Conversation Points for Luke 10:38-42

Study Format:
1. Read passage aloud. What did you notice in the reading? What words or phrase caught your attention?
2. Read passage aloud a second time. What questions would you ask the text?
3. Read passage aloud a third time. What do you hear God calling you to do or be in response to this text?

Interesting Ideas to Consider:
• This week’s and last week’s (Luke 10:25-37) readings deal with the radical nature of what following Jesus’ commands require, a love that is deep to the point of scandal.
• In the sending instructions given to the twelve and the seventy, the disciples are commanded that when they are welcomed to a town, they are to eat what is set before them (Luke 9:1-6; 10:1-12). Martha is then welcoming Jesus by preparing a feast, as the disciples were told was to happen.
• Mary does not help in preparing the meal, as would have been the expected role of a woman, but instead takes a man’s place sitting at the feet of Jesus as a disciple. This clear violation of appropriate gender roles would have brought shame upon Mary and upon the house.
• V. 40 – “work” is diakonia in Greek. It can also be translated as “service” and is where we get the English “deacon” or “diaconate.” Later, the church will appoint deacons, so the act of serving doesn’t seem to be the problem. The problem is that Martha is “distracted.” This idea comes again in Acts 6:1-6, where the disciples appoint deacons so they will not be distracted from study.
• The repetition of Martha’s name may be a rhetorical device to indicate compassion, a mild rebuke rather than a harsh one.
• Culpepper writes: “While Martha is distracted by “parts” of the meal, Mary chooses “the good part.” Disciples often need more discrimination, not more vigorous effort. Martha presumes to tell Jesus what he should do; Mary lets Jesus tell her what to do.”

Works Sourced:
Culpepper, R. Alan. “The Gospel of Luke.” The New Interpreter’s Bible Volume IX. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1995.

Parsons, Mikeal C. “Commentary on Luke 10:38-42.” Working Preacher. < https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=2917>. Accessed 13 July 2016.