“She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. And truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the whole world, that also which this woman has done shall be spoken of in memory of her.”
“Show me the man you honor, and I will know what kind of man you are” -Thomas Carlyle
Who, but the Almighty God of the Universe and the One who knows all things from eternity to eternity, could have declared with a bold certainty that one small, seemingly senseless act by a peasant woman in a small village in ancient Israel would be remembered and preached about until the end of the ages?
We might say of some great statesman that his work for mankind would be remembered for a long time; maybe that he would be recorded in history books and read about by school children for generations to come. But only One who claimed to be God and really was, could say without irresponsible exaggeration that someone’s spontaneous act of humility done to one man in one moment in time would be preached throughout the whole world, and then have it come true!
Who, but the humble, compassionate, Anointed Servant, whose bread was to do the Father’s will and not His own, would have, even knowing He was in his last few days on this earth and destined for the terrible death He was about to accomplish, would have turned attention away from Himself and declared that what had been done would be preached in memory ~ not of Himself ~ but of her?
Jesus’ declaration that her act of love would be remembered wherever the good news is preached, I have to take as a command directly from the One who set me apart for this task. He is Master and Lord, and He has decreed that His preachers would do so; therefore I must, and gladly do I obey.
The last thing I want to point out as we step up to more carefully examine this event, is that although we could spend a great deal of time discussing the reaction of the disciples, or what was going on in the background with the plotting Pharisees, or who, exactly, this Simon was, whose house they were in, Jesus said that this would be told in memory of her. So I’m going to attempt to do just that today; focus on this woman, and honor her as Jesus said she should be honored.
THE SIMPLICITY OF HER LOVE
First of all, let me point out that this was no stranger. Jesus was at the home of Mary and Martha, sisters of Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead just a few days previously. The gospel accounts have already established that these were loved friends of Jesus, and He and His disciples had been to this home on other occasions.
This is a basic prerequisite to being used by the Holy Spirit to do anything at all for Christ. There must be a love and affection for Him that is deep and spontaneous. It cannot be feigned, and it cannot be shallow. Only deep, sincere love from a surrendered heart can be moved to acts of selfless mercy and sacrifice.
Men had invited Jesus into their homes as though honoring Him, but they had not been moved to show Him even the basest of courtesies common to that culture. Not a wet rag to wipe the dust from His feet, not the cheapest of olive oil to sooth His head from the heat of the mid-eastern sun.
In public they had flattered Him with words, hoping to trip Him up and extract some evidence from His own mouth with which they could accuse and destroy Him.
Multitudes had flocked to Him, blessing Him with their lips and crying out blessings on His mother for having such a great privilege in bearing Him.
But Jesus knows men’s hearts, hearer. He knows yours. When you pray, examine your heart. Better yet, invite Him to examine it. We sing this in a song:
“Search me, O God, and know my heart today;
Try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray.
See if there be some wicked way in me;
Cleanse me from every sin and set me free.”
-J. Edwin Orr
But how sincere are we when we sing it? Do we really want Jesus to look into the most secret places of our heart? Do we really want Him to deal with it? Or is this a feigned sincerity? Wanting to appear oh, so spiritual and humble to those around us, and thinking God sees as we see; but unwilling to really surrender all, unwilling to love with a love that abandons self and the world and sees only Jesus?
He knew her heart. He didn’t commend Simon for feeding him, or Martha for serving, or the disciples for being concerned about the poor. But He spoke eternal blessing on the head of the one who, without a word, without fanfare, without asking anyone’s leave to do so, gave of herself spontaneously in possibly the most humble, quiet act of mercy recorded in the scriptures.
What do you suppose prompted her? Jesus said that she had saved the nard for the sake of His anointing for burial. But did He mean she did this consciously? Or did He mean that she had been impressed by the Holy Spirit to do so, even though she didn’t know what was coming?
Well, we do know that Jesus had already told His disciples precisely what was going to transpire in Jerusalem. Coming down from the Mount of Transfiguration He had spoken very clearly, and told them He was going to die; what manner of death it would be; and that on the third day He would rise from the dead. But they didn’t catch on then. Their minds were confused and they didn’t understand Him.
So did Mary? Is it possible that this uneducated, quiet woman of humble means and social status understood more than these men who had been with Him constantly for over three years?
Well we certainly can’t discount the possibility. There have been plenty of times my wife has had to rescue me from my cluelessness.
Remember, she was the one who was content to sit as Jesus’ feet and learn while her sister bustled about serving brunch.
My friends, when we truly love someone, what they have to say is important to us. We listen and we are in tune with their concerns and their desires, and their hurts and their joys...
The disciples loved Him, each on some level, to be sure. But they also were burdened with other issues that denied them the simplicity of love that she possessed.
