Name: Jenna Bennett
Date: 2/24/2020
Section: BIBL 104-B54
Studying the Gospels
Passage: Luke 10:38-42
Instructions:
For this assignment, you will be studying a story from the Gospels. More specifically, you will
be studying Jesus encounter with Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42. You will use the template
below in order to complete a study of this passage. In your study, you will use the skills of
Observation, Interpretation, Correlation, and Application that you have become familiar with
through your reading in Everyday Bible Study.
I. Observation
A. I have read Luke 10:38-42 in both a formal translation (KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV, or CSB)
and a functional translation (NIV, NLT, or NCV). Highlight the correct answer. You will
find a copy of the NASB, ESV, CSB, and NLT in your myWSB Library.
oYes
oNo
B. Identify the basic elements of the story you are studying
1. Main characters: (List them)
Jesus, Martha, & Mary.
2. Plot: (50-100 words)
When visiting the home of His friends, Martha and Mary, Jesus teaches an important
lesson in prioritizing our worries. Martha, busy and heavily burdened with
preparations for her guests, becomes frustrated with her sister who has chosen to
abandon her duties of helping her sister and traded them for a place of attentively
listening at Jesus’s feet. Martha asks Jesus to instruct Mary to do what she believes is
more important, however, Jesus lovingly shows her that her many worries are not
necessary, and that Mary has already chosen the one thing of importance.
3. Story structure: (50-100 words)
Introduction:
Jesus and his disciples continue to make their way into Jerusalem as they come into the
home of Martha and Mary in the village of Bethany.
Inciting incident:
Martha welcomes them into her home graciously and begins to prepare food for her
guests.
Rising action:
Mary, however, chooses to stay at Jesus’s feet to pay close attention to His teachings,
though her sister expects her help.
Climax:
Martha, being very frustrated, confronts Jesus to ask Him if He cares she is having to do
all the work on her own. She also asks Him to tell her to come and help out.
Falling Action:
Jesus answers her with care and love as He gently reminds her that though she is worries
about many things, only few are needed.
Resolution: He tells Martha that Mary has chosen the one important thing and that it will
not be taken away from her.
C. List basic observations about this passage using the “Key Question” for observation.
Remember to consult the list of items from the observation section in studying the
Gospels in Chapter 36. This will help you be more detailed in your answers to “who,”
“what,” “where,” “when,” “why,” and “how.”
1. Who:
Jesus
Martha
Mary
Jesus’ Disciples
2. What:
In 1st century Israel, hospitality was a very strong element of Hebrew culture. It was
not only an expectation, but a commandment from God to welcome strangers and
travelers into the home and provide for their needs. The daily meals were prepared by
the women of the household and were more lavish than usual if guests were in
attendance. It would have been very out of the ordinary for a woman in the host’s
family to simply be sitting instead of catering to her guests.
3. Where: The village of Bethany, which lies on the south-eastern slope of the Mount of
Olives, about two miles east from Jerusalem. Specifically, the home of Martha and her sister
Mary.
4. When: After Jesus delivered His parable about The Good Samaritan. As He traveled
toward Jerusalem and came through the village of Bethany.
5. Why: Jesus ultimately wanted Martha to live out her fullest potential… which was
much more than simply preparing food and providing hospitality. He valued her willingness to
do those things but wanted her company and attention more so she would gain understanding of
the ways of Heaven.
6. How:
How is love best shown?
We, as did Martha, sometimes believe the best way to show our love to God and to family
is to do busy work. We believe we can prove our love by actions, but sometimes the best
way is to just sit quietly, to listen and learn.
II. Interpretation
A. Determine the author’s main point. In 1-2 paragraphs (100-400 words) explain what you
think the author is trying to communicate in this passage. Remember to take into
consideration that this passage includes a conversation that Jesus has with Martha. Thus,
this passage is both showing and telling us something.
Luke, being the only gospel to include Jesus’ exchange with these two sisters, calls into
the light Jesus’ care and compassion for all people… regardless of gender, social status,
or expected societal duties. Jesus much preferred both sisters to be freed from their
worries and burdens and to gain the valuable knowledge of the Kingdom of Heaven than
to wait on Him hand and foot.
“Martha, Martha” and “My dear Martha” are the words Jesus used to respond to her, even
when she was surely using a harsher tone with Him. This demonstrates His perfect love
for us, even when we fall short of understanding His ways… even when we speak to Him
out of something other than love. His words to us are always perfect love.
B. Based on your answer above, write out one principle from this passage. You should be able
to express this principle in 1-3 sentences.
No matter our worries, workload, what people expect of us, or even what we expect of
ourselves… we should always have time to sit at Jesus’s feet.
III. Correlation
A. How does this passage from Luke’s Gospel fit within the metanarrative of the Bible? State
what type of story you believe this to be (creation, fall, redemption, or new creation) and
explain why you believe this to be so. Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200
words) in length.
