Luke 10:38-42
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
July 20, 2025
Are you a “Mary” or a “Martha?” Or are you as tired of this question as I am? The reductive question poses a false and unhelpful binary, while reinforcing traditional gender roles and stereotypes. I’ve used it, too – no judgment – but there is much more to discover if we start to dig beneath it.
Tradition and translations of Luke 10:38-42 place Martha in the kitchen, the room where some people think all women belong. The CEB reads, “Martha was preoccupied by getting everything ready for their meal.” In The Message, Eugene Peterson paraphrases: “Martha was pulled away by all she had to do in the kitchen.” The Greek says nothing about cooking, kitchens or food.
The Greek verb for Martha’s activity is diakonia. It’s where we get the English word “Deacon.” The word and its derivatives are used throughout the New Testament, nearly always translated as “ministry,” and usually referring to men engaged in the work of ministry. Only when it is applied to Martha is it relegated to kitchen work.
Maybe Martha was working in the kitchen. Kitchen ministry is a ministry, full stop. But in this story, it’s the less important work, minimizing Martha’s work and the value of “women’s work” overall.
If Martha’s tasks are in the kitchen, this is a rare instance of highlighting what we might now call invisible labor, or an invisible mental and emotional load. Women are much more likely to carry that work. It’s thinking through the details and taking care of logistics to make sure everything runs smoothly, and everyone’s needs are met. The weight of these assumptions, expectations and invisible loads can get very heavy, with little recognition or appreciation.
It’s easy enough to say, “Don’t worry about it,” but unless the admonishment to put down the labor is accompanied by help in carrying it, or better yet, partnership in owning the load, the dynamic continues. The expectations and invisible load are still there, now with an added side of shame for focusing on the “less important” things.
When we read Luke 10:38-42, we could hear Jesus perpetuating this cycle, chiding Martha like she is a child: “Martha, Martha!” Or we could note that this is one of just seven times in the Bible when God calls someone by repeating their name.
Just before Abraham is about to kill his son, Isaac, God says, “Abraham, Abraham!” As Jacob is on his way to Egypt, to be reunited with his favorite son, the one he had thought was dead, God calls to him, “Jacob, Jacob!” and tells him not to be afraid; God will make Jacob’s descendants a great nation. Then, “Moses, Moses!” God calls from the burning bush. God wakes the young boy Samuel from his sleep in the Temple, “Samuel, Samuel!” A little later in this gospel, we’ll hear Jesus say, “Simon, Simon!” at the Last Supper, reminding Simon Peter he has prayed for him despite Simon Peter’s forthcoming betrayal. Finally, God’s voice accompanies a blinding light: “Saul, Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
Each of these instances comes at a pivotal point in the lives of some of the most important people in our sacred stories. Each example is accompanied by a call followed by some instruction or admonishment from God. Martha is in the exceptional company of leaders chosen by God for important works of ministry. This is an extension of her call, and the teachable moment she needs to live into it.
The Message paraphrase captures the traditions and assumptions we bring to this story: “The Master said, ‘Martha, dear Martha, you’re fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing.’”
What if, instead, we go back to the Greek and the context of Scripture to hear Jesus say, “Martha, Martha: you are gifted and called to do great works of ministry, but not everything is yours to do. It’s more than any single person can do. It’s easy to get distracted or overwhelmed. When that happens, focus on love and your relationship with God and with others.”
Martha needed to learn that it’s ok to leave some things undone. She also needed to see that the work of ministry didn’t rest on her shoulders alone. That’s a flag that a realignment is needed. Unaddressed, it grows into resentment against others, which is not a great way to move through ministry or life.
There is so much to mine in this short narrative. Embrace the invitation to dig in!
Questions for reflection on Luke 10:38-42
- What assumptions or interpretations do you bring to this familiar story? How do they reflect or reinforce gender roles and dynamics? How do you think worshipers of various genders might hear the story?
- Use a resource like www.BibleGateway.com to read this short passage in at least half a dozen translations or paraphrases. Note the differences. How do they change the way the story might be heard or understood?
- How do we discern what is most important in our daily tasks, or in the work of ministry? What can we let go of? Think of the “Marthas” in your life. Are there ways you might offer support that would give them more time and space to nurture their spirit?
View the corresponding Order of Worship for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost.
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