segment in this church—and you know who you are—there is plenty you can do to make our congregation even more productive in God's kingdom.
Heb 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.Be involved not irrelevant.
Martha understands the importance of hosting this popular teacher, of making sure that everything is just so. Her sister Mary is not of the same opinion or, at least, is not nearly as concerned with ensuring that Jesus' accommodations are as perfect as possible. Mary probably helped her sister earlier but at some point decided she had done enough. Martha hopes Jesus will convince her otherwise. Instead, he commends Mary, because while Martha is fussing...
II. Mary is focused (Luke 10:41-42).
Luke 10:41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."Martha thinks that Mary is shirking her duties as a hostess.8 As far as Jesus is concerned, the women have met whatever obligations hospitality requires,9 and it is both proper and permissible for them to turn now to other matters, as Mary has already.10 At this point...
A. She is doing what is more enriching....which is listening to Jesus' instruction.
In several places, the gospel authors remark about the public response to what Jesus has to say. Here are some of the reviews:
- After his Sermon on the Mount...
Matt 7:28b ...the crowds were amazed at his teaching,
- After a Sabbath in the Nazareth synagogue...
Matt 13:54a [= Mark 6:2; Luke 4:22] ...they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom... ?" they asked.
- After a Sabbath in the Capernaum synagogue...
Luke 4:32 [= Mark 1:22] They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority.
- After speaking in the temple...
There is something that distinguishes Jesus from other rabbis, something that makes people take notice and want to listen, as Mary does here.11Mark 11:18b [ Matt 22:33; John 7:46] ...the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.
By praising Mary's decision, Jesus is not saying that she should neglect the household chores or leave the work to her sister, but that she has found the proper balance between the needs of her home and the needs of her soul. She could be helping Martha do the many things her older sister would like to be just so for company, "but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better," (v. 42), and Jesus will not tell her otherwise. Behind Jesus' mild rebuke is the suggestion that Martha should "curtail her domestic cares that she too will be able to have the one thing that matters" (Marshall 1978:454). Martha should follow Mary's example, for she is doing what is more enriching. Moreover...
B. She is doing what is more enduring.Much of what people do has little lasting value. It may be needed at the moment but is of no consequence in the larger scheme of things. As you look back over the past few days, some of what you did achieved short-term results but were still necessary—several showers, several meals, several days at work. These and similar activities enable you to get from one week to the next. They are short-term in that you need to repeat them regularly to get from week to week without smelling or starving or losing your job. Some of what you did was short-term and unnecessary—watching TV, playing golf, eating dessert. These and similar activities are enjoyable, but they do not enable you to get anywhere. Most people are caught up in short-term activities of one sort or another. They may think of them as long-term—buying a house, saving for college, planning for retirement—but they are still short-term in that they have no consequence and no value beyond a person's final breath.
In the midst of all the short-term things you do, even those necessary things, be sure not to short-change yourself by ignoring what is of lasting value. Attend to your physical well-being, but do not neglect your spiritual health. Like Mary, recognize that there is a time for sitting at the feet of Jesus. She is doing what is more enduring. While you cannot listen to him teach you God's word, as she did, you have what she did not have: the fuller counsel of God's word to guide you.
Christians should be engaged in the study of God's word, not all in the same way or to the same extent, but engaged, nonetheless. Unfortunately, in most churches, only a minority read the Bible regularly, and fewer still actually study it. In Baptist churches, the level of biblical knowledge is often higher than in other denominations, but there are still many in the pews who know little about this book. One minister of a large evangelical congregation wrote:
Our church would probably be considered in the 90th percentile when it comes to Bible teaching. But ten years ago my wife gave a Bible quiz to a class of sixth graders at our church, nearly all of whom were from Christian homes and attended regularly. It was a large class, but how many of them do you think knew the answer to the question, "Who was King Solomon's father?" A grand total of one, who happened to be a pastor's kid—though many pastor's kids might have missed it.
My point is not that knowing Bible facts makes you godly. Of course, it doesn't. We could raise a generation...who know all the verses [yet] have no heart for God. But children with a heart for God will only sustain it and grow in sanctification if they feed upon God's Word....
Many people who have grown up in our churches know all the characters in [popular] television programs... but if pressed to name the twelve tribes of Israel (in many cases, even the apostles), they wouldn't get more than a couple. Ask [them to] "give two passages that indicate Christ is the only way to God," and you won't have to wonder why people are not sharing their faith in Christ. They don't know what to share. How can you share what you don't know? How can you know if you do not know God's Word? (Alcorn 2007)The apostle Paul says the Bible contains a wealth of information for a variety of circumstances. In it you will find answers to many questions, guidance for many situations, as well as much-needed correction to keep you on the right path. So are you studying—not just reading—but studying what God has preserved? Do not use the excuse that you were never a good student in school. You have the help of the Holy Spirit, if you want it. Even if you are not a Bible scholar—and few Christians are—do your best, and you will be well-prepared for what comes your way; or do nothing, and you will be ill-prepared.
2 Tim 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.Be well-prepared not ill-prepared.
Martha and Mary both display important and admirable characteristics. The older sister shows a genuine concern for the comfort of her guests, and she is willing to do more than is necessary to ensure that their visit is a pleasant one. The younger sister recognizes that this particular guest has modest needs and would rather give something to them than expect more from them. What Martha does is good, but what Mary chooses is better.12
We do not often examine what the Bible says about women, but Mother's Day offers a suitable occasion to do so. There is not indication in scripture that these two godly examples were mothers, yet they both played a significant role in the life of Jesus, and they were both important to Jesus. If your mother is or was a godly example for you, thank her or thank God for her. If you lacked a godly example, there are women here who are. Like Mary, they are Choosing What Is Better.
For a pdf including Bibliography and Endnotes see here.
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Jim Skaggs