Blogging toward Sunday

By William H. Willimon
Amos 8:1-12, Luke 10:38-42
Sunday, July 22

The gospel gets domestic as Jesus—who is homeless, without a job, traveling from place to place, and looking for a free meal—intrudes into the home of two unmarried women.

Wonder of wonders, they welcome this itinerant rabbi into the inner sanctum of their home. Once again Jesus is breaking the boundaries, pushing at the limits; once again there are a few who are willing to risk welcoming and hosting this Jesus. After all, it’s invariably a discomforting experience when he pushes his way into your living room or your kitchen. When one dares to welcome Jesus as a guest, things get surprising.

As soon as he has settled in on the sofa he assumes his usual confrontational style. He has the nerve to criticize Martha for her work in the kitchen even as she is trying to fix him a meal. Then he praises Mary for choosing the “better part,” namely taking the role of student—not a traditional role for women. He is turning everything upside down.

On his way to his costly work in Jerusalem, Jesus has paused for an evening with these two women. Whatever work he is doing, he has decided to do that work with the two of them. He disrupts the home—a place of refuge, retreat and renewal. Then he claims the home—where two women work and care for the needs of each other—as space where he cares for them. He seeks out, speaks to and instructs women, who are often relegated to the private space of the home, confined within the boundaries of domesticity. He treats them as full-fledged disciples, giving them himself and his teaching without reserve.

I’m confident that Luke means this to be a story that reveals much about Jesus’ nature and his mission. Still, the story also has implications for us. To be a disciple of Jesus, one must not only leave the dead to bury the dead and move out without regard to the folks back home (last Sunday’s gospel) but also be willing to risk, to open one’s door, sometimes in the middle of the night, and let Jesus into the living room.

For this Sunday then, here’s a definition of a Christian disciple: A Christian is anyone with the guts to open his door and let Jesus in, to listen to Jesus even when he criticizes the way the Christian spends his time. A Christian is anyone willing to be mystified by Jesus, to stay with Jesus, and to let Jesus work within him.

William H. Willimon is a United Methodist bishop in Birmingham, Alabama, and author of United Methodist Beliefs: A Brief Introduction (Abingdon).

Comments

[Jo Locklair]

I think Bishop Willimon is way off on this one. He has not done much exegesis on the passage. He has made too little of it. It is a profound text which balances Jesus' instruction to the lawyer in the preceding pericope. The two texts must be interpreted together in Luke to receive his full message. Willimon has not considered the text within its literary context at all.

[Chris Ehrlich]

I agree with the response to Bishop Wilimons blog on Luke 10:38-42. This is a passage that is directly connected to the passage before it,in reference to the lawyer and the Good Samaritan. It is about putting Jesus first and Mary was putting first things first with Jesus. He was critical of Martha but trying to help her see that Mary was doing what all disciples should do - to spend time - intimate time with Jesus putting first our relationship with the divine rather than making the mission.

[Tom Cheatham]

I agree with the other two comments. Willimon is way off the mark. This text is about the balance between action and renewal that every disciple needs. Only by ripping it from its context as the pericope following the story of the Good Samaritan can Willimon do such a stunning job of eisegesis on the text.

[paul grant]

willimans interp. gives me a fresh sense of the disruptive presence of Jesus. it works for me.

[Eldon]

I would agree that this passage is part of the entire chapter 10 in Luke that looks at discipleship. Being a disciple requires both a sense of action and reflection. This passage presents a contrast to Jesus telling the lawyer to go and do. We need to take time to listen to Jesus before we go forth.

[Joe Sellepack]

I think that Willamon, as far as the textual aspects of the greater literary unit is concerned, is right on. This whole chapter is about breaking social taboo and boundaries, calling into question the social mores of a culture that values propriety and safe religion over the boundary shaking, movement of the Kingdom of God. How can the rich young ruler, the good samaritan, or even this passage be understood in any other way? Sure you can spiritualize it, make it into some gnostic prefabrication, or reduce it to some quaint morality, but is that what Jesus would do? And is that what would lead to Jesus' death?

[Ignis Spiritus]

Contrary to Willimon and Chris, as I read the passage, Jesus is not critical of Martha. In fact, he makes no comment until invited to do so by Matha's comments. Then Jesus goes on to instruct and redirect Martha's focus, not to criticize with all the negative implications attached.

[rufus]

I like Willimon's comment. It's not exhaustive exegesis but it provokes thought. Ignis Spiritus makes a good point too. Maybe Martha liked to cook, clean house. It made her feel good. She is like my wife, who likes to cook.

[Dawn]

"Domestic, itinerant" - what a play on words! "Welcome and hosting" fit well with the sense of the Genesis 18:1-10 reading. I appreciate Bishop Williamon's fresher approach to a Gospel reading so familiar I tend to make it about us or a domesticated Jesus. Would I welcome someone disrupting my world view?

[Bo Townsend]

I find it interesting that there are some who disagree with Willimon. Do we sit at the feet of others to gain from their wisdom like Mary did with Jesus, or do we insist on getting things exactly right like Martha at the expense of maybe hearing something worth while?

[Mad Monk]

That definition of a Christian makes this blog entry a gem.

[Vern Geurkink]

What about the possibility that it's really mostly about Martha's struggle. She's torn between 2 opposing forces. On the one hand the culture prescribes that, having opened her home to him, she must provide hospitality to her guest. On the other hand, this is no ordinary guest, and she is drawn by the same attraction that tugs at Mary, namely the daring possibility of being a disciple at the feet of the Master. So torn is she, and at odds with her own heart's desire, that she erupts into angry frustration. So Jesus notes how torn she is, and blesses her with the freedom to choose, like Mary had so daringly chosen, the better part.

