OUR FATHER WHOSE SON WAS GIVEN FOR US

The book of John chapter 12 verses 1 - 7 says this;

1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 

6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. 8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

The miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead had set off a political firestorm among the leaders of Israel but for many regular people, the event moved them to at a deep level of faith. One such person was Mary who, in a passionate gesture of reverence, took a reserve of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesusˋ feet and dried it with her hair.

Judas Iscariot, who was soon to betray Jesus to the authorities who were seeking to kill him, grumbled about the waste of perfume. He felt that they could have sold the perfume to add to the their cash holdings to give to the poor.

Jesus rebuked the grumblers and indicated that there was a momentus reason for the annointing of oil that Mary was carrying out. Whereas the poor were always present and thus could be helped at any time, Jesusˋ life on earth was drawing to an end and the opportunities to be with Him and lavish gratitude on Him were down to the last few days and Mary was doing well by taking the time to annoint Him.

Amen.

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