Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. "But not during the feast," they said, or the people may riot."
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table of a man in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, 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.
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.
"Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her."
Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over (Mark 14:1-11)
This event occurred on the fourth day (Wednesday) of the Redeemer's Last Week. The meaning is, that two days after what is about to be mentioned the Passover would arrive. The Son of man will be betrayed to be crucified. His public ministry being now closed and He is going into his prophetical ministry into His priestly office. The Passover was the first and the chief of the three great annual festivals, commemorative of the redemption of God's people from Egypt, through the sprinkling of the blood of a lamb divinely appointed to be slain for that end; the destroying angel when he saw the blood, would pass over the Israelites house, when he came to destroy all the first-born in the land of Egypt (Exodus 12:12-13). Christ our Passover at the precise season was sacrificed for us. The chief priests, scribes, and elders sought how they might kill Jesus, but they feared the almost 2 million people that were there.
Mary anointed Jesus for his burial. She exhibited love and faith in Jesus. For the perfume was very expensive. She wiped his feet with her hair (John 12:3). There will always be someone complaining about what you do for Christ, that it doesn't take all that, the problem is not on your end, but on their end. The love of money is the root of all evil. This was the driving force behind Judas Iscariot's words, "Why was this waste of the ointment made?" He was the treasurer. Do not let your position blind you to help, love, and appreciate people. After Judas revealed what was in his heart, he went to the chief priest to betray Jesus. And they covenanted with for thirty pieces of silver, the fine paid for man-or-maid-servant accidentally killed (Exodus 21:32), and equal to about $25 in our currency - "a goodly price that I was prized at of them!" (Zechariah 11:13) Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over. Ladies and gentlemen, I submit unto you that this was an INSIDE JOB. The enemy was in the inner circle. Just know, everyone in your circle is not for you or all the way in. We will always have the poor and an enemy with us, Jesus did also.
Comments