The old ways… worries, business, expectations of perfection… all of it passed away
when Jesus was born into this world. He began to establish His new creation even before
His sacrifice on the cross or His resurrection. This was a lesson on what holds value and
importance in His new kingdom. Rather than ritual… relationship. Hospitality… heart.
Food and drink… friendship and devotion. The things Martha had concerned herself with
held little relevance in this new order Jesus had established on the earth. Love was the
only important thing left and there were entirely new opportunities for her to show it.
B. How does your principle from Luke 10:38-42 fit with the rest of the Scripture? This
principle is the one you have written out in 1-3 sentences in the Interpretation section. If
your principle is a true Biblical principle it will be reflected throughout the
Scriptures. Where is the principle discovered in this Old Testament narrative found
elsewhere in the Scriptures? Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200 words) in
length.
Jesus explained to us many times that what He desired from us was not ritualistic and
burdensome… in fact, in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and
burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am
gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and
my burden is light.” Similarly, in 1 Peter 5:7, we are instructed to “cast” all of our
worries, cares, and anxiety upon Him, because He cares for us. He is willing to take upon
Himself all of our burdens to lighten our load… to allow us to simply sit at His feet and
listen to Him, and to grow in our relationship with Him.
C. How does this passage from Luke’s Gospel reflect the person and work of Jesus Christ?
State and explain at least one way that the principle of this passage identifies something
of the person and work of Jesus Christ. Your explanation should be 1 paragraph (100-200
words) in length.
Jesus concerned Himself more with individual people than with traditions and
expectations, or even rules. He befriended those who were outcasts and unclean
according to Jewish society. He saw past their shortcomings, disabilities, or sins and into
their hearts and their potential of understanding the ways of Heaven. In the case of
Sabbath, Jesus knew His Father’s intent for the day had nothing to do with turning away
people in need of healing or letting people go hungry… it was simply about dedicating
time to rest and worship God. Including the stories of Mary and Martha among the many
stories about Jesus’s interactions with women proves He paid no attention to the society’s
treatment of women as second-class citizens. While most Jewish men seldom spoke,
touched, or allowed women to touch them for fear of breaking rules of purity, Jesus
engaged them in thoughtful conversations, allowed them places of honor at His feet, and
embraced them with love during their moments of greatest need. Breaking traditions, for
Kingdom purposes, was a key theme of the life of Jesus.
IV. Application
What points of application can be made using the Four Questions for Application? State and
explain 1 point of application for each of these four questions. Your explanation for each of
these points should be 1 paragraph (100-200 words) in length.
A. The question of duty
In this story, Martha thought that her duty, as well as Mary’s was to serve and to be hospitable.
However, Jesus had a greater duty for them both… the privilege and honor of sitting still at His
feet to listen to His teachings. We should always reevaluate what we understand our duty to be…
perhaps God is calling us to something greater. If so, we should follow His lead wholeheartedly,
even if we fail to see how the new task is going to be more beneficial than our previous. Our
duties are God-given, not dictated by the customs of this world.
B. The question of character
In Mary, we see an excellent example of someone who just ‘gets’ what it means to follow Christ.
We’d all like to think we’d instantaneously be a “Mary” in a Jesus moment. We all aspire to be
fully in the moment with God in our Bible studies and prayer, as well as connecting with people
as Jesus would in our community outreach projects. However, it’s all too easy to be a
“Martha”… in Bible study and prayer, we can be too ambitious and seek out our desired
outcomes so we’ll feel productive and as if we’ve accomplished something great in the time
we’ve set aside… but sometimes its just turning over that time to Him to do with as He wishes
that will bring about the most meaningful experiences. In community outreach, just like Martha,
sometimes we aspire to meet every need and serve others fully… but is God calling us to just
choose one individual to sit and talk with? We may not realize that our simple one-on-one
moments with an individual may make more of a Kingdom difference than 10,000 meals
distributed to the multitudes.
C. The question of goals
As previously mentioned in the question of character, the question of our goals follows similarly.
In this story, both Martha and Mary have worthwhile goals with good heart and reasoning.
However, it is when Martha publicly calls out her sister’s goal and intentions in front of Jesus
and His disciples that her goal becomes less Kingdom based. We should always be careful not to
judge other’s goals or to think ours our better or more important than theirs. We may not see
how, but their goals may be what Jesus has in mind for us, and what He would say is “the right
choice.”
D. The question of discernment
It is by sitting at His feet that we can discern the path for our lives. Our busyness and chaos, even
in the best of intentions, leaves little or no room for the question of discernment in our lives. But
quiet, attentive, reflective time with our Savior is when we will gain peace and understanding.
Sometimes, we are afraid of what we will discover about ourselves when we open ourselves up
for the Holy Spirit to be our mirror, sometimes we keep busy to avoid it. Perhaps this is a reason
why Martha kept herself busy rather than listening to the Master’s teachings. But what He shows
us, He does in love… and He gives us the peace to move forward and make necessary changes in
our lives when we reach the end of our quiet time at His feet.
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