Wayne P.

In “Jesus through Middle-Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels,” Kenneth Bailey explains that the point of the story in Luke 10, when seen from a Middle-Eastern cultural context, is “not Martha’s need for someone to peel the potatoes,” but rather that she is “upset that her ‘little sister’ is seated with the men and has become a disciple of Rabbi Jesus.” Her request is thus (my paraphrase of what the author says) a euphemism for the deep concern that she dare not express aloud publicly regarding the disgrace that Mary has brought on the family by violating this basic norm of their culture: “What will the neighbors say? After this who will marry her?” (p. 193).

Those who see this text as encouragement for women to take time out from their housework to have their “daily devotions” have surely missed the point! It seems to me that, when understood within this cultural context, Mary really has more in common with the first woman in our age to pursue theological education (the story of Antoinette Brown is told in Stanley Grenz/Denise Muir Kjesbo’s “Women in the Church: A Biblical Theology of Women in Ministry,” on p. 59-60). In “choosing the good portion” Mary exhibited the same sort of significant courage.

When understood in this context, what Jesus is affirming – and defending and promoting – is much more significant than the typical Western reader grasps.