Today being Wednesday and we are in Holy Week.
Today comes after a very
intense day of Jesus preaching within the Temple.
·
Yesterday,
He covered what was recorded in Matthew,
o
Beginning
with His journey to the Temple in Chapter 21:18
§ And He talked all the way through to Chapter
26:5.
So now, this brings us up
to Matthew 26:6-16
Jesus stays in Bethany
today and He is at Simon’s house.
·
Simon
was the Leper
o
He
was the biblical figure who was mentioned
o
By
the Gospels according to
§ Matthew (26:6-13)
§ And Mark (14:3-9).
These two Gospel Books
are narrated so closely
·
However,
in each,
o
They
contain some very important clues.
It was on this day
·
When
Jesus was anointed
o
By
a woman with some very costly ointment.
Matthew 26:6-13 & Mark
14:3-9
[put together] New
Living Translation (nlt)
Jesus Anointed at Bethany
6 Meanwhile,
Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had
leprosy. 7 While He was eating [or reclining], a woman came in with
a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume (made
from essence of nard. She broke open the jar) and
poured it over his head.
8 The
disciples (some at the table) were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!”
they said. (“Why waste such expensive perfume?” they said) 9 “It could have been sold
for a high price (for a year’s wages) and the money given to the poor.” (So, they scolded her
harshly.)
10 But
Jesus, aware of this, replied, (“Leave her alone.”) “Why criticize this woman
for doing such a good thing to Me? 11 You will always have the poor among you, (“and you can help them
whenever you want to.”) but you will not always have Me. 12 (“She has done what she
could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time”) She has poured this perfume
on Me to prepare My body for burial. 13 I tell you the truth, wherever the Good
News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and
discussed.”
We see of this perfume
being used in more than once
within the Gospels.
·
If
you recall, it was also what Mary used in John 12:3.
·
This
Mary was the sister of Martha and Lazarus.
·
In
the story of John,
o
Mary
used a ¾ of a pint jar
o
Or
in weight, it was a pound
§ Of Spikenard or by another name,
nard.
John
12:3 NLT: 3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made
from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping His feet
with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.
So, what is this ‘item’
which causes such a problem?
This:
·
“Expensive perfume,”
·
“Nard,”
·
“Spikenard”?
It is an aromatic
amber-colored essential oil
·
Which
is derived from Nardostachys jatamansi,
o
A
flowering plant of the valerian family
o
And
it grows in the Himalayas of Nepal, China, and India.
This type of oil has been
used over centuries as
·
A
perfume,
·
A
traditional medicine,
·
Or
in religious ceremonies across a wide territory from India to Europe.
So – WHY?
Why did this perfume
cause such a stink
with some of the
Apostles?
·
9 “It could have been sold for a high price (for a year’s wages)
o
In
the Greek, it would have said that it was worth “300 denarii”
§ And a denarius was equivalent to a
laborer’s full day’s wage.
So, who is this woman -
who goes un-named?
·
The
theologians seem to all agree that it is of high probable
o
That
she is the same Mary, who is the sister of Martha and Lazarus.
So – Which ones of the disciples
made such a fuss?
·
The
theologians also all agree that the
o
First
apostle to speak against Mary’s actions was Judas, the betrayer.
§ This clue is found within the Book of
John
·
As
we continue to read 12:4-7.
4 But Judas
Iscariot, the disciple who would soon betray Him, said, 5 “That perfume was
worth a year’s wages. It should have been sold and the money given to the
poor.” 6 Not that he cared for the poor—he was a thief, and since he was in
charge of the disciples’ money, he often stole some for himself.
7 Jesus
replied, “Leave her alone. She did this in preparation for my burial.
8 You will always
have the poor among you, but you will not always have Me.”
Do you see the Same WORDS
And Even The Same
Patterns
Used within the three Gospel
Readings
And even within these
two different events?
·
Jesus is sitting, reclining, teaching.
·
The disciples are there.
·
‘Mary’ is at Jesus’ feet. ‘Mary’ is at Jesus head.
·
‘Mary’ pours expensive perfume on Jesus.
·
Some at the table, some of the disciples, Judas complain.
·
That perfume was worth a year’s wages.
·
It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.
·
Jesus defends Mary, Leave her alone.
·
She has done good to me.
·
She has prepared me for my burial.
·
You will always have the poor, but you will not always have me.
Isn’t it Just Remarkable?
See – the same is true within
you and in me.
·
IN
our Lives, we develop patterns which cut out our lives,
o
They
all revolve around ways of sins
§ Which we always seem to continue to
gravitate towards,
§ We can’t break the habits, the
patterns, this way of life.
§ These patterns just continue to
rotate around us,
§ And it is even within our own vision
·
On
HOW we see the world.
We all are stuck in these
patterns of our lives
·
And
we are not able to break away from them
Except –
When we turn towards God.
He is
the ONLY One who can change our patterns.
He is
the ONLY One who can rescue us from our sins.
We are in the same way as
we see Judas’ actions
·
Judas
wanted more money in the ‘money for the poor fund’
o
Because
this money could not be tracked
o
And
it would ultimately become money for his thievery.
·
We
can find our own personal sins
o
Which
direct our lives
§ That is, if we are brave enough to
look for them.
BUT – By Turning
Towards God and Walking in His Light
Then we are
rescued from Our Own Evil.
But See - Judas didn’t
understand this
·
And
he tried to change his ways
o
By
himself however,
§ And even in his death,
·
his
life has not changed.
BUT IN Salvation,
·
A True Life with
o God the Father,
o Jesus Christ our Savior
o and the Glorious Holy
Spirit,
In HIM, In the
Trinity God
·
We find a New Life,
o A New Direction,
§ A New Purpose,
·
A New Hope,
o And True Love.
Amen
