6 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. 7 While he was eating,[b] a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.
8 The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said. 9 “It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10 But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me? 11 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me. 12 She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. 13 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”
There has been debates on why this woman did what she did. And I can also touch on the fact that the disciples were being greedy. But I can imagine at the same that everyone was on edge including Jesus. The disciples were trying to understand what Jesus was saying about being turned over and crucified, buried and raised from the dead and Jesus was preparing for the torment ahead.
When I read this story now and in the past I imagine this woman as not being able to help herself. She was completely overwhelmed by Jesus. She had been a prostitute and Jesus offered salvation to her if she would repent and believe. She accepted and turned away from her life as she knew it. The perfume she poured over Jesus was a sign to him that she would no longer need it. What better use for a perfume that was once used for sin to be used to prepare Jesus for his brutal death and burial.
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Allen Michaels: 26 When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples,
2 “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”
3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the
high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.
5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
6 While Jesus was in Bethany
in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with
an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head
as he was reclining at the table.
Why
did this woman approach Jesus and anoint him at the risk of ridicule
and abuse by others? Her action was motivated by one thing, and one
thing only, namely, her love for
Jesus. She was oblivious to all around her, except for Jesus. She
also did something which only love can do. She took the most precious
thing she had and spent it all on Jesus. She didn't just pour a few
drops of ointment on Jesus. She poured out all the
contents! Her love was not calculated but extravagant. In a spirit of
gratitude and with intense love, this woman lavishly served the one who
showed her the mercy and kindness of God. John's Gospel tells us that
this woman was Mary, the sister of Martha and
Lazarus, close friends of Jesus. Since Jesus was passing through her
neighborhood she lost no time to show him a spontaneous act of love and
gratitude.
8 When the disciples saw
this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”
Why
did Simon's company view this woman's act as extravagant wastefulness?
They were greedy. A person views things according to what is inside the
heart or soul. Jesus remarked
that this woman had done a lovely deed. We can never outmatch God in
kindness and generosity. The greatest proof of his love for us is the
willing offer of his only begotten Son who poured out his blood upon the
cross for our sins. Are we ready to pour
out our love upon the One who gave himself without reserve for our
sake?
This
is towards the end of Jesus’ life and it appears that the disciple’s
“still don’t get it.”
It’s like Christ had to constantly correct them. It kind of reminds me
of how I think I’m being a good Christian, only to discover through
scripture, that I’m not even close.
10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done
a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.
12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.
13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
I
find it interesting that Matthew and Mark put this event just before
the last supper, while John has it just before the Triumphal Entry. Of
the three, John places this event in the
most likely chronological order. I know this causes confusion and
possibly doubt with readers, especially new readers, of the Bible.
However, it’s very important we remember the main purpose of the Gospel
writers was to give an accurate record of Jesus’ MESSAGE,
not to present an exact chronological account of his life.
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Tomorrow's Reading for Matthew 26:14-30
14 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests 15 and asked, “How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?” And they gave him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.
17 On
the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came
to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal
for you?”
18 “As you go into the city,” he told them, “you
will see a certain man. Tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My time has come,
and I will eat the Passover meal with my disciples at your house.’” 19 So the disciples did as Jesus told them and prepared the Passover meal there.20 When it was evening, Jesus sat down at the table[c] with the Twelve. 21 While they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.”
22 Greatly distressed, each one asked in turn, “Am I the one, Lord?”
23 He replied, “One of you who has just eaten from this bowl with me will betray me. 24 For the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays him. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”
25 Judas, the one who would betray him, also asked, “Rabbi, am I the one?”
And Jesus told him, “You have said it.”
26 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”
27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant[d] between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
30 Then they sang a hymn and went out to the Mount of Olives.
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