The Better Part

This article originally appeared as a Faithoughts in the Faith Lutheran Church of Homewood's newsletter of July 31, 2025.

This thought is based on Luke 10:38-42, Jesus’s visit to Martha and Mary, the Gospel lesson for July 20th.

Jesus visits the sisters Martha and Mary. Mary joins the conversation with Jesus, leaving Martha to contend with the burdens of hospitality for herself. Martha becomes exasperated, and asks Jesus to send Mary back to help. Jesus declines, “Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

This is my take on the lesson.

Roman-era Jewish society was strongly patriachal, which is to say, a society controlled by men. The status of women was scarcely better than lifestock. A woman without a male protector — usually a father or husband — was in danger of being taken by whoever wanted her. She was under her protector’s control, with no agency of her own. 

There are those who think that if the Bible, and especially the New Testament, describes a particular social arrangement as common among the Jews, it affirms it. In particular, the cultures (Jewish, Roman, and Greek) that Jesus addressed directly were in varying degrees patriachal. Many American Christian Churches have a strong pro-patriarchy message. But Jesus was not sent into the world to condemn or affirm it, but to save it, and saving it requires changing it. I read this lesson as an anti-patriachy proof text.

Martha in this text appears as someone reconciled to the role assigned to her by the patriachal system in which she lives. The system requires her to provide food and drink for her guests, and prevents her from joining in their conversation. Mary breaks from patriarchal expectations and joins the conversation around Jesus. Martha, in her exasperation breaking slightly from the “speak only when spoken to” expectation of those lower in caste in any social system, asks Jesus be the patriachy’s enforcer, denying Mary her agency, sending her back to the kitchen. Jesus refuses, granting Mary the right to her own agency. “Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.” 

How different the words and actions of Jesus are from those of many who claim to speak in his name!