Daily Bible Reading 28th 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.”
It is clear that Mary and Martha stand as contrasts and complements to each other; and this is one of the things that lead to the story being misconstrued and misinterpreted. It is often said - and out of context it may fairly be said, if we are thinking in general terms - that if Martha had had more of Mary's attitude, and Mary more of Martha's, both would have been much better women. But here, on this occasion, this is not the interpretation that Jesus put upon the situation: Mary's attitude was commended, Martha's gently but firmly rebuked. And we are best to think with Jesus in this, rather than with any general moralising. Of course, it is not good when someone neglects the chores when they need to be done - this is not in dispute. But let two things be said: for one thing, Mary had not neglected her duties - the 'also' in 39 seems to make this clear; for another thing, Martha was not only serving, she was 'cumbered' with it, and in a state of distraction. It had assumed for her an importance and a preoccupation which had excluded other, more important things. And Mary was not prepared to allow the more important things to be excluded. She 'sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word'.
And of this situation, Jesus said, 'One thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.' This is the heart and crux of the story, as it is the heart and crux of the Christian gospel. The picture we have here is that of a woman at worship, in fellowship with the Son of God. Mary was probably not theologically minded, but her attitude demonstrates the ultimate essence of the Christian experience. We are made for fellowship with God - this is the purpose of creation - made in the image of God, and one of the things this means is that we cannot be ourselves by ourselves, but only in fellowship with Him. This is what Mary's attitude embodies and illustrates. It is not surprising, therefore, that Jesus so commended it.