As I write, we are in the middle of holy week. In the biblical timeline, Jesus has entered Jerusalem to the triumphal cries of “Hosanna.” But this exhilarating moment was short-lived. The shouts begin to fade as Jesus moves closer and closer to the hour. This transition can be seen in what takes place in the house of Lazarus shortly after Jesus enters the city. There, a familiar story occurs that reminds us of the basis of our faith and what it looks like to live it. We read in John 12:1-8,
“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. 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.” (John 12:1-8 ESV)
This passage teaches us that Jesus is more valuable than anything in life because of who he is and what he accomplished in his death. Let’s take a look at it a little more closely.
1. The worth of Jesus.
While Lazarus, Jesus, and his disciples are reclining at the dinner table, Mary brings an expensive ointment and pours it on Jesus’ feet. John notes that this ointment is made of pure nard, and that once it was poured it on Jesus’ feet, Mary began to wipe it with her hair. Why did Mary do this? Because she recognized the supreme worth of Jesus.
First, she used an ointment that was worth three hundred denarii, about a year’s worth of wages. Second, she attended to his feet, which was servant’s work. And third, she wipes Jesus feet with her hair, a symbol of a woman’s honor. Mary’s action is one of humility, love, and intense personal devotion.
When Matthew records the same story, he mentions not only Judas, but the rest of the disciples thought that this was a “waste” (Matt 26:8). But Jesus didn’t. He responds by saying, “she has done a beautiful thing for me (Matt 26:10). He knew what it was- a declaration that Mary knew Jesus’ worth and was ready to give up anything to follow him.
Mary embodies Jim Elliot’s famous quote, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose.” She is the epitome of the man who sold all that he had to purchase a field that contained a great treasure (Matt 13:44). She is another example of the merchant who sold everything he had to purchase the pearl of great price (Matt 13:45-46). She recognized how valuable the kingdom of heaven was. But more than that, she recognized the supreme worth and beauty of the KING of the kingdom of heaven.
Can I ask you- What does your devotion to Jesus look like? Does it cost you anything? Time? Friends? Hobbies? Saying what you want to say when and to whom you want to say it? Living how you want to live? A secret sin? I fear that many of us and our families are willing to follow Jesus so long as it doesn’t really cost us anything- our autonomy, our dreams for us or for our kids, our Sundays, our finances, our time, etc. What we need, then, is to recognize the areas we tend to hold back, and ask God to help us surrender them to Christ by the power of the Spirit.
But there’s also encouragement in this passage. Anything that we give up in our recognition of the unsurpassed worth of Christ will be recognized and rewarded by Jesus.
Jesus doesn’t respond to Mary by saying, “of course I deserve a year’s worth of wages, I created everything!” No, he responds with gentleness and encouragement. He tells his disciples, “She has done a beautiful thing for me” (Matt 26:10). But more than that, Jesus says that “what she has done will be told in memory of her” throughout the world (Matt 26:13). Her act of devotion will be remembered for eternity.
And so it is with everything you give up to follow Jesus; it is a beautiful thing. It never goes unnoticed by him. It will never be wasted, but will instead be rewarded! Jesus himself promised, “everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, because of my name, will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life” (Matt 19:29).
So, marvel with Mary at the absolute beauty and unmatched worth of the Lord Jesus. That’s what holy week invites us to do!
2. The anointing of Jesus.
Why was Mary’s action such a beautiful thing? Because she had been listening to Jesus and understood what was about to happen. Her actions showed understanding and appreciation for what he was about to do.
John says that Mary anointed the feet of Jesus. Matthew tells us that she anointed his head (Matt 26:7). Likely it was both. Anointing is an act of consecration to God, usually before one enters the service of God in some way. Kings, Priests, and even some prophets were anointed before God. Mary uses pure nard, likely from Northern India, that was used for solemn acts of devotion, to anoint Jesus. Jesus accepts her anointing when he states that she saved it for his burial (12:7). In Matthew, Jesus says that her service to him has “prepared” him for burial.
As the Messiah, Jesus must be anointed. In fact, the word messiah literally means anointed one. In Daniel 9:25, Daniel mentions that the Anointed One, a prince, is coming. Jesus was first anointed by the Spirit at his baptism, which Peter describes in Acts 10:38, for his ministry. But now Mary anoints Jesus for his death.
Perhaps Mary, the one who was praised for choosing the greater portion and sitting quietly at Jesus’ feet, had been one of the only ones actually listening to him. The disciples are still perplexed when Jesus prophesies his death. But it appears that Mary may have been listening. And she may have understood that he came to die.[1]
3. The death of Jesus.
After Judas raises his complaint[2] in v. 4-6, Jesus responds, “Leave her alone, for she has kept it for the day of my burial.”[3] Here’s the point: People were anointed to fulfill the task or office that God had given them to do. Kings were anointed to serve as kings. Priests were anointed to serve as a priests. And here, Jesus is being anointed to fulfill what he has been sent to do: to die.
But why must the messiah, the anointed one, die? Because the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). Ever since Adam and Eve first sinned in the garden, we have sinned and rejected God, leading to our physical and spiritual death (i.e. separation from God). The only one who can fix the situation is the Anointed One- the Messiah, who will fix it by dying on our behalf, himself being separated from God.
This is what the Jews and the disciples missed. Jesus came not to set up an earthly kingdom for the Jews and overthrow Rome, but to be turned over by the Jews and killed by the Romans, in order to establish a heavenly kingdom that lasts forever.[4]
But how does his death establish a kingdom? Because through dying- rising from the dead- the Anointed One defeats sin and death forever and builds a kingdom for those who will repent and believe him. Those who do are given entrance to this kingdom because Jesus has taken our death upon himself and given his own life to anyone who trusts him.
But to conquer death, he himself must die. That’s what holy week moves towards- the moment of Jesus’ death on a cross- the hour. The place where he bears the sins of fallen humanity- the wrath of God the Father; the wrath that crushes him and lays him in the dust of death (Isaiah 53:10-11; Ps 22:15).
Brothers and sisters, this is why Jesus is so beautiful, so valuable, so worthy of our lives’ worship. Because he died for us, so that we may live. I think this is what Mary was beginning to understand, and it is precisely what led to her extravagant gesture of worship and devotion. And it is the same for us, when we recognize who Jesus is and what he has done for us, it should lead us to devotion and worship- to be willing to follow him whatever the cost.
So as we are in the middle of holy week, anticipating Good Friday and Easter, I want to ask you: Do you treasure Jesus? Do you recognize his immeasureable worth? Are you willing to follow him no matter the cost?
It is my prayer that this story will remind you that Jesus is worth more than anything else in life and that Mary’s example would encourage your own expression of love and devotion to him!
[1] . If so, this would have been completely counter-cultural for the time for the gospel writers to include this. Especially the ones like John who were there! It is yet again another example that the New Testament, and Christianity as a whole, elevates and values women.
[2] This is an important part of the story, but not one I want to spend much time on here. I want to focus primarily on Jesus’ anointing and Mary’s devotion. I do think it is important to note, however, that John labels Judas as a thief. We should not be surprised when he betrays Jesus for financial gain. The love of money is the root of all evils.
[3] The ESV translates the verse, “so that she may keep it for the day of my burial,” but Mark tells us that she broke the jar (Mark 14:3), so the translation I have included here seems more likely.
[4] And that will, of course, one day be on the earth (Rev 21:1).
JARRETT FLETCHER 