Need

We’re all familiar with the story: Martha is feeling overwhelmed and is fretting over getting a meal ready for Jesus and his disciples. Her sister Mary is sitting listening to the Teacher, not helping out. Martha vents her frustration, but Jesus gently rebukes her for being so anxious about many things. Then he says, “Only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42)

Just one thing. We only need one thing! Just sit and listen to Jesus, and we don’t need to do anything else. Really? Doesn’t sound quite right, does it? And when we go looking, we find there are some other things we need.

We need to be baptized, at least John the Baptists says he needs to be. (Matthew 3:13-15) Of course he’s been commanding everyone to repent and be baptized. More than listening is needed, there needs to be a response.

We need a physician to heal us, spiritually. (Luke 5:30-32 & 9:11) We first have to recognize our need, which does come from listening. But then we need to seek the healing.

Members of the early church needed tangible help, and the church needed administrators to oversee it. (Acts 2:45 & 4:35 & 6:3 – the same Greek word for “need” is translated “duty” or “business” or “task” in most translations of 6:3.) There are quite a lot of other passages that speak of helping other believers who are in need. It’s a big deal, and taking care of others is required of us.

Believers need each other. (1 Corinthians 12:14-25) We really, really need to associate with our brothers and sisters; they are necessary to us.

We need to be edified, built up. (Ephesians 4:29 – the “need” is obscured in most translations, rendered weakly “good for” or simply “for”, but Paul meant to say there was need.) We get down, discouraged, lazy, distracted, overwhelmed—and it’s not just something nice, we need others to help us recharge.

Sometimes, we have a need to be re-taught things that we ought not to have forgotten. And we need someone to do the re-teaching. (Hebrews 5:11-12)

We need to have endurance (“patience” in some versions) so that we don’t lose confidence. (Hebrews 10:35-38) This isn’t just stoicism, it’s active. The opposite is “shrinking back”, so this “endurance” isn’t just gritting our teeth. It requires putting ourselves and our faith out there where it can be seen. Not shrinking back.

In this survey I’ve only mentioned passages that use the same Greek word Jesus used. The same concept is expressed using other words. Arguably, any command from Jesus or his apostles is something we need to obey. Such as:

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) In context, we must be forgiving and kind. Also, I think, he here sums up a lot of teaching about active discipleship.

“Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matthew 24:44) A lot is actually involved here. Knowing the prophecies of his coming. Behaving in the way he directs. The parables which follow state how we need to be living.

“The Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil…” (2 Timothy 2:24) There are a host of passages that dictate what our behavior must be, needs to be—or there are consequences..

Jesus himself had things he needed to do. “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” (Luke 4:42) And, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Luke 9:22)

So a possible first impression of what Jesus says to Martha can’t be correct—that our discipleship consists of only one thing. So what does he mean?

The simplest explanation is that he’s saying, “Right here, right now, there’s just one thing you need to do, and that’s listen to what I’m teaching you.” In other words, there’s a time and place for total focus on Jesus’s teaching, everything else set aside for that moment.

Then, having absorbed his teaching, we need to go out and live it.

Love, Paul