Lange Commentary - Luke 10:38 - 10:42

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Lange Commentary - Luke 10:38 - 10:42


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2. Mary and Martha (Luk_10:38-42)

38Now it came to pass, as they went [were journeying], that he entered into a certain 39village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. 40But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care41that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And [But] Jesus [the Lord] answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled [or, anxious and perplexed] about many things: 42But one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Luk_10:38. Now it came to pass.—In view of the indefiniteness of this beginning, there is as little reason for the assertion that this event took place immediately after the discourse with the scribe as for assuming that it did not take place for some time after. Here also it appears plainly enough that Luke does not arrange the event with a strict chronology.

Into a certain village.—If we assume that all related by Luke from Luk_9:51 to Luk_19:27, occurred during one and that the last journey to Jerusalem, then unquestionably there is room for doubt whether the here-named êþìç is Bethany, and we must rather suppose (Meyer) that Luke speaks here of one of the villages of Galilee. But we know not what should hinder us from distributing the historical matter of this narrative of travel between two or three journeys to feasts, so that the present one should be about to end very soon with the feast of Tabernacles, which was near at hand, John 7. And if this is so, we can then very well imagine that the Saviour had now behind Him the boundary between Samaria and Judæa, and had tarried yet a day at Bethany before He went up ὡò ἐí êñõðôῷ to the feast, Joh_7:10. So taken, therefore, Luke transports us on to the same ground which we, guided by John in his 11th chapter, afterwards tread, and it at once appears that the brief portraiture of character in the text is an indirect, psychological, but powerful argument for the truth of the Johannean representation. This proof is by no means weakened by the fact that Luke makes no mention whatever of Lazarus (Strauss), for having in view only the difference between the two sisters, he had not the least occasion to speak of the brother also. It still remains remarkable that Luke describes the character of Martha and Mary wholly in the same manner as John; nor is it at all proved that Lazarus inhabited the same house with his sisters. As to the locality of Bethany itself, comp. Winer in voce.

Into her house.—The care of the entertainment appears to have been assumed by Martha, perhaps the elder of the two sisters, while it is wholly unproved that she was a widow (Grotius), and had been formerly married to Simon the leper (Paulus). That Jesus now appeared for the first time in this family, and that therefore the lovely beginning of the friendship of the Saviour with this domestic circle is portrayed, Luke does not tell us. So active a hostess, so deeply interested a friend, as Martha, would certainly have received Him as joyfully, even if His arrival had no longer had the surprise of novelty. In hearty and affectionate zeal, the best that the house can afford is brought forth in order right worthily to receive the beloved Guest. Martha knows not how to make her entertainment choice enough; she lacks hands for it; she wants to give the meal a thoroughly festal air. Is it a wonder that she took offence at Mary’s inactivity?

Luk_10:39. Mary … at Jesus’ feet.—There is not yet a reference to reclining at table (Paulus and Von Ammon), for the meal is not yet prepared, but a sitting like that of the disciples at the feet of the Master, as Paul afterwards—[Was it not at this very time?—C. C. S.]—sat at the feet of Gamaliel. In Joh_11:20 also, Mary is represented as seated, in contrast with the unquiet, busy Martha.

Luk_10:40. Lord, dost Thou not care.—What is censurable in Martha’s behavior consists especially in this, that she, in a difference with her sister, seeks to win the Saviour as her confederate.—Hath left me to serve alone, êáôÝ ëéðåí .—Perhaps Mary had at the beginning, before the Saviour’s arrival, also assisted in the domestic labors, but soon afterwards had seen that she could now use the precious time more profitably, and therefore left her sister. Martha demands that the Saviour shall send Mary back again to her post, which she has left too early, since she can no longer be spared there.

Luk_10:41. Martha, Martha.—“Jesus’ reply is not to be taken in the earnest tone of preaching, but in the half jest [a hardly appropriate term.—C. C. S.] of friendly humanity.” The double utterance of the name, as also afterwards, “Simon, Simon,” “Saul, Saul,” is, however, meant to express the quiet dissatisfaction of the Saviour, not so much with the act as rather with the disposition and temper of Martha.—About many things.—It is not at all necessary to insert here any word having reference to food or to the meal.

