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Observe here, 1. Martha's behavior: She was cumbered about much serving; that is, much taken up with providing for the entertainment of Christ and his friends; all which considered in itself was no miscarriage, but a token of Martha's endeared respect to her best Friend.
A person that sincerely loves Christ as Martha did, thinks he can never show enough of respect unto him. Martha having such a guest to honor her house, puts forth herself all she can, yea, more than she was able, to give him entertainment: She was cumbered about much serving.
Observe, 2. Martha's complaint to Christ concerning her sister's not joining with her in the work that lay so hard upon her: Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me: as if Martha had said, is it a fit thing that both thyself, and all this company, should be unprovided for? Or is it reasonable that the whole burden should lie upon me, while Mary sits still, and does not touch the least household business with one of her fingers?
Lord, what infirmity and weakness intermixes and mingles with the virtues and graces of the best of thy servants, especially when they give way to their distempered passions!
This good woman at this time did not attend upon Christ's preaching herself, but interrupts him with a frivolous complaint about her sister: Bid her that she help me.
But why did not Martha speak to her sister herself, and whisper in her ear, and acquaint her how she wanted her help, but makes her moan to Christ?
Answer, it is like she thought her sister was so tied by the ear with those adamantine chains of Christ's heavenly doctrine, that until Christ was silent she had no power to stir; doubtless she believed that Mary would not move unless Christ spoke to her so to do.
Observe, 3. That all this while Mary speaks not one word for herself: no doubt it troubled her, good woman, to hear her sister complain of her to Christ, and find herself blamed for her piety, and implicitly condemned for laying hold upon such a sweet opportunity of hearing the beloved of her soul whose lips dropped as the honey-comb; however, she speaks not a word in her own vindication, but leaves her answer to her Saviour.
Learn thence, that when we are complained of for well doing, it is our duty, and may it be our prudence, to seal up our lips in silence, and to expect our vindication from above. Mary says nothing, but Christ speaks for her in the next verses.