Luke 10:40

“But Martha was cumbered about much serving, etc.] “Or was drawn off”, from hearing the word, from attending on Christ; being taken up in providing for him, and those that came with him; in dressing food, or in ordering her servants, how she would have every thing done, and in overlooking them, that every thing was done in proper order; so that she had a great deal of business upon her head and hands, which distracted her thoughts, or took them off of divine things, and put her in great hurry and concern. The Ethiopic version renders it, “Martha laboured in preparing many things for him”; making a large and sumptuous entertainment: and the Persic version, which is rather a comment than a…”

“cumbered--"distracted." came to him--"presented herself before Him," as from another apartment, in which her sister had "left her to serve (or make preparation) alone." carest thou not . . . my sister, &c.--"Lord, here am I with everything to do, and this sister of mine will not lay a hand to anything; thus I miss something from Thy lips, and Thou from our hands." bid her, &c.--She presumes not to stop Christ's teaching by calling her sister away, and thus leaving Him without His one auditor, nor did she hope perhaps to succeed if she had tried.”

“Martha was cumbered about much serving - Was much distracted with the cares of the family, and providing suitably to entertain the Saviour. It should be said here that there is no evidence that Martha had a worldly or covetous disposition. Her anxiety was to provide suitable entertainment for the Lord Jesus. As mistress of the family, this care properly devolved on her; and the only fault which can be charged on her was too earnest a desire to make such entertainment, when she might have sat with Mary at his feet, and, perhaps, too much haste and fretfulness in speaking to Jesus about Mary. Dost thou not care ... - This was an improper reproof of our Lord, as if “he” encouraged Mary in…”

“Martha was encumbered - The Greek word properly signifies to be drawn different ways at the same time, and admirably expresses the situation of a mind, surrounded (as Martha's then was) with so many objects of care, that it hardly knows which to attend to first. Luke 10:41”

“10:40 Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing: Hospitality was valued highly, and Martha was fulfilling the expected role of a woman. She was frustrated that Mary was not.”

“cumbered: Luk 12:29; Joh 6:27 dost: Mat 14:15, Mat 16:22; Mar 3:21 my: Luk 9:55; Jon 4:1-4 Luke 10:41”