But Judas, revealing his nature, zeroes in on the value of the ointment and complains about the waste that the action caused. These might have been legitimate complaints if Jesus were an ordinary man and rabbi. He could have remarked that it was improper for a woman to be so forward in mixed company. That such a show was too lavish for a prophet of God, too showy for a simple rabbi from Galilee. Judas could have objected on several grounds. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me." Therefore Jesus said, "Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. 4-8 – But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?" Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Mary's reaction demonstrated her faith in Jesus, not as a friend or a teacher but as the divine Lord toward whom she directed her worship and love. Honor in that Jesus was the total focus of this action (she did not anoint the others). Devotion in that all the ointment was used. Humility in that her head was at the Lord's feet. The complete use of expensive ointment (nard is the plant from India that provides the essence for the perfume) and the way it was done was a perfect act of humility, devotion and honor to the Lord. Her action demonstrated that she was laying her honor at her master's feet. The wiping of His feet with her hair is significant in that a woman of that culture would not display her hair in public and certainly not to a group of men (there were only men at the supper because men and women did not recline to eat in mixed company). In Matthew and Mark's accounts of this episode, they mention that Mary anointed the head of Jesus John merely adds the fact that she also anointed His feet. Martha, true to her nature, was organizing the supper (this time with no complaint about her sister) and Lazarus, a walking miracle and witness, was at the table. He knew it was His appointed time and was there because of this. The Passover was the most important and best attended feast in the Jewish calendar, but Jesus was there for not only these reasons. His home was 80 miles north in Capernaum near the Sea of Galilee. It was Jesus' custom to stay with His friends in Bethany when He travelled to Jerusalem for feasts in order to preach and teach the people. Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 1-3 – Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha Vs. John will show us five different reactions to Jesus' final miracle. These last few weeks mainly comprise of Jesus' final moments with His Apostles and close friends, a section many Bible commentators refer to as "the Passion."īefore John describes these, however, he will give us a view of how different individuals and groups react to Jesus' great miracle in raising Lazarus from the dead. I mentioned then that in these final 10 chapters John will compress time and describe the events in the last few weeks of Jesus' life. In our last chapter we saw Jesus perform His last public miracle.
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