Six days
before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus
had raised from the dead. 2 Here a
dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those
reclining at the table with him. 3
Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it
on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with
the fragrance of the perfume.
4 But one of his
disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 "Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the
poor? It was worth a year's wages." 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was
a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put
into it.
7 "Leave her alone," Jesus replied. "[It was intended] that she should save this perfume for
the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not
always have me."
9 Meanwhile a
large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because
of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill
Lazarus as well, 11 for on account
of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in
him.
NARD = a rare and precious spice imported from Northern India. Nard
was a shrub whose leaves and shoots were harvested and taken by caravan to the
west. Sometimes it was mixed with its
own roots to increase its weight. Mary’s
gift has no such additives (the cheap version) it is ‘pure nard’. Nard smelled like gladiolus and had a red
color. It could be used in medicine, in
aromatic wines, as a breath scent or as a perfume for clothes and body. A pound of spice would have been huge and
lavish - worth 300 denarii - one year’s wage for a laborer. Cheaper knock off versions were available.
Most Jewish families could not afford to even have such extravagance. Were they wealthy, was it a family
heirloom? We don’t know. What we do know is that Mary uses all of it
to anoint Jesus from head to toe. Mark 14:3 While Jesus was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man
known as Simon the Leper (could be the siblings father or where Mary and or
Martha lived.), a woman came with an
alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar (you
broke the seal on the top of an alabaster jar) and poured the perfume on his head. (John’s version does not say
she didn’t put it on his head - simply that after pouring it on his feet, she
wiped his feet with her hair.) Why else would John just emphasize Mary
anointing his feet - we are in John 12 - what happens in John 13? Jesus washes the disciples…? FEET! Mary using her hair
was unusual. The only person
who saw a woman’s hair down was her husband.
She is acting with abandon trusting that the close friends gathered will
understand her desire to worship the one who brought her brother back from the
dead. She is the first disciple to do
what Jesus has not even asked - wash one another’s feet. This may even be what gave Jesus the idea to
wash their feet.
John points out Judas
as the one objecting although the other gospels refer to the disciples
objections. Notice the juxtaposition as
he is grabbing information from the future beyond this moment to let us know
that Judas in the one who will betray Jesus.
In the midst of Jesus being worshipped there is one there who will be in
part responsible for Jesus arrest and crucifixion. In the midst of worship there are people who
would complain and find ways to make it less important than it is.
Even Mary does not
realize that the perfume she was saving for his burial is being used on him in
preparation for his burial. Aren’t there
always things you wish you would have done before a loved one passed - GASTRIC
BYPASS/my mom. Jesus gets to experience
what Mary intended for his burial while he is living - and so does she. She now gets to know his pleasure. Look at what Jesus says according to Mark
about Mary’s act: Mark 14:9 I tell you the
truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done
will also be told, in memory of her."
Notice Jesus places in
tension our personal worship and devotion to him and our social
responsibility. This is a more global
view of what Jesus said at an earlier time to Martha - You want to make a meal
- Mary wants to spend time with me - Mary has chosen the better thing. Now - you want to feed the poor, Mary wants
to worship me - Mary has chosen the better thing. Does that mean we don’t prepare a meal and
feed the poor? No - it means the most
important thing in life is our relationship to and actions toward Jesus. Some think that by their social work they
will obtain salvation - NO - we do social work because we have obtained
salvation and it honors Jesus.
This story is the
turning point of the entire gospel of John.
Up till now we have had signs that Jesus is the messiah. His light has been growing more brilliant in
the eyes of the people so much so that the next scene is the triumphal entry
into Jerusalem with the people hailing him as king. We reach a fever pitch however as the power
of darkness has been growing with equal thrust and the light and the dark are
about to collide on a cross just outside the walls of the holy city. The public miracles and teachings concluded
with Lazarus being raised form the dead.
This current scene is the beginning of his passion preparation. This is now the time when everyone will have
to decide if they want to live in the light or continue in the darkness. At this moment we need to decide.
What is the nard for
today? Someone may suggest new carpet and paint for a dark and tattered
sanctuary and another will say - if we can afford that then we should feed the
poor or send out another missionary - and the nard has been sold and the
person’s way to honor Jesus is vanquished.
A new facility to honor Jesus? In
the mid to late 40’s people gave lavishly to see that this building would be
erected to honor Jesus. Where would our
church be today if they had not made that decision and gave such lavish gifts
to make it happen? We would not exist;
or be near death. Where will we be 15
years from now if we - those of us here now don’t begin the process to consider
a new facility that will outlive most of us?
Speaking of facilities Psalm 63:2-4 says I
have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. 3 Because your love is better than life, my
lips will glorify you. 4 I will
praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I
can’t imagine a better picture of worship - but what is that worship worth?
Psalm 63:2-4 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld
your power and your glory. 3 Because
your love [loving kindness] - what does loving kindness mean? Mercy-forgiveness
- those are abstract - Hebrews see the words in pictures] (OT checed
(kheh'-sed) is a long neck stork’s chicks are told not to go into the thorn
bush. When they do she doesn’t yell or remove them - she steps in and plucks
out her own breast feathers to soften it - it cost the mother a lot to care for
her children - what did it cost God to kheh’sed you? THE CROSS! What does it cost you to worship him? Is your worship; like Mary’s; worth a year’s
wage? Or is it more like an hour’s wage
- minimum wage at that? - the hour you graciously give on Sunday morning?) is
better than life, my lips will glorify/praise
= OT shabach you. A SHOUT that mars the enemy - and
is used in Ps 145:4 One generation will shabach your works to another…SHOUT with faith
into the
next generation 4
I will praise you as long as I live, and
in your name I will lift up my hands.
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