In this pericope, Jesus' emphasis on active love is brought into question. Both the early and medieval churches latched on to the apparent dichotomy between Martha and Mary as biblical justification for the primacy of the contemplative over the active life of faith. Martha the busy, bustling hostess is gently reprimanded by Jesus for her criticism of Mary's attentive position at Jesus' feet. Mary, Jesus explains to Martha, has chosen "the better part" by resting from the work of the world in order to focus her full attention on Jesus' words.

This Martha/Mary story has recently regained the attention of many scholars as issues of women's studies and women's history have gained ground. Even as scholars struggle with the linguistic and historical nuances of this text, their own individual age…