Luke 10:38-40

Martha's Complaint.

It is probably the indefinite expression of Luke, into a certain village, which John means to define by the words: Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha, Luke 11:1; as also the words of Luke 5:39, which sat at Jesus' feet, seem to be alluded to in those others: But Mary sat still in the house, Luke 11:20. The entire conduct of Martha and Mary, John 11, reproduces in every particular the characters of the two sisters as they appear from Luke 10.

It has been supposed that Martha was the wife of Simon the Leper (Matthew 26:6; Mark 14:3), and that her brother and sister had become inmates of the house. All this is pure hypothesis.

If the two words ἥ and καί, “ which also sat,” really belong to the text, Luke gives us to understand that Mary began by serving as well as Martha; but that, having completed her task, she also sat to listen, rightly considering that, with such a guest, the essential thing was not serving, but above all being herself served.

Jesus was seated with His feet stretched behind Him (Luke 7:38).

It was therefore at His feet behind Him that she took her place, not to lose any of His words. The term περιεσπᾶτο (was cumbered), Luke 10:40, denotes a distraction at once external and moral. The word ἐπιστᾶσα, came to Him, especially with δέ adversative, but, indicates a sudden suspension of her feverish activity; at the sight of Jesus and her sister, who was listening to Him with gladness, Martha stops short, takes up a bold attitude, and addresses the latter, reproaching her for her selfishness, and Jesus for His partiality, implied in the words, Dost Thou not care? Nevertheless, by the very word which she uses, κατέλιπε, hath left me (this reading is preferable to the imperfect κατέλειπε), she acknowledges that Mary up till then had taken part in serving. In the compound συναντιλαμβάνεσθαι three ideas are included, charging oneself with a burden (the middle) for another (ἀντί), and sharing it with him (σύν).