Luke 10:38-42 (II): Confessions of a Multi-tasker II

I will paraphrase the Greek text of Martha's words to Jesus. "Lord (note that she recognizes Jesus as Lord, even if she can't quite bring herself to listen to him), don't you really care if my sister has left me alone, yes alone to serve?" She is trying to manipulate Jesus' emotions by having him side with her and admit that what Mary has done to her is really a bad thing. 'She has left me to do all the heavy lifting,' so to speak. 'She has gotten the plumb position.' But then Martha will give Jesus a "helpful" way that he can get himself out of the predicament. In other words, the dynamics of conversation are fascinating because Martha is both trying to create a problem for Jesus and then solve it for him. It is like a person who shows up at our front door, tries to convince us that the windows we have in our house are faulty and then, presto, pulls out a contract we can sign to get our windows replaced by his company. He creates a problem only to claim that he can solve the problem he has created.

Martha has done the same thing. "Don't you care that I alone have to serve?" is her question. Then, before she even gives Jesus a chance to answer, she proposes a solution, "Tell her to help me." So easy. Cast your burdens on the Lord and he will sustain you. At least, that is the conversational dynamic that Martha is trying to pursue.

Jesus' Response

When I was a law professor, I used to tell my students that the key to a happy professional life was to try to clean problems off your desk and put them on other people's desks. That is, respond quickly to requests for memos; return phone calls right away and put the message on the other guy's machine, etc. If the ball is in the other person's court, you can't be responsible for anything. Or, your responsibility can only resume when it comes back to you. Now, this isn't a full panoply of advice I gave people (more below), but it is a good start.

In this case Jesus doesn't fall for Martha's desperate line. Instead of saying "I" in response to Martha, he says "you." He says, 'Martha, Martha (this twofold repetition is reminiscent of Jesus' two-fold lament over Jerusalem in 13:34), you are up tight and are preoccupied with many things.' The first verb emphasizes her inner concern, but the second verb, a hapax legomenon in the NT, stresses the outward manifestation of that concern. She is, literally, thrown into disorder. Though the second verb is only used here in the NT (thorubeo), its cognate noun is used several times by Luke to describe the civic uproar caused by the apostolic preaching. For example, when Paul and Silas were preaching in Thessalonica, they caused a division in the house. The text says:

"But the Jews became jealous, and with the help of some ruffians in the marketplaces they formed a mob and set the city in an uproar" (thorubos).

Or, after a heated series of exchanges in Ephesus, the text says, "After the uproar (thorubos) had ceased, Paul sent for his disciples" (20:1). So, the word is used to describe unrest "out there." By using the word, Jesus is saying to Martha, 'Martha, you are engaging in such inner and outer turmoil.' I have see people (as you no doubt have also) who are so intent on "cleaning up" and making the place hospitable for people that they end up disrupting the house while they are "cleaning up."

What is happening, as Jesus' words skillfully show, is that Martha's resentment has gotten the better of her. She has tried to shift the weight of this sister/sister quarrel to Jesus. Jesus refuses to take the weight, the millstone, that she would like to place around his neck. It is reminiscent of the time, also in Luke, where a certain person comes up to Jesus and says, "teacher, bid my brother to divide the inheritane with me" (12:13). That is, this person also wants to "put the burden" on Jesus to make important financial decisions in the family. Again, Jesus will have none of it.

But, I want quickly to add a brief "footnote" to this. Jesus will feel the burden of people, and he will take it on, but he just objects to people assuming that he will take it on. That is, Jesus takes on the "burden" of people's pain when he heals them. He takes on the burden of the disciples' simplicity and denseness, as he teaches them. Ultimately, according to Christian theology, he will take on the burden of the human race for the sin in us. But here Jesus refuses to be bullied.

The One Thing--Conclusion

Instead of letting Martha's weight fall on him, Jesus skillfully directs Martha's line of vision to where it should have been in the first place--her sister Mary. Jesus points to the one thing that is necessary. Rather than a multitude of tasks, only one thing is required now. What is that? Well, it is to give the kind of reception to Jesus that Mary gives. Mary helps frame the concept of hospitality in a new way. Christian hospitality doesn't consist so much in the abundance of serving but in listening at the feet of Jesus. Those who hear and do the will of God are Jesus' true kin. This part which Mary has chosen "will not be taken from her." Indeed, as we see throughout the Gospel of Luke and elsewhere, people will be offered up for sacrifice, for persecution, for all types of oppression, but the one who has chosen the better part, the part which consists of joyful and quiet listening to Jesus, will never have that part taken away.

So, what is the resultant word to us today? Don't worry so much about the multi-tasking. Focus on fewer things. Embrace the most important thing. Don't wait until you have life "worked out" or until the kids are out of college or until you are financially secure enough to have enough money to live on until you are 93. Right now is a time to hear the Word of Jesus, to sit at his feet, to focus on the one thing that will transform our lives. May you, and I, have the grace to heed that message today.

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