1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. 4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. 7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. 8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.” 9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
Commentary
Vs. 1 “Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.”
Jesus along with His disciples now moves from the city of Ephraim to Bethany, to the house where Lazarus, who had been dead, whom Jesus raised from dead, and his two sisters Martha and Mary were.
Vs. 2 “There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.”
And so, it was that while Jesus was staying at their house, they made a supper for Him, (which was more than just an ordinary meal, but a celebratory feast, likely celebrating the life Jesus Christ had given to their brother Lazarus). Now Martha the elder sister is once again busying herself serving them, (see Luke 10:38-42), while Lazarus himself sat at the table with Jesus! Lazarus then was never more alive then when He was seated beside the One who had saved Him, and brought him back to life! Now Mary, Martha’s sister was there too, and as we will see she will demonstrate her faith and love for the Lord in a very dramatic way.
Vs. 3 “Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.”
In this very poignant scene, Mary who loved to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen to Him, now comes to sit at the feet of Jesus, however when Mary comes this time she comes bringing a pound of some very costly fragrant spikenard oil which was only opened and used on very special occasions, and so here Mary uses it to anoint the feet of Jesus before wiping His feet with her hair. By doing so Mary was expressing her deep gratitude to the Lord Jesus Christ for what Jesus had already done in raising her brother Lazarus from the dead, but more importantly what He was about to do and accomplish at Jerusalem when He Himself would be Crucified unto death so that He might suffer our sins punishment, and thus provide the Atonement by which we can now be restored to God, having eternal life, the moment we believe in Him! Mary then is representative of every grateful sinner who down through the ages likewise has fallen at the feet of Jesus and worshiped Him for what He has done for them, and us all.
Vs. 4-5 4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
However no sooner than when this tender moment between Jesus and Mary unfolded, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, the one who would betray Jesus, upon seeing this immediately speaks up and decries the “waste”, saying: “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” vs.5 Now according to Marks Gospel (Mark 14:4-5) Judas Iscariot was not alone in this, however he was the first to speak up, and he set the tone for the other disciples indignation when he said that the fragrant oil could’ve been sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor. However, as we read further, we see that Judas Iscariot was not motivated by any real concern for the poor, (as the disciples always were, Gal. 2:9-10), rather he was a thief, and he used to take what was put in the disciples money box for himself (vs. 6). Beware then for in every generation there are people who are just like Judas Iscariot, who are skillful at getting themselves in trusted positions, and or are skillful at manipulating people’s hearts and opinions, but are themselves only offspring of the devil, as Judas Iscariot was.
Vs. 6-7 7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. 8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
Thankfully Jesus was not deceived like the disciples by Judas Iscariot’s false righteous indignation, and so Jesus immediately defends Mary, saying: “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.” And so here Jesus tells the disciples that what Mary has done is not a “waste” but rather was her showing great spiritual insight by anointing His body for burial. For to honor the Son of God while He is in one’s presence is far and away more dutiful to God than to honor the poor, who as Jesus says, “…you have with you always, but Me you do not have always” (vs. 8).
Vs. 9-11 9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
When word of Jesus being at the house of Mary and Martha spread around many Jews began to come there seeking not just Jesus, but specifically Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead (vs. 9). Now when the chief priests saw what has happening, that the Jews were leaving them and were believing in Jesus, they then began to plot to put Lazarus to death, for Lazarus had now become the catalyst by which people were going away from them and going to Jesus! Now all of this was taking place while Jerusalem was preparing itself for the upcoming Passover. And so once again their murderous hatred of Jesus allows them to overrule all sound judgment and justice, and thus seek to put another innocent man to death!
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
No comments:
Post a Comment