Most of us are familiar with the story in Luke of Mary and Martha. I can say that every teaching I’ve heard on Mary and Martha went something like this: “Martha shows us how anxiety and stress over household responsibilities can take our eyes off of Jesus. Mary chose to forego her household responsibilities to spend time with Jesus, and that’s what we need to choose too. While true, that Jesus is to be our priority and I agree 100% – at the same time we’ve missed a very important cultural shift that took place and empowered women. Jesus doesn’t see women as second class citizens or less than men in the Kingdom of God.

In Luke 10:38-42:

38Now as they went on their way, Jesusd entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42but one thing is necessary.e Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

In Luke 10, we read that Jesus entered the house of Martha, and “she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.” To sit at the feet of a rabbi meant you were a disciple of that rabbi.[1] Luke says Martha was “distracted by all the preparations.” This isn’t about Martha wanting help cutting the vegetables or setting the table. In her Middle Eastern culture, she is upset over the fact that her sister is seated with the men and has become a disciple. And Martha is horrified! Indignant, Martha appeals to Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself?” In other words, “Don’t you care that she’s not staying in her place…in the kitchen….rather than out here with the men?” But Jesus says that Mary has chosen the good and it won’t be taken from her. Jesus defends Mary’s choice to be his disciple, sit at his feet, and learn. He affirms her decision to go against culture, step outside her expected role, and do that which was culturally viewed as a “man’s place.”

According to N.T. Wright, a New Testament scholar, Mary sat at Jesus’ feet in the male part of the house, not in the back rooms with the other women.

He goes on to say that when Mary sat at the Master’s feet, this phrase did not mean what it would mean today because she had “cut clean across one of the most basic social conventions.” It is a sign of your “studentship” when you sit at your teacher’s feet, taking in the wisdom and learning of the teacher. [2]

As a student, it was a given that you would not just study for the purpose of informing yourself, but also to be a teacher, a rabbi, when you were studying. He goes on to say that he doubts any 1st century reader would have missed the point. This is why Wright believes so many women held positions of leadership, initiative and responsibility in the early church. See Romans chapter 16 for a list of names.

It has been emphasized for years that Martha’s busyness is not the best example to follow – but Mary was being allowed to sit and learn at the feet of her Rabbi – to become educated so she could then teach others! That was a huge shift towards women being given more opportunity in that ancient culture.

Another example we can refer back to is when Jesus appeared to women as His first resurrected encounter. Despite women being deemed unreliable witnesses in ancient court proceedings, Jesus chooses them to bear witness to the greatest miracle of all.

Next time you hear about Mary making the better choice over Martha, remember that back in those days – women did not have the same privileges as men. So Jesus allowing Mary to sit at His feet while teaching, was Him designating Mary as His student – to sit at His feet was an honor, previously reserved only for men.

The purpose of this blog is to illustrate that God has created both men and women to work together in harmony to advance His kingdom. The very important position of Mary at the feet of the Master is often overlooked. There is a tendency for teachers/preachers to emphasize Mary’s decision to do what was best — she was “listening to His words, sitting at His feet.” (Luke 10:39). Our primary purpose in life is to love God, so we must spend time with Him by praying, reading, and obeying His word. That is absolutely true! In Martha’s house, however, there was something significant happening… something that isn’t typically discussed in this passage. A major cultural shift that is often overlooked is the fact that by sitting at Jesus’ feet, who was a Rabbi in that Jewish culture, Christ recognized Mary as His student, an important shift in a tradition where women were not traditionally educated.

[1] Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008) 192

[2] N.T. Wright, Surprised by Scripture, New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2014

-Jen ❤