Martha was clearly irritated, and in a flash of anger she not only reprimanded her sister, she even reprimanded the Lord himself. The floor needs sweeping, the feet of the guests need washing, the bread needs slicing, the table needs setting, and I just can not do it all by myself. Martha stewed and brooded about it, until she snapped. Now, of course, Martha did need help. No one denies that.
Many hands make light work.
The running of a household and the entertaining of guests requires that every member of the family do his or her part. But Martha's agenda didn't quite line up with the agenda of Jesus Christ. He wasn't so concerned about the seasoning in the beans, the dust on the floor, or the way the napkins were folded. He was concerned that his life-changing Word get out, that those in the house hear what he had to say. Tell her to help me.