“For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” – John 12:1 NKJV
This remark of Jesus cuts right to the quick, does it not? A sense of urgency here: the Son of Man is about to depart from the company of those the Lord came to save.
An earlier story (in the home of Lazarus)
Once again, I ask us to examine the 5 W’s of the gospel accounts.
In the first part of this series we examined the gospel of Mark.
We established some facts:
- It took place on Tuesday, two days prior to the Passover.
- It took place in Bethany, in the home of Simon the Leper.
- An unnamed woman came in and broke an alabaster flask, anointing Jesus’ head.
- There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that?” [Once more, ‘to themselves.’]
- Jesus praises the unnamed woman.
Read carefully a similar, earlier incident from the gospel of John:
John 12:
Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.
Again, earlier – six days before the Passover, not two. And as we mentioned the Passover that year was a Thursday; therefore, most likely on the evening of the Sabbath, Friday, not the following Tuesday after Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, for a final Sabbath meal with his dear friends.
2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.
Once again, we are in Bethany, but with all certainty Lazarus is hosting the meal with Jesus as honored guest in his own home (not one of another resident of Bethany who will host them all just four days later). Martha, Mary, Lazarus and Judas Iscariot are all named in addition to Jesus.
3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Some new detail
In addition to naming Lazarus, Mary and Martha, we now learn that Mary anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. It is the act of a servant, an act of humility. Furthermore, we learn from the Apostle John, who wrote this account and knew the disciples well, that Judas complains about the value of the pure nard. It is Judas who suggests to all the value that could be uses for the poor; yet John reveals Judas’ motive in mentioning the poor, that Judas steals cash from this treasury of the disciples.
4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.
7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”
Jesus, of course, ignores the false suggestion that Judas and the disciples can sell Mary’s expensive ointment for a profit to ‘help the poor.’ Jesus defends Mary’s generous and kind act of worship.
I ask us, though: aren’t you and I just like Judas in that way?
Don’t we so often accuse the generous act of another in a way to imply that we could be better stewards of their gift to the Lord?
Jesus’ last Sabbath before the Sacrifice
Exodus 16:26 שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים תִּלְקְטֻהוּ וּבַיֹּום הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבָּת לֹא יִֽהְיֶה־בֹּֽו׃
It is now Saturday, the Sabbath.
9 When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.
10 So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.
The Triumphal Entry
12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”
Jesus, the Twelve and some followers had traveled one final journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, via Bethany. In preparation for the time at hand, they rest in the home of their risen friend, Lazarus.
Do you remember what Jesus had assured Mary after Lazarus had been in the grave four days?
(This was not the first resurrection Jesus caused, but it was the most recent.)
John 11:
25 Jesus said to her, [ctt title=”“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.” tweet=”Do you believe this? – John 11:25-26 ESV” coverup=”Q4g8Y”]
Do you believe this?”
27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”
No words speak more of the life of one who believes than these:
To be continued…
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