CRITICAL NOTES
Luke 10:38. A certain village.—There can be no doubt that this was Bethany, and that the persons mentioned were sisters of Lazarus. The names are not only the same, but the words and actions of both are characteristic of the two sisters described in John 11; John 12. Bethany was an hour’s walk from Jerusalem, and was a favourite resort of our Lord, when He was in the neighbourhood of the capital. Farrar considers that the phrases “a certain village” and “a certain woman” are obvious traces of a tendency to reticence about the family of Bethany which he thinks are to be found in the synoptic Gospels (Matthew 26:6; Mark 14:3). Such reticence he attributes to the danger to which more special notice of the family might have exposed them—a danger which was probably long past when St. John wrote his Gospel. This idea seems, however, to be far-fetched and baseless. The notices in St. Matthew and St. Mark are definite enough; and here the vague phrase, “a certain woman,” is followed by her name and the name of her sister. Probably Bethany was not a name as familiar to Theophilus as it is to us. Martha.—The name is Aramaic, meaning “lady.” She may have been a widow or a married woman; but we have no information on the point.
Luke 10:39. The character of Mary is suggested with wonderful skill and simplicity by this description of her. Sat at Jesus’ feet.—As a disciple; not while He was reclining at table for the meal was being prepared.
Luke 10:40. Cumbered.—Lit. “distracted,” drawn this way and that by a multitude of things needing her personal supervision. Came to Him.—The word implies “suddenly appearing before Him,” evidently coming from the room where the preparations were being made into that in which Jesus was. Probably the homely phrase “she flounced in” would best describe her action and mood
Luke 10:41. Martha, Martha.—Kindliness as well as reproof is indicated in the repetition of the name. Careful and troubled.—The one word indicates inward anxiety, the other outward bustle.
Luke 10:42. One thing is needful.—The food of the soul—feeding on the bread of life; this is “the good part”—the choice portion which Mary has chosen. A curious variation which is founded on good MS. authority is given in the margin of the R.V.—“but few things are needful or one.” This evidently arises from a misunderstanding of Christ’s words, as though by “the one thing needful” He meant one dish instead of Martha’s more bountiful provision; i.e. “there is need for few things, indeed one would be sufficient.” But apart from the evident mistake as to Christ’s words, any reference of the kind to the literal food seems trivial.
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Luke 10:38-42
Jesus in the Family Circle.—This is one of the few passages in the life of the Saviour in which we are admitted to view Him in the circle of His domestic life—in which we see Him as a guest and a friend, receiving hospitality, and by gentle words allaying the angry feelings which are so apt to spring up from the most trivial causes, and mar the peace of the home. He had arrived at Bethany perhaps unexpectedly, and evidently accompanied by some of His disciples, and thus occasioned some little stir in the household there. Martha was naturally anxious to provide fitting entertainment for such an honoured Guest. For a time, apparently, Mary had assisted her in making the needful preparations for the supper, but after a little had stolen away to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to His words. Probably she felt that there was a reasonable limit to the work of providing for material wants, and that it was making good use of the precious time of Christ’s sojourn with them to allow Him to minister to them as well as to be ministered to by them.
I. Martha’s complaint.—She is angry and put about by being left to serve alone, and in her hastiness she falls into various mistakes.
1. She attaches an undue importance to the kind of work she was engaged in.
2. She regards her sister’s employment as mere waste of time.
3. She accuses the Saviour of unkindness in allowing her sister to shirk her share of the work. Specially censurable is her endeavour to get the Saviour to take her part in this difference with her sister. For it is always very embarrassing to a guest to be asked to take a side in a family dispute.
II. The reply of Jesus.—He reminded Martha that she was distressing and harassing herself about many trivial things, but that Mary’s attention was fixed upon the one thing of supreme importance. The slight degree of blame implied in the answer, and in the repetition of her name, was no doubt robbed of its sting by the gentle tone of voice and the kindly air of the Speaker. For this was not an occasion when anything like severity was called for. Both sisters were friends and disciples of the Saviour; and He was as considerate to the weaknesses and foibles of the one, as pleased with the pure and intense devotion of the other. We have here both a warning against allowing our minds to be distracted and worried by passing trifles, and a statement of the secret of a true and lasting peace. Those that pursue various aims are drawn hither and thither by conflicting cares and duties: those that have the one true aim in view rise above all that is superficial and trifling, and enjoy a peace which the world can neither give nor take away.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON Luke 10:38-42
Luke 10:38-42. Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.—Let us regard this incident as illustrative of a few practical considerations. Observe—
I. The absence of all reference to Lazarus in this narrative.—Is this because he was younger than the sisters, and of least account in the household? In John’s Gospel, too, Lazarus brings up the rear. Many think that he was the young ruler who came to Christ and went away sorrowing. Whatever be the truth on this point, Christ loved this “weak brother.” He seems to have lacked force of character, decision, readiness to sacrifice for Christ’s sake. Such a man may certainly be saved, but he misses much.
