Hostess Heartache and Modeling Prayer

This is the Bible study page for the Thursday Night Bible Study Group meeting April 28 to study Luke 10:38 through 11:13.  We are crossing a chapter boundary, which is weird for us, but I think it will work out.

This passage (or these two passages) are probably familiar, but as the characters are available in other Gospels, and the format Jesus gives for prayer has a parallel, we'll be plenty occupied with them.  Be sure to read these through several times.  Also check out references to other passages.  There should be some that refer to John 11, and others that refer you to Matthew 6:9-15.

Read through the passages in several translations.  Be sure to read the parallel passage in Matthew and perhaps John 11 (the raising of Lazarus).  Jot down questions and insights you have from them.  Read a commentary or two (those on Blue Letter Bible are pretty good). Revise your questions and insights, and bring these notes with you Thursday.

After you've gone through that, go back through the questions below:

• In Luke's narrative, Jesus is traveling to Jerusalem.  From John we learn that they live in Bethany, a short distance from Jerusalem.  So where is Jesus and this "village"?
• The word for what Martha is doing before she approaches Jesus is a word "pulled around" like what a rider would do when he wheels a horse around or a formation of soldiers might do to turn around to go the opposite way.  How do you imagine Martha in this scene?  What does what she's doing, look like to you?
• The word for "approached" can imply that she shows up suddenly in a surprising manner.  What do you think this question and request of hers reveals about her motivation for what she was doing?
• Look at Martha's question she begins with in a few different translations.  What do you sense is Martha's attitude here?
• Martha sounds on the surface like she wants Mary to help be a good hostess, in other words, to show hospitality to Jesus.  What do you see in this short dialogue that might argue against that surface meaning?
• Jesus' response is probably the most famous part of this passage.  What do you think Mary has chosen over what Martha has chosen?
• There is a break, and now Jesus is praying.  For Luke this still happens as Jesus has set if face to go to Jerusalem, so it's on the way.  Where is this passage in Matthew?  What do you think is the timing of Jesus' teaching on prayer?
• Matthew's version is longer.  But each has many different variants of this prayer.  Why do you think Jesus' model of prayer might have so many slight differences between editions?
• Luke really seems to have abbreviated his version of the prayer.  Little things on the end of each statement were left off.  Considering the different sources used by Matthew and Luke (see Luke 1:1-4), which do you think might be closer to what Jesus taught? 
• Which do you find more remarkable, the elements that are the same or the differences between Matthew and Luke?
• Considering the elements that are the same between Matthew and Luke, what are the basic, consistent elements to prayer that Jesus provides His disciples?  Why do you think those elements are so important?
• In Matthew 6:14, 15 the point Jesus emphasizes is forgiveness.  What's the emphasis in Luke?  Why do you think they would have different emphases?

This is enough to get us thinking.  Also be thinking about where you have been Martha, and Mary in your relationship with Jesus.  And think through what you say when you pray in relation to the model Jesus provides.