PONDERING... Anointing Jesus

John 12:1-3  Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.  2  So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table.  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.

The Last Week

From this point on, John focuses on the last week before Jesus is crucified. This is almost half of the entire gospel (10 out of 21 chapters)! 

Two observation can be made from this.

1. By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, every Gospel writer focuses a significant amount of time on this week (approximately 25% of Matthew and Luke, and nearly 40% of Mark). 

2. Knowing His time was drawing near, Jesus did not waste any of it. Everything He did was deliberate. We obviously need to pay attention to what He chose to do.

Who Washed What? (Varying Accounts)

(Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 7:36-50)

There are four accounts, including this one, of a woman anointing Jesus and wiping His feet with her hair (one per Gospel). Only John gives the woman a name, Mary the sister of Lazarus. The accounts in Matthew and Mark are very similar, and share the most in common with the John account. The Luke account has more differences. The commonality of these accounts is frequently discussed/debated. Was it the same Mary in each? Did she anoint His feet only or His head, as well. Were there tears involved? Was the woman a prostitute (see Luke account)?

At the end of the day, it does not matter. Chances are the Matthew and Mark accounts are one in the same. The time and place seem to be identical. I think it is reasonable to assume the John account corresponds, as well. (Side Note: Though some will argue that there is a 4 day difference between when the accounts occurred, Matthew and Mark only mention that the Pharisees were talking 2 days before the Passover, and then we are taken to Jesus in Bethany. There is no reason to assume this could not have taken place around the same time, but slightly before. The Gospels are less concerned with chronology than substance.) Nonetheless, it is not a stretch to believe that this could have happened to Jesus more than once. This does not change the powerful message.

The Action

Martha is serving. This is her heart. She is a servant. She serves. 

Lazarus is reclining. Amazing! This was a dead man some short while ago!

Mary is... anointing/washing Jesus?

• She seems to have done this during the evening meal, which is unusual. Jewish women never reclined at the table with men, especially during supper. They usually served the meal. 
• She takes down her hair in public, which no Jewish woman would ever do. It would have been considered indecent and immodest. Only her husband was to see her hair. 
• She touches his feet (which was considered degrading). ...
• Wiping the feet of Jesus with her hair (considered a woman’s crown and glory) took away all of her dignity. 
• The perfume normally would have been kept for her dowry. She now has no dowry. -(A Youth Worker's Commentary on John Volume 2)

The Application

1. Mary's Sacrifice

-This was everything. This cost would likely never be replaced by earthly means. 

-This was socially unacceptable.

2. Jesus' Worth

-Kings are anointed.

-Jesus is worth more than everything we possess.

3. Our Response

-Nothing is worth the cost of not giving Jesus your all.

Song of Solomon 1:3, 12 3  your anointing oils are fragrant; your name is oil poured out; therefore virgins love you. ... 12 She: While the king was on his couch, my nard gave forth its fragrance.