Context Matters: Mary and Martha

Harry Thaker (2018), public domain

Perhaps you’ve heard the account of Mary and Martha. One sister (Mary) sits at Jesus’s feet while the other (Martha) complains about a lack of help in the kitchen.

This story is often cited to reinforce the practice of devotional time, to warn against distractions, and to scold people (especially women) about fussiness regarding hospitality.

But we must answer a crucial question. What is the context of this story? The Bible is not just a collection of sayings and proverbs, ripe for picking and snacking on when we please. As we learn to read the Bible for what it is, we’ll see that some of our most familiar passages take on different and deeper meanings than we’ve assumed.

The Middle of Luke

The middle third of Luke’s Gospel begins in Luke 9:51 when Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem.” Instead of itinerant preaching around the Sea of Galilee, Jesus begins to move purposefully toward the city of his ascension (see Luke 9:51).

Much of the beginning of this section concerns discipleship. In Luke 9:51–56, Jesus rebukes James and John for wanting fire from heaven to fall on those Samaritans who didn’t receive Jesus. In Luke 9:57–62 we read of three encounters with hesitant followers, and Jesus presses them on this question: What will be your highest priority—comfort, tradition, family, or me?

Jesus sends out 72 disciples in Luke 10:1–24 to preach (and bring near) the kingdom of God. In this passage, Jesus makes it clear that his followers must rejoice primarily that their names are written in heaven (verse 20). But he also explains how the Son reveals the Father (verse 22) and how those who reject the disciples actually reject the Father (verse 16).

This leads to the conversation with the lawyer (Luke 10:25–28) and the parable of the Good Samaritan.

The Greatest Commandments

This lawyer stood to test Jesus, asking what was necessary for eternal life. When Jesus turned the question around, the lawyer answered correctly.

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)

Jesus praised the lawyer’s answer, and the lawyer asked a question in an attempt to justify himself. “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus’s answer to this question is the parable of the Good Samaritan. We won’t take that parable apart in this article, but the ending is instructive.

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” (Luke 10:36–37)

While the lawyer was concerned about the word “neighbor” as a noun, Jesus wanted him to understand “neighbor” as a verb. Instead of defining who should receive love as a neighbor, Jesus focused on how to be (or become) a neighbor.

And, for many people, this brings the section to a close, with the story of Mary and Martha included as an awkward footnote.

Mary and Martha

Martha welcomed Jesus into her home and we are immediately introduced to her sister, Mary. The first description of Mary is the classic description of a disciple, sitting at Jesus’s feet and listening to his teaching (Luke 10:39).

Martha was “distracted with much serving,” and complained about her sister to the Lord. Jesus addressed her with affection and compassion.

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41–42).

While Luke makes it clear that Jesus had welcomed, traveled with, and been supported by women from early in his ministry (see Luke 8:1–3), we must not overlook the gender dynamics at play here. Jesus commends discipleship for women over distracted, anxious hospitality.

Jesus directs Martha to the “one thing” Mary has chosen. Namely, himself! And on the heels of a conversation with a lawyer, it stands out that the one necessary thing Jesus mentions is not the law. The law is not bad, but now the Keeper and Interpreter of the Law is present, the One whom the prophets and kings longed to see (Luke 10:23–24).

The Greatest Commandment

After the conversation with the lawyer, the parable of the Good Samaritan fleshes out what it means to “love your neighbor as yourself.” But the story of Mary and Martha is also connected to the lawyer’s answer to Jesus.

In a classic chiastic move, Luke has switched the order of explanation. The last story explains the first commandment.

How do we love the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind? Look at Mary. She has chosen the good portion.

We keep the greatest commandment by being a disciple of Jesus. We listen to his word. In contrast to anxiety and trouble, we look to and follow Jesus, the One who makes the Father known.

Conclusion

The story of Mary and Martha is not primarily about domestic duties. It’s not mainly about “quiet times” or distractions either.

Luke teaches us to love God by loving and following the Son. And we grasp this point when we read the Bible with our eyes open to all that’s happening within its pages.

Context matters.