II. The distinguishing character of the two sisters, and our Lord’s treatment of them.—We have the active Martha, who carries her peculiarities into her friendship with and her loyalty to Jesus Christ. This is quite right. Christ does not take from us our individuality. He does not want every one to be a Martha or every one to be a Mary. There was variety of character among the twelve. Varied services are needed. Jesus Christ needed food, and He needed willing learners. Martha was right in serving, Mary in listening. The danger is that one kind of worker thinks that the only service that should be rendered to Jesus Christ is the service he or she is rendering. Those who are active are apt to be hard upon those who are not so active as they are, or in the way which they approve. Christ taught Martha that all things are secondary to the one great thing—love to Himself. Let all learn the lesson of serving the Master in the sphere for which we are best fitted, and withal be tolerant, yea appreciative of those who serve Him in different ways.—Davies.
Three Faults of Martha.—Though the hospitality of Martha deserved commendation, and is commended, yet there were three faults in it which are pointed out by Christ.
I. Martha carried her activity beyond proper bounds; for Christ would rather have chosen to be entertained in a frugal manner, and at moderate expense, than that the holy woman should have submitted to so much toil.
II. Martha, by distracting her attention, and undertaking more labour than was necessary, deprived herself of the advantage of Christ’s visit.
III. Martha was so delighted with her own bustling operations, as to despise her sister’s pious eagerness to receive instruction. This example warns us that, in doing what is right, we must take care not to think more highly of ourselves than of others.—Calvin.
Luke 10:38-39. Activity and Contemplation.—We find in Martha the type of a life busily devoted to externals, such as is frequently exemplified in this passing world; in Mary, the type of quiet self-devotion to the Divine as the one thing needful. To a certain extent both tendencies will be combined in each believer, but it is not to be overlooked that there are different vocations, and many are better fitted for busy outward labour than an inward contemplative life, although the most active must be from the depths of his soul given up to the Lord, and the man of contemplation must consecrate his energies to the advancement of God’s kingdom.—Olshausen.
Luke 10:39. An Answer to the Question as to inheriting Eternal Life.—This incident gives a clear and certain answer to the question of the scribe as to inheriting eternal life: it is to listen to the words of Jesus, and to choose by faith in Him “the good part, which shall not be taken away.”
“Sat at Jesus’ feet.”—This is a living commentary on the words, “Yea, He loved the people; all His saints are in Thy hand: and they sat down at Thy feet; every one shall receive of Thy words” (Deuteronomy 33:3).
Absence of Censoriousness.—Mary sits quiet and silent at His feet, and it never occurred to her to be discontented and to exclaim, “Master, tell my sister to come and listen too with me.”
“Heard His word.”—As the tender flowers love to open to the rays of the sun and silently absorb its light. Jesus had not come to be served, but to serve.
Luke 10:39-40. Characteristic Conduct of the Sisters.—The respective characters of the two sisters again come clearly into view on the visit recorded by St. John (John 12:2-3). There it is said that “Martha served,” and that Mary “anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair.”
The Judge becomes an Advocate.—Mary commits her cause to the Judge, and He becomes her Advocate.—Augustine.
Christ defending His Disciples.—The Gospels record various instances of Christ thus taking the part of them who trust their cause to Him. Cf. chaps, Luke 6:2-3; Luke 7:39-40; Matthew 26:10.
Pleasure of giving and of receiving.—With Martha the pleasure of giving much to Jesus is pre-eminent: Mary feels the necessity of receiving much.
Luke 10:41-42. “Many things … one thing.”—Note the contrast between carefulness about many things and the needfulness of but one. When we possess God in Christ, we have the one thing needful to
(1) a true life,
(2) a true growth,
(3) a true service,
(4) a true happiness.
Luke 10:42. “But one thing is needful.”—Needful for what? For rightly receiving the Saviour—the disposition which Mary was manifesting at this moment, the sitting at the feet of Jesus, the receptivity for hearing and laying up the words of eternal life.—Van Oosterzee.
“That good part.”—Why was Mary’s choice better? Because “it shall not be taken away from her.” From thee the burden of business shall one time be taken away; for when thou comest into the heavenly country, thou wilt find no stranger to receive with hospitality. But for thy good it shall be taken away, that what is better may be given thee. Trouble shall be taken away, that rest may be given thee. But in the meantime thou art yet at sea; thy sister is in port.—Augustine.
“The good part.”—Mary’s choice is commended. The object of her choice is characterised and commended as “the one thing needful,” “the good part.” True religion is—
I. Indispensably needful.
II. Perfectly good.
III. Absolutely inalienable.
Its claims are paramount. Heaven is gained; hell is avoided. It is not only “good” in name, but in reality. It wears, lasts, satisfies. It is the only possession that is inalienable. Honour, wealth, reason, health, home, friends, all may go. This abides.—Morris.
I. The essence of the Christian religion is that it is a religion of receiving.—Martha desired to give, Mary to receive. Mary was praised; Martha was reproved. The leading trait of a Christian is that he sits at Christ’s feet. Those please God most who take in most.
II. Mary’s spirit rested.—Martha worked anxiously. The difference between them was greatest, not so much in what they did, as in the spirit in which they did it. Drink in God’s peace. Be a little child.
III. Mary had learnt to concentrate her mind.—Martha could not do this. Mary gathered all to a single point, and that point was Christ. Martha was full of distracting and unnecessary cares. Too many of God’s dear children are the same. What vain solicitudes! What is the use of it all? What is the remedy? Simplify. Throw out what is wrong, what is trivial, what is underweight. “One thing” is all that will be left. To find, to love, and to enjoy the Saviour. There is nothing else. This is “the good part.”—Vaughan.