Daily Bible Reading 27th August 2026 // Luke 10:38-42
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
The story in these verses serves to underline and highlight some of the problems that arise in the interpretation of the parable of the Good Samaritan. It is, as we have seen, possible to misunderstand what is being said in that parable; and often the misunderstanding has been very considerable, in the sense that compassionate service for one's fellowmen is assumed to be the heart of the Christian message and the Christian Faith. Perhaps Luke saw the danger of this wrong assumption being made, and this made him record the incident now before us in such close proximity to the parable. At all events, its following immediately after it does have the effect of correcting any wrong impressions that might be formed. For it precisely presents the contrast between compassionate service and the fellowship of worship, to the detriment of the former and the vindication of the latter. This is an important and significant emphasis. J.B. Phillips, in his Introduction to 'Letters to Young Churches', makes this comment: '...Christianity is only seriously considered in many quarters because of its social implications....' Well, it is for this viewpoint that Martha stands in the story before us, as over against Mary; and it is this that received correction in Jesus' gentle rebuke to the good woman. That is thought enough for one day's meditation, and we shall continue with further considerations in tomorrow's Note.