They had ambitions. “Lord, who will be greatest?” Their minds were preoccupied with current politics. “Lord, is it at this time you will establish your kingdom?” They were still very wrapped up in themselves; very self-concerned. Peter was just downright blatant about it! “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?”
“What’s in it for us? What’s in it for me?” Three years with the One they professed to believe in as the long-awaited Messiah, watching the selfless pouring out of all His time and energies to do His Father’s bidding, giving of Himself completely to them; teaching them, providing for them, healing them, showing them how to pray, telling them what Heaven would be like, sacrificing Himself physically to accomplish His work so much that at 30 years of age the Pharisees thought He looked closer to 50.
And the disciples are brassy enough to ask, “What’s in it for me?” Christians, He’s already told us what’s in it for us. When we look at these men, and compare them to Mary, shouldn’t we be moved to look away from our perceived needs and the concerns of this world and choose the simpler, nobler course of Mary; seeking Him only for Himself and rather than looking for things to do for Him, just love Him by laying our lives at His feet?
Maybe she was the only one who really heard what He was saying, and realizing His time with them was so short, performed this act out of the love and mercy that filled her heart for this One who had given her brother back to her.
Oh, the simple love that blesses the precious head of Jesus, anointing Him with honor and creating a sweet aroma in the Spirit that goes up to the Father who has declared the Son worthy of all praise.
This is true, spiritual worship.
THE ALIGNMENT OF HER PRIORITIES
What was Mary doing up to this point? We’re told what everyone else was doing except Mary. The Pharisees were planning to arrest Jesus, and had sent out an all points bulletin. Anyone who sees the Nazarene is to report it to us, so we can have Him arrested. He’ll probably show up for the feast of Passover, so keep your eyes peeled.
Martha is busy serving table. Simon and Lazarus are eating, so I suppose it’s safe to assume the rest of the disciples were, since we’re told they were reclining at the table.
I repeat my question from earlier. What do you suppose prompted this act of hers? Where was she? Helping Martha? Was she in the other room praying? Was she standing back in a corner watching the proceedings and noticing that Simon had not offered Jesus any oil for His head?
We’re not told. And I think maybe that’s the most significant aspect of the recording of this event. It was inspired by the Holy Spirit, remember. So think about why He might have moved Mark to write it in just this way.
Because there is no previous mention of her in this account, to the reader it is as though she suddenly appears from nowhere and performs this heavenly task.
So we are not given the ammunition to quibble over why she did it.
Jesus said she had saved this ointment for this very purpose. But did she know she was saving it for this purpose? How could she? We can’t know. The Holy Spirit has deliberately held back that information, so we do not have enough even to speculate on. So what does He want us to see, that we can put practical application to and see ourselves in it?
Well, nothing else that was going on in the room was as important to her as Jesus.
The social mores of the day that would keep a woman in her place when the men were eating and discussing things didn’t seem to be a hindrance to her at all.
Nothing is said that I have detected, to indicate these were wealthy people, yet she takes this very expensive vial of precious ointment and spills it all over the head of Jesus, and on His feet, and then wipes His feet with her hair.
While some in the room stare in disbelief, others are more vocal. Can she hear them? Of course she can. Does she pay any attention to them? Apparently not.
Christians, it is just a fact of this devil-filled world, that the closer you get to Jesus, and the more obvious it becomes that He is your highest priority, and there is nothing you possess that is too valuable to surrender for His use, the more opposition you will experience.
There will be spiritual opposition, to be sure. But there will be times when even the people around you will not understand, and they will criticize you and sometimes they will even try to stop you.
But remember that Jesus paid no attention to their objections except to admonish them to leave her alone and let her show her love.
“She has done a good deed to Me” “She has done what she could” It is not the greatness of our deeds that God blesses, believers, it is obedience to the Spirit’s leading in just doing what we can out of love for Christ.
Mary had her priorities straight. Her heart was surrendered and the tender Holy Spirit of God was able to use her to bestow the Father’s honor on His Son in preparation for what was to come.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF HER SERVICE
Do you ever wonder, “Can the Lord use me? I mean, really, significantly use me for His purposes?”
After all, a very small percentage of Christians are called to be pastors, or missionaries in the field. Most are just regular guys and gals, out there in the work place, or wherever you might have found yourself on your own path of life.
Well let me assure you today, that if you are a believer in Christ, if you have repented of your sin and received spiritual birth from God through faith in Christ’s atoning work and His resurrection, then you have the Holy Spirit of God living in you. He is your comforter, and He is the one who leads you into truth. He empowers you for service, and nothing can be accomplished in the spiritual realm and for the Kingdom of God apart from Him. He is the Spirit of Christ in you and with you.
Now let’s remember today that this account we’re studying was before the day of Pentecost.
