The Red-Letter Words of Yeshua ~Part 104

Ministry from Galilee to Judea ~Part 5

In our last post, we explored the Parable of The Good Samaritan. In this post, we learn of Yeshua’s Visit with Mary & Martha and How to Pray.

Also unique to Luke, this account introduces Martha and Mary, two of Yeshua’s supporters and friends. The Gospel of John elaborates on Yeshua’s friendship with these women and their brother, Lazarus.

Yeshua’s Visit with Mary & Martha

³⁸ On their way, Yeshua and His talmidim came to a village (Bethany, about half a mile east of Jerusalem) where a woman named Marta welcomed Him into her home. ³⁹ She had a sister called Miryam who also sat at the Lord’s feet (a familiar posture of a learning talmid) and heard what He had to say. ⁴⁰ But Marta was busy with all the work to be done; so, going up to Him, she said, “Sir, don’t you care that my sister has been leaving me to do all the work by myself?” ⁴¹ However, the Lord answered her, “Marta, Marta, you are fretting and worrying about so many things! ⁴² But there is only one thing that is essential. Miryam has chosen the right thing, and it won’t be taken away from her.” 1

The double use of Marta’s name serves as a gentle rebuke. Only one thing that is essential. While the work Marta is doing is important, it is not the most crucial thing – Yeshua Himself is. Miryam has chosen to listen and learn as a disciple – spending time in Yeshua’s presence. It won’t be taken away from her. A relationship with Yeshua cannot be stolen from a person. Yeshua is pleased that Miryam is learning from Him and that her focus is on time with Him. Yeshua had made a similar point earlier about concerns that His talmidim did not fast – there, He noted that time celebrating with Him is the focus of His talmidim (Luke 5:34).

Yeshua Teaches Us How to Pray ~Part 1

Before we dig into this passage, I want to emphasize this is not the Lord’s Prayer. It is the Talimidim’s Prayer. He is teaching us how to pray! His prayer is in Yochanan 17!!!

¹ One time, Yeshua was in a certain place praying. As He finished, one of the talmidim said to Him, “Sir, teach us to pray, just as Yochanan taught his talmidim.”

Teach us to pray. In today’s secular society, people often feel unable to pray and assume that the ability to pray is natural to some and lacking in others. But Yeshua’s talmidim, although they too felt inadequate in prayer, were on the right track in supposing that Yeshua could teach them how to pray. His teaching consisted of four parts:

• What to pray for (vv. 2–4),
• The importance of persistence (vv. 5–10),
• The certainty of a positive answer because of God’s love and goodness (vv. 9–13), and
• The ultimate gift, the Ruach HaKodesh, who is the source and power for all right prayer (v. 13b; see Ro 8:26–27).  ²

² He said to them, “When you pray, say:

‘Father,
May your name be kept holy.
May your Kingdom come.
³ Give us each day the food we need.
⁴ Forgive us our sins, for we too, forgive everyone who has wronged us. And do not lead us to hard testing.’”  ³

Mattityahu’s version of the Talimidim’s Prayer speaks of forgiveness for debts; metaphorically, sin and debt are related – sin functions like a debt before God and others (Matt 6:12). Luke conveys this idea in the prayer’s following line.

Click here for the PDF version.

¹ Luke 10:38–42.
² David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary.
³ Luke 11:1–4.