Luke 10:38 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.

NIV: As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.

NASB: Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.

CSB: While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.

NLT: As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.

KJV: Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.

NKJV: Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.

Twice, Jesus has told His disciples to enter towns, find a host who welcomes their message of the kingdom of God, and stay in that host's home. If no one accepts their message, the disciples are to leave while giving a sign of judgment against the town (Luke 9:4–5; 10:5–11). Luke gave an example of the latter; a Samaritan village refuses to host Jesus "because his face was set toward Jerusalem" (Luke 9:53). That is, He affirmed that the God they should worship is the God of the Jews and that He established right worship in Jerusalem, not the altar built in Samaria. When they rejected the message, they rejected Jesus and His blessings.

The story of Mary and Martha gives more nuance to the conversation. Martha appears receptive to Jesus' message. She invites Jesus to her home, and He accepts. The issue is that her priorities are unbalanced. She gives more weight to hosting Jesus than listening to Him (Luke 10:39–40). Mary submits entirely to Jesus and His message.

Martha bases her actions on the culture of her era, where hospitality was among the most important social expectations. Further, in that culture, women were expected to serve, not to learn. Some traditional Jewish writers suggested women shouldn't be taught to read at all, because women learning to read the Torah would be useless and dangerous. Mary senses that Jesus is not a traditional rabbi, however, and wants to know her true place in God's kingdom.

The Christian life is similar. Once the Holy Spirit makes His home in us, He will not leave. That doesn't instantly adjust our priorities into proper focus. We can echo Martha's well-meaning error, spending too much energy on the external, simplistic aspects of welcoming Jesus. That can include exceptionally good things, such as serving at the church, listening to Christian radio, or hanging verses on our walls. But those exercises don't replace listening to His message and building a relationship with Him. Modern "Christian Culture" can be as distracting and burdensome as Martha's hospitality culture. As Paul says, such things are lawful, but they are not all helpful (1 Corinthians 6:12).

Jesus commissions seventy-two of His followers for a unique mission. They are sent into towns and villages, preparing people for Jesus' ministry. Those who accept the message will be blessed; those who reject it will be left behind. The disciples return celebrating what they have seen and accomplished. Jesus reminds them that salvation is the real victory. The parable of the good Samaritan explains that the obligation to love extends to anyone and everyone. A visit to the home of Martha and Mary offers a contrast between good things and the best things.

Luke 10 provides the bulk of the first section of what some refer to as Jesus' travelogue (Luke 9:51—19:27). In this extended description of travels and events, Jesus draws away from public ministry and theological debates. His focus is preparing His disciples for what will happen in Jerusalem, by teaching them about the kingdom of God. In Luke 9:51—11:13, the disciples gradually learn how to properly follow Jesus. Next, the Pharisees will reject Jesus (Luke 11:14–54) and Jesus will teach more about the kingdom (Luke 12:1—19:27). After the travelogue, Jesus will enter Jerusalem and face crucifixion.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.