Pentecost Week Sixteen - Day Five - We Pretend to Know So Much

Why We Pretend to Know So Much
New Testament Reading - Luke 10:38-42

We consumed the text already for this week – but I was wondering something important.

Do you realize how much of the interpretation of these five short verses are made up in your head!

Somewhere along the way, we decided we had the Mary and Martha story all figured out.

You know, Jesus visits Bethany, Martha gets busy with “much serving,” and Mary sits at His feet, listening. We might wonder where Lazarus is. Martha complains, Jesus gently corrects her, and we all nod knowingly: Yes, Martha should’ve been more like Mary.

It’s a tidy little moral, right?

Except, here’s the thing: the story itself is only five verses long. That’s it—just a brief moment tucked away in Luke 10:38-42.

And yet, somehow, we’ve managed to build entire frameworks around this story.

Sermons, debates, devotionals, “Be a Mary in a Martha World” mugs (you’ve seen them).

We’ve confidently filled in all the blanks, acting as though we know exactly what happened that day.

But do we?
 
Let’s be honest: there’s so much we don’t know about this story.

This story by Luke is so ambiguous that we do not even notice.

What is the name of the town?
Is this the same Mary and Martha from John sisters to Lazarus - who knows?

What is Martha actually doing that she is so busy?

Was she cooking a meal – or cleaning up after a meal?
 
Are they in the house, or outside?

How many people were there? Was it just Jesus, Mary, and Martha?

Did Martha ask Mary many times before to help and did Jesus hear her?

OR was Mary oblivious to Martha’s discontent?

Were their disciples there—and maybe a few neighbors?
 
Was this the biggest party this unnamed town has ever seen? Or just the three of them?

See where we just went.  We all made up a story and there are only a few truths.
Martha, Mary, and Jesus!

Why Do We Do That?
So, why do we pretend to know so much about a story that tells us so little?

This is something we do all the time, especially in modern culture. We rush to conclusions, fill in the blanks, and crave certainty.

The Real Lesson: Embracing the Mystery is part of reading the Bible and seeing it as a living story for us.

What if the story isn’t about picking sides, but about learning to hold both in balance? – Or trusting?  Or not being selfish with our time – or – whatever we need to learn this morning!

I’m going to close this today with a surprise.

Luke only tells us a nine things – but we create an entire world around five verses.  
That’s how good he is – how magnificent God is – in His word for us.

1. We know that Jesus and the disciples were on their way – somewhere. We don’t know!
2. They came upon a village where a woman named Martha invited them in. We don’t know why! We don’t know who she is.
3. Martha has a sister named Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet. We don’t know why!
4. Martha got distracted doing something – We don’t know what!
5. Martha asks Jesus his opinion of Mary’s not helping do something – we don’t know what or why!
6. Martha tells Jesus to command Mary to do something. We don’t know by what authority!
7. Jesus suggests Martha  is stressed over too much. We don’t know what!
8. Jesus tells Martha that Mary made a better choice – we don’t know what.
9. But Mary will be rewarded. – We don’t know how or why

 
We just spent a week on this text! But we all know so much!
 
Crazy, isn’t it!  Don't you love the bible!

Prayer
Gracious Lord, thank you for the mystery you put before us each day.
Let us continue to be drawn by the story you ask us to read each day.
Let us continue to see each verse as a mystery.
Lord, help us to remove our context from Your infallible word and instead let them live within us as part of Your teaching.
Thank you, Jesus, for the reminder that we are Mary and Martha and the disciples -  in every story!
In your name, we proclaim your truth.
Amen