Luk_10:42. But one thing is needful, ἑíὸò äÝ ἐóôé÷ñåßá .—The explanations of this expression would have been far less divergent if the distinct inquiry had been proposed: Needful—for what? The answer can, according to the connection, only be this: “To receive the Lord aright;” for this was after all the main thing in Martha’s feelings, and even Mary also, little occupied as she appeared, must have been anything but indifferent. But for that, said the Saviour, “Not much,” but “one thing is needful.”—All explanations must be rejected which by the ἑíüò will have us understand only one dish, or anything else than that which the Saviour Himself, a moment afterwards, names the good part, êáô ̓ ἐîï÷Þí The ἕí is plainly = ἡ ἀãáèὴ ìåñßò . And what, according to that, is the one thing that is needful in order rightly to receive 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. Where Jesus comes, He comes to give, and where, therefore, there is a receptivity of faith for the spiritual good which He bestows, there is He at the same time received according to His own will, in the best manner. The Saviour does not say that Martha was wholly lacking in this disposition; she also was a disciple and friend; but He gives her to feel that she might incur the danger, amid all the bustle and tumult of life, of losing this temper of mind. In contrast with this stands the prerogative of Mary, whose part shall not be taken away from her. Her sister is not to call it in question, and if she remains of the same mind as now, her good part will also remain for her an imperishable one. “By ἥôéò which does not = ἥ , what follows is marked as belonging to the essence of the ἀãáèὴ ìåñßò , quippe quœ.” Meyer.

One must certainly view this narrative with very singular eyes, if he is disposed, with Schwegler,Nachapost Zeitalter, ii. p. 52, to remark here an emphasized contrast between the Jewish and the Pauline Christianity, which are here, according to him, both presented, and of which, according to this, the latter was praised by Jesus. If the little narrative had been invented with such an intention, then without doubt the censure which Martha has to hear, would have turned out much stronger. For such an arbitrary fancy, we can merely give our opponent a “Duly received.” Tholuck.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. It is a view as incorrect as superficial to wish to regard Martha as the type of an earthly-minded woman, and Mary as the type of a heavenly-minded disciple of the Saviour. It is, therefore, also amiss to understand by that one thing which is needful, the care for eternal things in an entirely general sense, as if this was to be found in Mary alone, and was wholly neglected by Martha. Both—this must always be first held fast—are friends and disciples of Christ, whose heartfelt pleasure it is to serve Him according to their best ability, only that in relation to the manner how this must be done, each has her own idea. Martha is of the opinion that the Saviour would be best served by a carefully prepared entertainment; Mary, longing for salvation, hears the words of His mouth. With Martha the pleasure of giving Him much is preëminent; Mary feels the necessity of receiving much. With Martha, productivity, with Mary, receptivity, stands in the foreground. Martha is the Peter, Mary the John, among the female disciples of Christ. Both have, therefore, their peculiar calling and special Charisma. In Martha, the fact is not in itself censured that she will approve her love by a carefully prepared entertainment, if she only take care that the higher things also do not take harm by this. What is amiss in her consists rather in this, that she demands that Mary shall become like her, instead of recognizing that her sister in a certain relation is right, nay more, is in the enjoyment of a still higher privilege; for with all her attachment to the Saviour, Martha yet lacks that composed calmness of soul which can alone make her receptive for intimate and abiding communion with Jesus, which hitherto had only become Mary’s inestimable portion.

2. Martha is not the type of earthly-minded friends of the world, but the type of numerous Christians, who work restlessly for the cause of the Saviour and their own salvation, but forget the personal possession and enjoyment of Christ for and in themselves. Mary stands before us, on the other hand, as a lovely symbol of those blessed ones who have found rest with Him, and therein possess as well the ground of the highest blessedness, as also the activity most pleasing to Him. The heart of the former is often as a sea which the storms have too greatly agitated for it to be able clearly to reflect the image of the Sun, while with the second the light of heaven shines upon a still, clear, watery mirror. Here also does Tersteegen’s word hold good: “Thou must not bind thyself so much to form and manner. One is not continually seeking God. One must forsooth also find Him. Whoever is not in the search, he runs and works much; who hath found Him, enjoys and works. quietly.” [Du musst dich nicht so sehr an Form und Weisen binden. Man suchet Gott nicht stets, man muss ihn ja auch finden. Wer noch im Suchen ist, der laüft und wirket viel. Wer ihn gefunden hat, geniesst und wirket still.] The first character predominates in the Roman Catholic, the other in the Evangelical, Church. In its degeneracy, the Martha character becomes proud work-holiness, the Mary nature, on the other hand, slothful quietism. But if they are sanctified by faith both have their right; although without doubt the latter stands higher, yet both have in the kingdom of God their value, and may develop themselves independently beside each other, without any necessity that the one individuality should be suppressed or absorbed by the other. The more intimately the zealous Martha’s hand is united with the composed, quiet Mary’s heart, so much the nearer does one come to the ideal of a harmonious Christian life.