In fact, that day we read about in the second chapter of Acts was only about 56 days away; when those gathered in the upper room would hear the sound of a mighty, rushing wind, and flames of fire would appear to rest on each one and they would begin to speak in tongues and step out of that upper room and preach the gospel of the new church to the crowds of Jerusalem. Before that day was done more than 3000 people would be baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire; a fire that all the forces of hell could never extinguish.
But this is pre-Pentecost Bethany. This is even pre-Passover Bethany. Jesus had said that when He went away He would send the Comforter, but He hadn’t gone away yet.
He was reclining in Simon’s dining room.
The Holy Spirit had not been sent to indwell believers.
But we know that throughout the Old Testament the Spirit of God came on people for special acts of service. And this was still the Old Testament dispensation. That is, the church had not been born, the Messiah had not been sacrificed, the atoning blood had not been poured out.
God had sent His Spirit to enlighten and empower specific people to accomplish tasks. To build the tabernacle according to His instructions, perfectly and without deviation. To overcome the enemies of His people. To understand the direction He was leading when all around were confused and dismayed.
And now, in this account we’re studying today we see one of the last recorded acts of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament dispensation.
How do I know? Because no one can accomplish any act that would bring forth from God a declaration that they would be remembered in honor while the ages roll, unless it was an act born of the Holy Spirit.
Without faith it is impossible to please Him, and faith is contrary to the flesh. Therefore it was a spiritual act of faith that drove Mary to break this alabaster box and let the precious oil run down over her Master’s head and feet.
Listen to Roger Fredrikson on this:
“In Jewish thought, preparation for death was an act of mercy, a greater ‘good work’ than justice...”
The tradition, done by the closest loved ones of the deceased and out of love, was that after death and before the ceremonial wrapping with many yards of cloth strips and close to one hundred pounds of spices and herbs that would help dehydrate the body and somewhat diminish the odor of decay, was to anoint the body with perfumed oil.
Now I want you to observe that we know something now that Mary could not have predicted.
On the day of the crucifixion, Jesus gave up His spirit somewhere around 3 pm. As His body and the two criminals flanking Him hung there, the righteous Pharisees began to be concerned that the bodies would not be taken down prior to sundown and the beginning of the holiday. This violation of the Levitical Law would defile the land, and it would be an abomination to God.
So they persuade Pilate to have the job done before dusk settled, and that is why he ordered the bones broken, to expedite death and get it done with.
We know that the soldiers went to the other two and broke their legs by smashing the shins with an iron bar. That was how it was done. But when they came to Jesus they saw that He was already dead, and they did not break His legs.
But time was short. There was no time to carry out tradition. With the help of Nicodemus the family hastily wrapped Jesus and placed Him in the tomb, with the intention of coming back after the Passover and re-wrapping Him with the proper spices and dressing.
This is how God honors His faithful ones, Christians. No matter what the outward circumstances may appear to be, He will vindicate the righteous, and He will not let them go without honor.
The Father knew what no one else could have known; that there would not be an opportunity to show this mercy to the dead Jesus and anoint His body out of love and compassion and honor that is shown an esteemed family member or friend.
So, six days before His crucifixion, The Father gently moves on the heart of the very one whose heart has always been tuned to Him, to show Him this honor in advance, thereby showing not only her mercy, but also the approval of the Father on His Son’s faithful obedience.
God will not forget you, believer. Whatever must come into your life to conform you to the image of Christ, whatever events must transpire according to His plan in order to accomplish His purposes through you, whatever you must suffer in the process of testing your faith and building you up to fit you for Heaven, in and through all of it, God will hold back no blessing from you, and no honor due you. He will bestow His favor at the proper time and He will not delay.
Does it seem like such a small thing? Anointing the body for burial? After all, He was to rise on the third day after His death, so what’s the point?
But it was not a small thing to God. His Son was about to undergo the humiliation of the cross. It was to be a curse and a shame, that the sinless Son of God had determined to undergo from before the foundation of the world.
He called it the hour of darkness when they arrested Him in the garden, and so it was. The darkest hour in all the history of mankind.
But precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His holy ones (Ps 116:15), and before the dark powers would have their hour, the Father would pour out honor and blessing on the Holiest One of all.
Do you see how very significant Mary’s simple act of love was? She became the vessel carrying the Father’s anointing of honor on His only, beloved, Son in recognition for the faithful work He was about to accomplish.
And she did not hold back. Ignoring custom, ignoring scorn, with no thought for the cost, she broke the box. She could have poured out a little, but she gave all to Him.
And in turn, He honored her.
Christ honors those who honor Him, believer; and He has so much more to give.
This Mary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus, rushed in with determination etched in her features, interrupting the proceedings, infuriating the selfish and astounding the traditionalists, and gave herself completely to a momentary expression of faith and mercy and love.
In return, the Lord of the ages decreed that she would be remembered wherever the gospel was preached.
And today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.
