Martha Cumbered About Much Serving - Luke 10:40

The beloved physician Luke wrote concerning Jesus and His disciples, “it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word”, and in chapter ten and verse forty of his book Luke shared how, “Martha was cumbered about much serving” where we read:

But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

The verse reads, “But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, ...” Luke began with the words, “but Martha” or “however, nonetheless, notwithstanding and moreover Martha whose name means she was rebellious” “was cumbered” which means “drawn away, driven about mentally, occupied, too busy and distracted” “about much serving” or “concerning and on account of a large and massive amount of service and ministering with the preparation and presentation of food”, “and came to him” which means “and arose and appeared to Jesus”. Luke shared how Martha was “occupied and busy” with the “preparation and presentation” of food.

The verse goes on to say, “... and said, Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.” Luke continued with the words, “and said” which means “and uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked”, “Lord” or “One to whom to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, and the title given to God the Messiah”, “do you care that my sister” which means “are you, Jesus, not concerned that Martha's female sibling” “has left me to serve alone” or “has abandoned and forsaken me, Martha, to minister, prepare and present food by my own self”. Luke shared how Martha asked Jesus whether He was concerned that her sister Mary was not helping her prepare the food.

When we think through Luke's words in this verse, we see how Martha was alone and preparing food for Jesus and His disciples. We can imagine how occupied she must have been with all the cooking, food preparation and activities involved with making a meal for so many people, and we understand how she must have been frustrated that she was doing this alone. Finally, she asked Jesus whether He was concerned that her sister “Mary” was not helping her. Martha was busy “serving and doing”, and Mary was sitting a Jesus' feet. We shall learn how Jesus answers Martha in our next verse, however for now let us understand there is a difference between “doing” and “being” with God, and those who are wise will seat themselves at the feet of God's Son Jesus, receive Him as their “Savior and Lord” and listen to Him.

Next time Luke shares how Jesus says, “Martha, Martha, you are careful and troubled about many things”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".