3. Mary also would have something one-sided, if she regarded every work of Martha without restriction as below her dignity. The two sides of character represented by the two, activity and passivity, direction towards the external and towards the internal, the practical and the more contemplative temper, spontaneity and receptivity, love and faith, unwearied activity and unmovable rest, we find them in the most perfect manner united in the perfect Son of Man, the God-man.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Jesus the best friend of the family: 1. He heightens its joy; 2. He softens its sorrow; 3. He sanctifies the duty of the calling; 4. He strengthens its union; 5. He conducts towards the most exalted destiny in the domestic life of His people.—The right receiving of the Saviour.—The true service of the Lord consists in this, that we allow ourselves to be served by Him.—Mary and Martha, two grand forms of the Christian life, in their different relation to Him.—Great difference of character often with unity of principle and endeavor.—Non multa sed multum.—Much is not enough, but enough is much.—How sad it is when Christians reciprocally accuse each other instead of being helpers of their mutual joy.—How the Saviour,1. Compassionately hears; 2. seriously answers the complaints of His people; 3. makes them serviceable for their own amendment.—One thing is needful: 1. In order rightly to employ the time of life; 2. in order rightly to enjoy the joy of life; 3. in order rightly to endure the burdens of life; 4. in order rightly to await the end of life.—The good part: 1. Which cannot, 2. may not, 3. will not be taken away.—Jesus the defender of His misunderstood friends.

Starke:—J. Hall:—The female sex also does Christ esteem, and He will gladly enter into the house of their heart if they will only receive Him.—Blessed is the family when all with one accord are knit together in entertaining the Lord Christ.—Christians must be hospitable, Heb_13:2.—Majus:—A soul eager to learn the heavenly truth must have rest from earthly business and be humble, especially if it will learn.—Langii Op.:—If our mode of life brings much distraction with it, we have the more cause often to collect ourselves therefrom, in order to enter into a Sabbatismum sacrum, into secret converse with God.

Heubner:—Two different kinds of love towards Jesus, a more natural and a more holy one.—The preëminence of the vita contemplativa above the activa.—How many learned, subtle theologians are like Martha—take care and trouble for the merest trifles, while the substance escapes their attention.—Dræseke: a Sermon, 1824. Jesus and the Sisters of Bethany (one-sided apology for Martha).—Theremin:—The brother and sisters whom Jesus loved.—Schmidt:—One thing is needful: 1. What the many things are, about which man strives in vain; 2. what the one thing is which is needful, and how with this one thing all things fall to our lot.—J. Muller:—The true relation to our earthly occupations of the care for celestial things.—Arndt:—Jesus the family friend without compare, because He, 1. feels Himself happy in this domestic circle; 2. makes it happy.—Gerok:—The good part which our Evangelical Church has chosen.—Comp. also the beautiful hymn Eins ist Noth, ach Herr dies eine, and the Essay of F. W. Krummacher upon Mary and Martha, in Piper’s Evang. Kalender, 1851, p. 74 seq.

Footnotes:

Luk_10:41.—The reading ὁ êýñéïò has not only the authority of B., L., [Cod. Sin.,] in its favor, but also the connection, and the usus loquendi of Luke in many other passages. [Rec. supported by Lachmann, Tregelles, Alford. The other by Tischendorf.—C. C. S.]

Luk_10:42.—“The reading ïëéãùí äå åóôéí ÷ñåéá ç åíïò (B., C.1, L., 1, 33, Copt., Æth., some fathers, [Cod. Sin.,] has arisen out of understanding the answer as referring to a dish” [!!!].