Memorial for Mary of Bethany
The anointing of Jesus by Mary of Bethany is one of the least understood passages of the Bible. It is disturbing to feminist and liberals. The words of Jesus, to some, would be conceited and vain. Having a woman wipe His feet with her hair, to most, seems lewd and sexist! But without its context and motive, this act of love and devotion can not be fully understood.This event is recorded three times in the gospels. Yet, Jesus commands that Mary be remembered for deed.
Matthew 26:6 -13
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper,
There came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat.
But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste?
For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.
When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.
For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always.
For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
Mark 14:3 - 9
And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
John 12:2 - 8
There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him,
Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?
This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.
Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.
For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.
I. A Sacrifice of Great Price.
Judas accuses Jesus of wasting a precious resource. I have heard that the cost of the ointment would be equivalent to a years wages - a great sum even by today’s standards. The money could have been used to take care of the needed. It is more important to honor God before feeding the poor. The priority is God first, others next and you last!
II. An Act of Great Love.
Mary showed great humility in performing this act. Jesus allows the chauvinist act of Mary wiping His feet with her hair. This would be arrogant until your realize that Mary was preparing Jesus for His Death. In a week, Jesus would perform the greatest act of love by dying on the cross, and bearing our sins in his body for us.
Philippians 2:8, And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
III. A Misunderstood Motive.
The world will judge your actions. They will accuse you of being fanatical. Godly people have always had their action criticized. Christians have been accused of having ulterior motives when they stand by their beliefs. If you are pro-life, you will be accused of being narrow-minded and self-righteous. If you are belief homosexuality is wrong - they label you a bigot and intolerant.
The anointing of Jesus by Mary would be considered sexist, if Jesus was not about to die on the cross for our sins. The cost of the perfume would have been wasted had it not been given to The Son of God. Believing the Bible would be absurd if it was not The Word of God.
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