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February 1931 V. 39. A sister called Mary. Six wo men of this name are mentioned in the New Testament, j Sat at the Lord’s feet. This was the proper attitude of a learner. The word “also” implies that she had joined Martha at first in welcoming Him and in preparing for His entertainment in the home, but had later sat down to have fellowship with Him and to listen to His teaching. V. 40. Cumbered about much serving. The margin reads “was distracted.” Godet suggests that it wa$ “a distraction at once external and moral.” It is the picture of a housewife who is eager to honor a guest and is feverishly drawn this way and that way by the many duties she sees before her. She came up to him. Here again the Greek is interesting. It sug gests that she rushed up to Him with feverish excitement. Dost thou not care? She even dared to reproach the Lord and charge Him with indifference. Did leave me to serve. This again implies that Mary had been serving, but had ceased in order to have a time of fellowship with Christ. Bid her . . . help me. Martha dared to command her Lord. The word translated “help” is very striking. It sig nifies “lay hold together with me.” The same word is used (Rom. 8:26) to de scribe how the Holy Spirit joins His help with our infirmity. V. 41. Martha, Martha. The repeti tion of the name was for emphasis. Jesus was about to administer a rebuke. A nx ious and troubled. According to Godet, the first word “refers to moral preoccu pation,” an inward state of mind; the latter, “to external agitation.” Many things. These “many things” included her duties as a housekeeper and perhaps especially the preparation of the meal for the unexpected Guest. V. 42. One thing is needful. Some commentators have taken this to mean that one article of food for the table was meant. It’ seems more logical to make it refer to the one important thing in life; that is, to have a supreme interest in the things of the kingdom of heaven. Time and strength must often be expend ed in the practical duties which are nec essary for the care of the body, but every Christian should, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.” Mary hath chosen. The “good part” which Mary chose was evidently the “one thing” which Jesus declared tp be needful. The Master refused to reprove, but rather commended her. Shall not be taken away. Note that Jesus did no t’condemn Mar tha’s service. He rebuked only her dis traction and fault finding. He did not permit her to snatch away from Mary the “good part.” II. The Enemies at Jerusalem (11:42-46; 52-54). V. 42. Woe unto you Pharisees. The Pharisees were the strictest sect of the Jews. They demanded the most careful observance of the letter of the law. That in itself would have been proper, had they not also demanded the strict observ ance of the superstitious and burdensome rules and regulations which they had added .to the law. Politically, they were inveterate foes of Rome. Their populari ty was partly due to this patriotic spirit. It was, therefore, dangerous to oppose the Pharisees, as Jesus did so frankly and so deliberately. Ye tithe mint. The simi lar passage in Matthew (23:23) differs slightly, but the lesson is the same. The
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V. 53. When he was come out. That is; after He had left the house of the Pharisee where the incidents just de scribed took place. The scribes and the Pharisees. Each group had pressed upon Him independently; now they combined in their attacks. Press upon him vehe mently. This was doubtless both by words and by acts. Provoke him to speak. They sought to draw Him out by rapid-fire questions on many different subjects. Their motive comes out in the next clause. V. 54. Laying wait for him. They pre pared questions which they hoped would involve Him in some statement which could be counted heretical or unpatriotic. The various parties in Israel were con stantly wrangling with one another, and if He were to seem to take sides with one group, He would lose the favor of the others. * * * L esson Q uestions 10:38. To what place were Jesus and the disciples probably going? Into what village did they enter? Into whose house did they come ? Who were the mem bers of the household? For what reason, probably, is Martha mentioned first? V. 39. How many women named Mary are mentioned in the New Testament? What does Mary’s position “at the Lord’s feet” suggest as to her disposition? Does the word “also” imply that she had been assisting her sister in the household du ties? For what purpose was she sitting “at the Lord’s feet” ? V. 40. What is said about Martha? What is the meaning of the word “cum bered” ? In what manner and spirit did she come up to Jesus? Did she reprove Him? Did she also rebuke her sister? Had Mary done wrong? V. 41. Do you think that the Lord answered Martha harshly or kindly? Did He rebuke her? What did He say to her ? What is the difference between the words “anxious” and “troubled” ? V. 42. How much did Jesus say was needful? What was the “one thing” to which He referred? What had Mary chosen? Is it important to make choice of the best that God offers? Was Martha permitted to take away from Mary what she had chosen? Can any one take away from the Christian his fellowship with Jesus Christ? 11:42. Who were the Pharisees? Were they accustomed to pronounce woe upon those who did not follow their precepts? Were they held in high esteem as religious men? Did Jesus run any risk as to pub lic esteem by pronouncing woe upon them ? How did He describe their regulations about tithing? Did He say it was wrong to give a tithe? What had they failed to do ? Had they failed to put first things first? V. 43. What charge against the Phari sees was next made? Are pride arid love of preeminence dangerous? How may a Christian show himself great in the sight of God (cf, John 13:14, 15; Phil. 2:5-8) ? How had the Pharisees shown their pride ? V. 44. To what did Jesus next liken the Pharisees ? Under the law, would one be defiled by contact with a tomb? Did Jesus mean to imply that the Phari sees were inwardly wicked and polluted and that they polluted those whom they touched ?
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Pharisees demanded a scrupulous obser vance of the minutest demands of the law. This was not in itself improper. Pass over justice. The Pharisees did not rec ognize and maintain the right proportion between the great principles of the law and its requirements in smaller details. Jesus did not condemn but rather com mended the Jaw of the tithe. But He re quired a proper emphasis upon the higher things of the soul. Oppression and in justice were practiced by the Pharisees while they were most careful about minor matters. V. 43. Love the chief seats. In every synagogue there was a platform upon which the most highly honored men sat. The Pharisees expected always to be giv en these “chief seats” as a special mark of honor. Salutations in the market places. Honorary titles were given to these learned teachers, and they demand ed that there should be due recognition of their dignity. V. 44. Ye are as the tombs. Matthew has a similar passage (23:27) which re fers to the sepulchres as “whited”—out wardly beautiful but inwardly corrupt. In Luke they are simply referred to as being unseen; so that men might uncon sciously become defiled by walking upon them. One lesson apparently is that the inward pollution of the Pharisees was concealed under a fair exterior of relig ion, and that those who came in contact with them became defiled. V. 45. One of the lawyers. In some cases, the lawyers were members of the Pharisaic party (cf. Matt. 22:35). They were teachers of the law. It is some times difficult to differentiate between them and the scribes. Reproachest us al so. The Pharisees and lawyers were so much alike that Christ by condemning one condemned the other. V. 46. Woe unto you lawyers also. They are charged not with moral offenses but with adding to the law many ceremon ial requirements which were but com mandments of men. Burdens grevious to be borne. The weight of ceremonialism which they added to the law was beyond the power of any to bear. None but the learned were able even to know what the requirements were. Yourselves touch not. They utterly failed to obey their own precepts. This made their oppression of the people the more cruel. V. 52. Took away the key o f knowl edge. The “key” was the symbol of the office of the lawyer and the scribe. Knowledge is represented under the fig ure of a temple. These teachers should have. led the people into this temple of knowledge; but, instead, they closed the door and withheld from them the key. That is, they reserved to themselves the right to interpret the Scriptures, and their interpretations, instead of revealing God, prevented Israel from beholding Him.
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