Luke 10:42 One Thing

Few things can be boiled down to one thing, but this is what Jesus seems to be doing here in this passage:

Luke 10:41,42 ⁴¹ But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled/distracted about many things; ⁴² but one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Some English Bibles say that a few things are necessary, but really only one.  If you try to read all the reasons why one reading is better than the other, your head will start to hurt.  The reading I have above is the modern consensus of the best text.

Martha had welcomed Jesus into her home.  No mention is made of the disciples.  They don’t seem to be there.  Martha was bustling about, trying to be a good host, but her sister, Mary, just sat at Jesus’ feet and let Him teach her.

Martha started to get annoyed that she was doing all the work, and her sister just sat there with their guest.

So she decides to speak up.  Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work.  Tell her to help out a bit.

And this is where our verse comes in.

Jesus repeats Martha’s name when He addresses her.  Martha, Martha.  We do that when we very gently want to correct somebody.  Jesus didn’t actually say that Martha was wrong.  He wants to show her a better way, but He does refer to her work as worrying, (unduly) concerned, being distracted, troubled.

And what is this better way?

Literally, sitting at the feet of Jesus hearing His Word.

Now some people will understand this as Bible study.  Spending a lot of time reading and studying the Bible.  I don’t think that’s what He’s saying.

I use a lot of books as reference where their authors do Bible study for a living.  I learn a lot from them, but it’s the difference between a scientist and nutritionist describing my dinner in terms of chemicals that my body will process in various ways and actually eating the meal.

Bible study becomes Bible study; we’re working to understand the text better, but there is always that next step where we see what difference that makes in our lives.  Bible study can be done like an archaeologist who looks at ancient writings and tries to decipher them.  It’s very easy to get caught up in the meaning of words and how verses connect to each other that we fail to make the final step where the Word touches our hearts.

When Jesus gave the Great Commission to His disciples, and by extension to us, He told them/us to make disciples of all the nations by baptizing people and teaching them to observe whatsoever He has commanded us.  He didn’t tell them to teach them the Bible.  He specifically mentions His own words. 

Why?

When we read the Words of Jesus, He constantly tells us to do things.  When you just read the Bible, you can read chapters and chapters and never once be told to do anything.  Like here where He tells Martha/us to stop worrying about so much stuff and spend time with Him.  Today that would mean reading the gospels a lot but also being attentive to that still soft voice that He still uses to speak to us.

That’s the one necessary thing.

Yes, I will tell you over and over to learn the Bible.  When you know the Bible, you will see the parallels between your life and the Bible constantly, and it will give you direction on how to live your life. 

But then the Pharisees were Bible scholars as well and missed the whole point of it.

I think a special emphasis on the life and words of Jesus can keep that from happening.