[Leslie Merlin]

Siblings at war again. No wonder the people of God can't make peace - we can't even manage in our own closest relationships.
Much like the lawyer who couldn't bring himself to say "the Samaritan" was the good guy neighbor, but could only choke out, "the one who showed him mercy." Martha can't even whisper to her sister, "hey! come in the kitchen and help me!" She's furious and wants to point out to Jesus that she's the good one, Mary's a shirker. Martha doesn't want to sit at Jesus' feet - she wants Mary to do what SHE wants her to do. Sounds like a family - or a church.

[Joe Hamby]

Refreshing "take" on a story that too often falls on tired ears like mine. Thank you, Bishop Willimon.

[Jane E]

I wasn't sure whether I agreed with Willimon's "take" on this story either, but the postings here have opened my thinking to consider his perspective. What bothered me most about his posting was that he ended it, in the last paragraph, by referring to Christians in the male gender. It's a sad way to end a story about a woman who owned her own house (Martha) and a woman who was permitted, like men were, to sit at Jesus' feet and learn from him (Mary).

The commentary from Vern really moved me, and I will make use of it, with due credit, in my sermon.

[Scott B. Martin]

It seems to me this passage is about the authority of Jesus and our appeal to it. Martha does not speak to Mary directly but seeks to "use" Jesus to get her way. In some ways the church, liberal or conservative, orthodox or heretical and everything in between has continued to try and "use" Jesus to get its way. Could it be that the message of this passage is to seek Jesus' way, which none of us can every fully grasp?

[Paul R. Beck - PA]

Jesus was hosted by someone every day of his adult ministry until the night before he was arrested and executed. The one night he rents a hall and plays host, they came and took him away.

[Jennifer M. Ginn]

Like some others, I am moved by Willimon's image of letting Jesus into the living room. It seems to me that both Mary and Martha have significant roles to play in this event, Mary's being one of listening and Martha's one of serving. The better part for each of them is to do the thing that brings her joy, the thing she is "gifted" to do. Jesus calls Martha down not because she hasn't taken time to come listen to him, but because she has not recognized her own gift and used it joyfully. By grousing about Mary's indifference to her work in the kitchen, Martha has spoiled her own pleasure, undercut the significance of her service, and disrupted the rhythm of the two sisters moving as family and partners in welcoming Jesus into their home. The better part may well be the part God has gifted each of us to play, and to make the best choice is to play that part with joy.

[rick brand]

In a discussion of this text we had alot of questions about how large the group might have been. In the context of Ch. 10 there were the 70 who went out and came back in. The passage here says "they" and so we could imagine a whole gang of people in the living room, and Martha having a very legitimate complaint about having to do all the work for the meal for 20,30 people with no help. The imagination is wonderful. How many people do you think were in that room?

[Harry G.]

This particular take by Bishop Willimon is, I am sure, only one take among many that he has had during his preaching and teaching career. It would do us well to remember that lectionary readings are multi-faceted. They most often offend us where we need to be offended. But I think Willimon is right in that the story is about Jesus, not necessarily about Mary and Martha. Jesus is the actor in this drama. We, along with Mary and Martha are the ones upon whom Jesus acts. Jesus comes into our lives shakes things up. For us, there is a time to listen, and a time to "Go and do likewise." But if we busy ourselves with many distractions, we may not be prepared for service. And if we are resentful, where is the joy in that service?

[Paul S.]

I think the first three comments are, ironically, the ones guilty of eisegesis. What they are "reading into the text" is their dogged insistence that this passage when read with the Good Samaritan passage has only one possible meaning. Amazingly, they know exactly what Luke intended! Really, these folks haven't shown themselves to be particularly good exegetes at all...only that they've read the New Interpreter's Bible. Willimon went with what grabbed him about the text. Then he made connections throughout Luke's Gospel. Then he tries to help us "get grabbed" in the same way. Makes for interesting preaching, I think.

[Greg I-M]

I'm interested in how many of the posts "take sides," whether WW is right or wrong. I think this is a huge dynamic in the text, too: two sisters seek Jesus' approval over against each other. Which side will Jesus take? (Actually Mary doesn't verbalize wanting Jesus' approval, but we easily assume she wanted it.) I am troubled by the text: rather than extending grace to both, or refusing to take sides, Jesus accepts the terms of the struggle as Martha has presented it, naming one of them right and the other wrong. That troubles me; why doesn't Jesus reframe it first?

[Ellie]

As I read through all of the comments, I wasa suddenly struck with a voice saying, "But, Father, you never killed a fatted calf for me!" Maybe the story is about the comparisons we make and who Jesus loves best. (Someone else already said that). And I also think about the meetings at church that follow a dinner. A couple people will almost always disappear into the kitchen and miss the best part of the event. I hope that Martha immediately left her kitchen duties and sat on the other side of Jesus. Maybe she heard what the father said the dutiful son and decided to join the celebration. Is it so much "what" we do? Or is it about attitude?

[WTS]

Presence. Perhaps life is about presence, not what we do or think. A Zen teacher once told me, "Emptiness is being present with whatever or whomever one encounters." Perhaps when Jesus invites us into discipleship it is an invitation to be present like that (empty of all else, not distracted) ... as he was present ... as God is present. Perhaps it is a call to be present with the Word and water and bread and wine and our neighbor--maybe even in our spouse and family--and so find Jesus, God's presence in them all. Martha seems not to have been present in her service--she was distracted by many things. That's what brother Willimon brought to mind for me.