Folia Theologica 6. (1995)

János Székely: Mary and Martha how to receive the divine guest?

MARY AND MARTHA

171

of the Lord in the ’promised Land’.39 Theophilos is invited to take part in that banquet.

Considered as a way of the rejected ’Prophet’ the wandering of Jesus is also a constant controversy between Jesus and his opponents. The point of view of Jesus (called in these discussions often ’Lord’ Lk 11,39 as in our pericopy 10,41) and that of his audience are frequently confronted (cf. Lk 14,11; 16,15). That is a major feature of the whole travel account.40 This contrast is already foreshadowed at the banquet prepared by Martha. Only those who accept the lordship of Jesus and obey his word will be able to participate in his repast.

Listen to the word

Contrarily to some opinions41 Luke’s Gospel is particularly interested in accentuating the importance of the word of the Lord and its listening. It is very illuminating to observe how many times Luke adds to the parable of the sower the verb ’to hear’ (Lk 8,4-8). He likes also to determine the source of this word (word of the Kingdom, of God, His word). This accentuation has its Sitz im Leben probably in the Christian house- comunities, where the ’liturgy’ consisted mainly of hearing the word of the ’messengers’. Here it is set against worrying as in Lk 8,11-15. Luke sees in the troubles of the life and of the riches the main cause of missionary unsuccess (cf. Lk 21,34-36). He reports in Acts 6,1-6 that sometimes also an exaggerated ’service’ can become obstacle to the prayer and to the service of the word. The Mary and Martha story is then a warning to the comunities and to Theophilos how to behave in order to be able to receive the divine visit and to remain faithful to it.

It is noteworthy, that Luke depicts a woman here in the attitude of the disciple (sitting at the feet of the Master, cf. Abot 1,4. Acts 22,3). Theju39 This comunion at the table is the basic manner as Luke concieves redemption too. More than a suffering 'for us' the life of Christ has salvific value inasmuch lived 'with us'. Cf. F. G. UNTERGAßMAIR, Kreuzweg und Kreuzigung Jesu (1980) p. 207.

40 Cf F. }. MATERA, Jesus' Journey to Jerusalem (Lk 9,51-19,46). A conflict with Israel in JSNT (1993) p. 57-77.

41 For ex. CONZELMANN (Mitte, p. 177-180), who thinks that for the greek mentality of Luke the seing and the eye witnesses are of such importance to obliterate the interest for the word and hearing.