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Discussion Notes
Martha and Mary
Luke 10:38-42
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Read from a modern western perspective, the
story is often taken to mean that household chores are less
important than prayer. But when heard in context, there is
something more deeply subversive about the entire incident,
the kind of activity that the presence of Jesus seems to attract.
Being a religious disciple in Jesus’
day, means – amongst other things – being a man!
(Think of stories of the feeding of thousands of disciples,
which exclude the women and children who were also present
– and who obviously did not count as disciples!) Social
roles in society, were not merely polite social customs, but
reflected God’s providence. Martha is not offended because
Mary is not being a good woman – it is rather that Mary’s
behaviour is simply wrong.
Jesus’ response simply affirms the
subversive nature of Mary’s devotion. It is the same
subversive devotion that has just been highlighted by the
parable of the good Samaritan – the story immediately
prior to this one. Mary’s is sitting at the feet of
Jesus – but won’t be there forever. Her devotion
is one that relativises even the supposedly natural order
of things. It is precisely this kind of devotion to which
Jesus calls all of his followers. The disciples of Jesus are
not to be subversive just for the sake of it. But following
Jesus will sometimes, and perhaps often, ride roughshod over
the conventions that we take to be the natural order of things.
Jesus honoured a devotion that orders all
other prior commitments. And for most of us, as for Martha,
it is those prior commitments that tend to shape our devotion
to Jesus. Like Martha, we end up ‘anxious and troubled
about many things’. Whatever these ‘things’
might be, they grip us, shape us, define what we understand
to be right and wrong.
This is not the only time in the Gospel of
Luke that commitment to deeply treasured moral values have
lead people to make demands of Jesus:
Tell this stone to become bread (Lk 4:3)
Tell him to give me my share of the property (Lk 12:14)
Tell your disciples to fast (Lk 5:33)
Tell your disciples to stop picking ears of corn (Lk 6:1-2)
It is worth asking what social conventions
tend to shape our commitment to Christ. What are the morals
and values that are precious to us, which we believe to be
Christian, which may in reality have little to do with Christianity?
What are the values and expectations and morals that can even
hinder our commitment to Christ? Think of the examples of
British politeness, or of the American Dream. Think of the
commandments issued by television adverts that seep into our
subconscious before our brains get chance to analyse them!
Think of the more treasured values that our families, and
friends, and communities, have – with the very best
of intentions – trained us to adopt. In what way might
such values serve to hinder a true and living faith –
leaving us hurrying around doing stuff that is less important
than simply sitting at the feet of Jesus…
Jesus concludes by restating the basis of
the Christ-centred moral life. ‘Only one thing is needed’.
Living commitment to Jesus re-orders the whole of life, and
the life of discipleship might be seen as re-ordering one’s
life according to that commitment.
Discussion Questions:
1: How would you feel if you were Martha?
2: List some of the values that we treasure,
think about what we mean by them, and consider whether they
might hinder a living commitment to Jesus.
3: From the other perspective, consider
the excuses we make to ourselves about why we sometimes spend
so little time and energy in prayer and worship. What might
Luke’s Jesus’ say to us?
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