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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadBob Utley You Can Understand the Bible - Luke 10:38 - 10:42
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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Luk_10:38-42
38Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord's feet, listening to His word. 40But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me." 41But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; 42but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
Luk_10:38 "Now as they were traveling along" This is the way Luke structures this portion of his Gospel. Jesus is traveling to His divine destiny to Jerusalem (cf. Luk_9:51; Luk_9:56-57; Luk_10:38; Luk_13:22; Luk_17:11; Luk_18:31; Luk_18:35; Luk_19:1; Luk_19:11).
▣ "a village" From Joh_11:1 we know the village is Bethany, only two miles from Jerusalem on the Mt of Olives on the road to Jericho.
▣ "Martha" In Aramaic this means "lady," the feminine form of "Lord."
▣ "welcomed Him into her home" Martha was acting like the head of the house. Apparently Lazarus was not home. It was usual for the villagers around Jerusalem to welcome pilgrims into their homes during feast days. At certain times during the year the population of the Holy City swelled to two or three times its normal size. There were no accommodations available.
Luk_10:39 "Mary" In Hebrew this is Miriam, which means "bitter" (cf. Rth_1:20).
▣ "was seated at the Lord's feet"A crowd must have followed Jesus to Bethany. It was highly unusual for a rabbi to teach women (another example of Luke's inclusive theme). Mary took advantage of the occasion to learn. "Sitting at the feet" was the common term for teaching situations (cf. Act_22:3).
Luk_10:40 "was distracted" Apparently both women sat down to listen. Mary remained listening, but Martha's personality began to worry about the task of hostess.
▣ "Lord, do You not care" Martha agitated herself and then blamed her sister and then Jesus! The question expects a "yes" answer.
▣ "left me to do all the serving alone" Martha was majoring on a minor!
▣ "tell her to help me" This is an aorist active imperative.
Luk_10:41 "you are worried and bothered about so many things" It was not that Martha's concern was inappropriate, but her attitude and anxiety were out of bounds. She missed a once-in-a-lifetime moment because of daily concerns.
Luk_10:42 Jesus may have used Martha's elaborate dinner preparations as a metaphor for life's priorities.
NASB "but only one thing is necessary"
NKJV "but one thing is needed"
NRSV "there is need of only one thing"
TEV "but just one is needed"
NJB "yet a few are needed, indeed only one"
The question is, to what does "thing" refer? It could refer to a simple meal versus an elaborate meal, or it could refer to Jesus' visit and teaching. The remainder of the verse implies the second option.
There are several textual variants connected to this statement. The NJB follows one variant that adds "a few are needed" (cf. MSS P3, à , B, L).
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