She chose what was better
For a woman of the ancient Near East to ask a man, her guest, to get involved in a sisterly argument was surely frowned upon. Therefore, Martha must have been very upset with Mary in order to interrupt Jesus and bring it to his attention. It was more than just about neglecting her household duties, Mary stepped outside of her acceptable social role by sitting at Jesus’ feet- a place reserved for men. This is a challenge not only to Martha’s role as head of the house, but to her very role as a woman and the work that would give her significance in society. What a shock it must have been for Martha to hear Jesus’ reply, that Mary chose what was better! Yet- Jesus isn’t suggesting that household tasks are worthless, or wrong. No, it’s just that spending time with him is of greater importance. It’s as if Jesus is implying that a person’s identity is not defined by worldly standards and expectations. A person’s identity is wrapped up in being in relationship with Jesus. When one experiences him, priorities and standards are challenged. Viewpoints and understanding of social structures are readjusted.
Mary must have had a secure understanding of who she was according to Jesus, in order to defy social norms.
An underlying question of this passage is “What is more important?” Theophilus, Luke’s patron certainly would have been challenged by this. Although we don’t know much about him, as expressed in lecture, we can speculate that he would have had a comfortable position in society. Thus, he potentially ascribed to cultural norms and expectations. Therefore, it would have been startling to read this account of a woman being praised for defying her assigned role. Yet, putting this story into the context of Luke’s writings, it should be no surprise to Theophilus that Jesus is supporting the reprioritizing of values and expectations in a way that they appear “upside-down” to the world. Through the parables he teaches and people he interacts with, Jesus is continually asking “What is more important?” At the same time he asks this, Jesus demonstrates that what is considered valuable in heaven differs from the world. Specifically, people who are deemed unworthy and powerless on earth are important in the kingdom of heaven.
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