Lectionary Year C
July 22, 2001
Luke 10:38-42

Step II: Disposition

(SG) STEP II

My thoughts are with Mary and Martha. I am very intrigued by the words which the NRSV translates as "distracted" and "worried". In v. 40 Martha was "periespato". Is this truly the only occurrence of this word in all of Scripture? What then is the significance of this word in the language? What is happening to Martha in the emotional sense? The literal translation would perhaps be "pulled" or "dragged from all around", but it is to be figurative. In this case, "distracted" seems rather mild; Martha is truly stressed!!

Meanwhile, in Jesus' response He is quoted as saying that Martha is "merimnas" and "thorubadzei". "Merimnao" is common, but "thorubadzei" is rare, this being the only occurrence. "Thorubadzei" indicates just how upset Jesus perceives Martha to be.

What is Luke's intent by painting a picture of Martha being "so" upset? Is it truly to give us an example for the times when we get upset over things which are not the "good part"? Is is fair to describe Martha's concerns as trivial?

I am enjoying this conversation very much!



A. Genre

(JFC) What we seem to have here is a brief account of an event in which Jesus is involved. He assists a pair of siblings in their dealing with a conflict. The story describes several dynamics of a family at home preparing a small but significant meal. It takes only a few lines into the scene before tension gets the best of one of the sisters. She obviously blows her stack and the emotions get expressed right graphically. The justification comes as expected and then a broader view is opened up, if rather subtly. This account tells a rather idealistic tale. Is it a fairy tale? Oh, that's a question.

B. Personal Interaction

(JFC) So, my next question asks why the identity of the village entered is not named. Secondly, why are the disciples never mentioned again? Thirdly, is Martha distracted from the norm of sitting at his feet and listening to Jesus? Then, was Martha really worried, anxious, upset and/or troubled? Wasn't it more agonizing than that? Wasn't she in a major stress-burn? Then, are the two things "one thing needed" and "the good portion" the same or different? Now if Jesus is intending for his way of dealing with these two females to become a model for others to deal with one another, especially with those of the female gender, just when are we going to learn? We in the United States are just barely beginning to learn how to do so with anything like political and/or spiritual correctness. It's about time, huh? So when will we ever learn?


(BMC) Martha's worry/distraction (3 Greek verbs to describe all this anxiety): I'm intrigued by this emphasis and also by what the context may suggest, i.e., Lk 9:51 ("he set his face to go to Jerusalem") and already wondering about Jesus' own "distraction/worry" and the potentially powerful contrast between his distraction and Martha's!?

C. Organization

(JFC) The text begins before the house/home in the village is reached. The first (38th) verse mentions the secondary players in the scene. Late in that opening verse and early in the next, we read of the sisters around whom the activity swirls. Then, Martha's reaction and her request of Jesus to correct the unacceptable situation she describes. At this point, however, Jesus explains Martha's problem and describes Mary's reaction and almost seems to justify it. He concludes the pericope by broadening the vision into an eternal dimension.

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