All For The Love Of Jesus
By Rev. Donnie L. Martin
Text: John 12:1-9
I. AN ACT OF SACRIFICE
A. Mary Expended Great Cost.
B. Mary Experienced Grievous Criticism.
II. AN ACT OF SUBMISSIVENESS
A. Mary Demonstrated Great Humility.
B. Mary Deemed Jesus Worthy Of Great Honor.
III. AN ACT OF SYMBOLISM
A. It Symbolized Mary’s Sincere Love.
B. It Symbolized The Master’s Sacrificial Life.
IV. AN ACT OF SIGNIFICANCE
Intro: Recorded in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John, is a very beautiful and touching story of a woman who, out of love and appreciation for Jesus, anointed Him with a very precious and aromatic ointment. The woman who performed this loving act was none other than Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha of Bethany, who were close friends of Jesus.
Drawing from my summation of all three gospel accounts, Simon, a former leper, invited Jesus and His disciples, along with Lazarus, Martha and Mary, to a supper in Jesus’ honor. As a point of interest, let me mention that to eat with an unhealed leper, would have rendered all the participants ceremonially unclean. So don’t let the title “Simon the Leper” confuse you. The Great Physician had healed this man.
We’re not told what the relationship was between Lazarus, his sisters, and Simon. But their closeness is implied by the fact that Martha helped serve the meal in Simon’s house.
Simon and Lazarus definitely had things in common, since both of them had experienced the miraculous power of Christ in their lives: Simon having been healed of leprosy (cf. Mark 1:40), and Lazarus having been raised from the dead (cf. John 11: 38-44). This may have been the reason for the meal in the first place.
Characteristic of Martha, she jumped right in to help serve the meal. This brings out a distinct contrast between Martha and Mary. Martha is always depicted as working for Jesus, while Mary is always depicted as worshiping Jesus. To put this another way: Martha labored for Jesus, while Mary listened to Jesus. Both qualities are important in the Christian life.
At some point while Jesus was reclining at the table, Mary brought in a flask containing a precious ointment, and anointed His head and feet. However, John’s gospel, attempting to focus on the loving humility of Mary’s act, only mentions the anointing of Christ’s feet.
This was an act of sincere love and appreciation on Mary’s part. But it wasn’t only an act of appreciation. According to Jesus, this was also an act done in anticipation. Mary had apparently understood what the disciples had not. Jesus was about to die for the sins of the world.
There are some great truths to be learned from Mary’s loving act of worship. Let’s search them out together.
Theme: The anointing of Jesus by Mary, was:
I. AN ACT OF SACRIFICE
A. Mary Expended Great Cost.
John 12:3a “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus…
…………………………………………………………..
5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?”
NOTE: [1] Though he wasn’t really concerned about the poor, as he’d implied, Judas said that this ointment could have been sold for “three hundred pence;” actually three hundred denarii (v.5). That amounts to about 60 USD. One commentator notes: “The value of the perfume was a year’s wages (lit., “300 denarii”), perhaps a lifetime of savings.”1
[2] This ointment was expensive because it was “Oil from a plant grown in northern India, very costly as an import into Palestine.”2
[3] One thing that needs to be noted here is the fact that Mary, in love, gave her very best for Jesus. The monetary size of Mary’s gift to Jesus is not the issue here; it’s the sacrifice that was involved. Thomas Paine once said, “What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: ‘Tis dearness only that gives everything its value.’”3
B. Mary Experienced Grievous Criticism.
1. Judas, along with the other disciples, said that this was a great waste.
Matt. 26:8 “But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, To what purpose is this waste.
9 For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.”
NOTE: Judging from the separate accounts given in the gospels, my conclusion was that Judas Iscariot probably got the criticism started (John 12:4-5), and the rest of the disciples joined in.
2. Jesus said that what Mary had done was a good work.
Matt. 26:10b “…Why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me.”
NOTE: One thing that can be gleaned from the criticism surrounding Mary’s act of worship and devotion to Jesus is that we need not concern ourselves with the criticism of others, as long as our Lord approves. If we have His approval, that’s all that matters. We simply need to keep serving Him.
The Moon Keeps Shining
The story is told of a judge who had been frequently ridiculed by a conceited lawyer. When asked by a friend why he didn’t rebuke his assailant, he replied, “In our town lives a widow who has a dog. And whenever the moon shines, it goes outside and barks all night.” Having said that, the magistrate shifted the conversation to another subject.
Finally someone asked, “But Judge, what about the dog and the moon?”
“Oh,” he replied, “the moon went on shining—that’s all.”4
II. AN ACT OF SUBMISSIVENESS
A. Mary Demonstrated Great Humility.
John 12:3a “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair…”
NOTE: [1] The term “pound” is translated from the Greek word “…litra, a measure of twelve ounces.”5
[2] However, the amount of Mary’s offering isn’t as important as the attitude in which it was offered. For one thing, Mary likely had to be on her knees to perform this act of adoration. “Mary is always associated with the feet of Jesus (Lk.10: 39; Jn.11: 32).”6 Mary is a picture of a humble and submissive servant of Christ.
