Mark 14:3-9
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
3 And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
Often when I read this passage I ask myself who would I be in this story? There are times I would act like the disciples. Doing some research I found out that the nard was worth a years wages. If someone were to give you a years wages would you buy some expensive perfume to anoint your pastor? I would immediately think there are all kinds of things we could do with a years wages, there are a lot of people that could be helped. I am sure that I am not that quick to cast stones at the disciples.
Matthew Henry in his commentary states “Did Christ pour out his soul unto death for us, and shall we think any thing too precious for him? Do we give him the precious ointment of our best affections?” What a challenge. Do I give him my best? The woman in this story in John’s account is Mary and she anoints his feet and wipes it with her hair. Who and where she anoints Jesus isn’t important, what is important is that it was her act of worship to the man she believed was the Christ, her Messiah, her Lord and King. If you recall the old testament sacrifices you offered the best of the flock without blemish. Do we give the best of ourselves in our worship? Do we give the best of ourselves in everything we do or are we like the Israelite’s described in the book of Malachi who offered blind, sick and lame animals as sacrifice.
Lord, let us worship you with our best affections. Like Mary in this story nothing created on earth is too good for you. Lord, Mary knew who you were, she knew your place and she honoured you and loved you more than anything in her world. May we follow Mary’s example, this was a person who took the greatest commandment and loved you with her whole heart, soul and mind. May we do the same Lord Jesus. As we remember your journey to the cross and your atoning sacrifice may we grow more in love with you. The truth is we can never love you more than you love us but Lord help us to try.