WEDNESDAY THOUGHTS – 4/8/20

In Chapter 14 Mark slows down to a crawl compared to the rapid pace he uses in telling the life of Jesus. He uses 3 chapters to tell the passion story. “Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot” (Mark 14:1-2 NIV).

Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover Festival which lasted a week. It was the Wednesday before He was murdered on Friday and He was staying in Bethany, a small town about a mile East of Jerusalem. Bethany, which means house of laughter, was where Mary, Martha and Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead, lived. Many think it was named after Lazarus because he had been raised back to life and, therefore, laughed at death.

Jesus and His disciples were eating supper with Simon the Leper at Simon’s house in Bethany. They were reclining at table, which means they were lying down on the floor and eating together for a lengthy meal. Don’t think that just a few people were on the earth then because it was full of people. It was the plagues and wars that depopulated it.

At that time in Judah, people kept their doors not only unlocked but both windows open from dawn to midnight. They believed that everyone had a right to know your business at all times, so people would come and go inside and out of your house uninvited. People would listen to what was being said and watch what you were doing, eating, etc. You may be eating with your family with several people watching and listening.

So Simon the Leper had given a dinner in Jesus’ honor and they were spending many hours in extended conversation and fellowship. We know nothing more of this Simon although Luke mentions a Simon the Pharisee hosting a meal for Jesus in Galilee many years before. While they were eating “a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head” (Mark 14:3 NIV). Alabaster was a calcium carbonate stone which was carved into shape and then wet and sealed over on itself. It was white and very expensive.

Nard or Spikenard was an extremely expensive oil imported from India with an outstanding aroma. Many people used it for burial because its essence did not quickly fade. It was the gold standard of perfumes and also used for medicine. She broke the jar and poured the pure Nard on Jesus’ head, or anointed Him with it.

“Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly” (Mark 14: 4-5 NIV). The year’s wages would have been 300 silver denarii, as a denarius was considered a day’s wages.

Jesus told them to leave her alone, that what she has done is a beautiful thing; she has done what she could. She has done what she could! She has done all that she could do! She has given all that she had! Notice that she came into the room of dignitaries supping together and walked up behind Jesus and broke her alabaster jar and poured the Nard worth thousands of dollars on Jesus’ head. He was the most valuable thing in her life—worth more than her own future and well-being. She was willing to go to a forbidden place—the fellowship of men; she was willing to face the persecution of those at table. But she gave Jesus all she had because she knew the time of His departure was at hand. He told everyone that He was going to be killed but she seems to be the only one who heard Him. “She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” (Mark 14: 8-9 NIV). She gave her all because she loved Jesus—and that is why will always be remembered.

Matthew names her Mary but Mark leaves her name out. How do we stack up with her? She did all she could for Jesus. When we get to heaven we will be asked if we did all that we could have done for Jesus? What have we done? Did we do our all? What did we sacrifice for Him? And the make or break question: Do we really love Jesus?

Jim