Luke 10:39 “And she (Martha) had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.”
John 11:32 “Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.”
[3] Don’t fail to notice another important fact of what Mary did. She not only anointed Christ’s feet, but she wiped them with the very hair of her head. The Bible says that a woman’s long hair “…is a glory to her…” (I Cor. 11:15a). In a very real sense, Mary submitted her glory to Jesus, for His glory. This is a tremendous picture of humility.
Cannot be Proud
“They that know God will be humble,” John Flavel has said, “and they that know themselves cannot be proud.”7
B. Mary Deemed Jesus Worthy Of Great Honor.
Mark 14:6b “…she hath wrought a good work on me.”
NOTE: [1] One commentator observes:
To anoint the head (Matt. and Mark) was the more common service of friendship or honor, but Mary went further and anointed even his feet. It is plain from the Saviour’s expressions about the similar anointing in Galilee (Luke 7:44-46), that to anoint the feet was an act of greater humility and profound respect.8
[2] Thomas Carlyle once said, “Show me the man you honor and I will know what kind of man you are.”9 We would do well to take that statement to heart. A lot of America’s accolades and honor is wasted on people who deserve it the least.
III. AN ACT OF SYMBOLISM
A. It Symbolized Mary’s Sincere Love.
John 12:3 “Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.”
NOTE: [1] Folks, when Mary poured out that expensive ointment, which had likely cost her a year’s wages, and anointed Jesus, she was in essence, pouring out a part of herself for her Lord. A year of her life had gone into the purchase of that ointment. And believe me, she would not have lightly parted with something so valuable. You know what folks? That’s what you’re doing when you give your tithes and offerings through this church. You are giving a part of yourself, your time, and your energy.
On May 2, 1962, a dramatic advertisement appeared in the San Francisco Examiner: “I don’t want my husband to die in the gas chamber for a crime he did not commit. I will therefore offer my services for 10 years as a cook, maid, or housekeeper to any leading attorney who will defend him and bring about his vindication.”
One of San Francisco’s greatest attorneys, Vincent Hallinan, read or heard about the ad and contacted Gladys Kidd, who had placed it. Her husband, Robert Lee Kidd, was about to be tried for the slaying of an elderly antique dealer. Kidd’s fingerprints had been found on a bloodstained ornate sword in the victim’s shop.
During the trial, Hallinan proved that the antique dealer had not been killed by the sword, and that Kidd’s fingerprints and blood on the sword got there because Kidd had once toyed with it while playfully dueling with a friend when they were both out shopping. The jury, after 11 hours, found Kidd to be not guilty. Attorney Hallinan refused Gladys Kidd’s offer of 10 years’ servitude.10
[2] That ointment with which Mary anointed Jesus was a symbol of her love and devotion for her Lord. People, don’t miss the significance of the parenthetical phrase, at the end of verse three: “…And the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.” The sweet smell of Mary’s love for Jesus permeated the whole house. Not only that, but since Mary had wiped the excess ointment from Jesus’ feet with her hair, the essence of spikenard followed her everywhere she went for days to come. What’s my point? Simply this: When a person truly loves Jesus, it will be obvious to others with whom they come in contact. Can the people you deal with on a daily basis detect that you love the Lord; or does your life and attitude give off the stench of bitterness and indifference? It’s a question we need to ask ourselves.
B. It Symbolized The Master’s Sacrificial Life.
Matt. 26:12 “For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial.”
John 12:7 “Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.”
NOTE: [1] Think about it folks: When Mary broke that alabaster bottle, releasing the fragrant essence inside, it symbolized the broken body of Jesus, on the Cross of Calvary, as He suffered for the sins of the world.
[2] When Mary poured out the sweetsmelling contents of that container, it symbolized the precious blood of Christ, which was poured out for sinners, that they might know God’s forgiveness.
Eph. 5:2 “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Rom. 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.”
IV. AN ACT OF SIGNIFICANCE
Mark 14:9 “Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.”
NOTE: Mary’s act of love and humility may have seemed foolish and insignificant to those watching that day. But to Jesus, it was of utmost importance. It was done “ALL FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS.”
Theme: The anointing of Jesus by Mary, was:
I. AN ACT OF SACRIFICE
II. AN ACT OF SUBMISSIVENESS
III. AN ACT OF SYMBOLISM
IV. AN ACT OF SIGNIFICANCE
End Notes:
1. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, Editors, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, published by Victor Books, Wheaton, Illinois; pg. 316.
2. Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison, Editors, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; pg. 1099.
3. Thomas Paine.
4. Source unknown.
5. Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison, Editors, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; pg. 1099.
6. Ibid, pg. 1099.
7. Quoted in MBI’s Today In The Word, November, 1989, p. 20.
8. Alvah Hovey, D.D., LL.D., Editor, An American Commentary on the New Testament, Vol. I, published by The American Baptist Publication Society, Chicago, Illinois; pg. 519.
9. Thomas Carlyle.
10. From the Book of Lists #2, p. 157.
