Lauren Daigle sings a version of Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus that I love, and I think fits with today’s Gospel lesson, here is the refrain.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
look full in his wonderful face
and the things of the earth
will grow strangely dim
in the light of his glory and grace.
This Gospel is another famous story like the one from last week – which was the Story of the Good Samaritan. The ancient audience would have totally been shocked that it was a Samaritan who offers help – and so are we. We should be shocked again with this narrative for today. The first Century hearer had to have been.
Martha, Mary, and Lazarus are friends of Jesus. Luke and John (12:1-11) are the only gospels that tell of this story of the dinner with Jesus. The Gospel of John gives us a few more details – John mentions all three siblings, Martha serves, Mary anoints Jesus’ feet with expensive oil and dries them with her hair, and Lazarus is reclined at the table with Jesus. The disciples are mentioned and so is a large crowd.
However, The Gospel of Luke chooses to focus on just the three characters in this version – Martha, Mary, and Jesus. There were other people at dinner with Jesus. But we only hear of what the sisters are doing. Maybe we should call it “The Tale of Two Sisters!”[1] "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." Interesting approach do you not think?
What reactions does it provoke in you? The text seems pretty straight forward at first. Jesus is on his journey to Jerusalem -----to the cross (to be sacrificed - to die). Martha invites him to her home for dinner. (That is a little bit odd if you look at it from a 1st Century Palestine Jewish culture perspective – Men controlled the households – Men would do the inviting not women. Martha’s husband is never mentioned, perhaps she is widowed), Mary takes the opportunity to sit and listen to the words of Jesus. (Women and men were separated and only men were disciples learning from Rabbis) Martha is behaving like a host does – service first. Martha gets frustrated that Mary is not helping. She has completely deserted her expected domestic duties. She has taken the posture and attitude of a disciple, one who follows, and Martha complains to Jesus. What do you think she was hoping Jesus would do? Tell Mary to get to work? What a surprise!! Let me read it to you again.
As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so, she came to him and asked, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."
In the ancient Jewish world, hospitality was a high social virtue. And we can probably say most of the guests at Martha’s house sitting and listening to Jesus were probably male. So, the contrast between Martha and Mary is not so much the contrast between activity and simplicity or between active service and passive listening as it is between one’s role in society and one’s role as followers of Jesus.[2] Jesus does acknowledge Martha’s hospitality but highlights his preference for Mary’s choice. Today we are being taught by Jesus that following him takes priority over traditional and societal expectations. Focus on Jesus.
Martha is very distracted as you can well imagine. Guess who is coming to dinner! She is doing all the stuff that Hosts do, running around making sure everything is exactly right. In the first century that was the role of the women, to prepare the food and to serve. And I am sure in her heart of hearts she feels she is doing what is appropriate. After all she is serving. But Jesus rebukes her. "Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."
Are you a doer or a seeker? I bet if I asked this group which one of the sisters do you identify with most would say Martha. I know I would. I am a doer. Someone has to do the work. “I mean we don't want to sit around with eyes so firmly fixed on heaven that we are no earthly good! Right? I love these lines of an old poet:
Lord of all pots and pans and things, Since I've no time to be, A saint by doing lovely things, Or watching late with Thee,
Or dreaming in the dawn light, Or storming Heaven's gates, Make me a saint by getting meals, And washing up the plates.”[3]
Martha and Mary had a close relationship with Jesus, and he loved them deeply. He visited the sisters home at least three times that we know of, and probably many more. Mary and Martha apparently had different personalities. And as a dad of two girls – a girl dad, I get it. We see the differences clearly in how they related with Jesus. Each in their own way, Mary would drop everything and listen to Jesus. Everything stopped when Jesus was present. That is what annoyed her sister, Martha, who showed her love for Jesus by getting things done.[4]
I am just a little floored by the response from Jesus. After all Jesus said he came not to be served but to serve. But I get it. We need both. I think sometimes we can get too distracted. We are not able to give our full attention. Perhaps we focus totally on service and not the Word of God, Not Jesus. Just like Martha, thinking we are doing what is right, good, and appropriate ---serving, when what we should really be doing is focusing our attention on Jesus.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
look full in his wonderful face
and the things of earth
will grow strangely dim
in the light of his glory and grace.
AMEN.
References [1] Leininger, David E. Sermon; The Tale of Two Sisters. https://sermons.com/sermon/a-tale-of-two-sisters/1346463 [2] Blackley, J. Ted. A Lector’s Guide & Commentary. 262. [3] Quoted by William Barclay, The Daily Study Bible, CD-ROM edition (Liguori, MO: Liguori Faithware, 1996) used by permission of Westminster/John Knox Press [4] The Student Bible. 1079.
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