Things I Know Because Mary Annointed Jesus

John 12 (1)

- Read John 12:1-8

My word, can you imagine attending this dinner party? Can you imagine reclining at a table and enjoying a meal with Jesus? Or, could you imagine sitting and talking with Mary and Martha and having them walk through the events that had happened just shortly before. Listening to their emotional roller coaster, as they told how their brother was sick and they were scared he was going to die. But, how reassured they were because they had an inside track with Jesus. After all, He was a personal friend of their’s. They had seen Him perform miracles many times. They had seen Him heal people. And, He had eaten at their home many times. He was a friend. Surely He would come and heal their brother.

Oh, to hear of their hurt, and confusion, when after they had sent and told Jesus the Lazarus was sick, and please come, to have Him wait, and wait, and wait.

Can you imagine hearing them tell the story of how Jesus came, and how He had performed something they believed He couldn’t do. “But, Jesus, he stinketh”. Oh, and then the incredible job of having their brother back.

Can you imagine, talking with Lazarus? Ah, Lazarus, tell what you experienced. Makes you wonder if the Lord allowed him to retain his memory of tine on the other side or not.

In the midst of all of this, Mary, overwhelmed by the power of God, and overwhelmed by her love for her Savior, went and got some perfume, and anointed Jesus’ feet with it, and wiped His feet with her hair.

The Bible tells us in verse 3, that the fragrance of the perfume filled the house.

I wonder what kind of a fragrance it was, that it fills the house. I wonder if it was stronger in some parts of the house than in others.

I remember one time, my youngest brother, who wore Dracar cologne, bought a bottle and put it in my truck. That stuff was expensive. I mean, I grew up with a bunch of Avon’s Wild Country in different decanter bottles. Anyway, he left that black bottle of cologne in my truck, in the sun, in the summer. When we got off work, I went out to my truck. That bottle had gotten so hot that the lid had blown off the bottle and a bunch of that stuff had soaked into the seat of my truck. I had to drive home with my window down and my head out the window, eyes watering, the smell was so strong.

To this day, if I go to my Mom’s, first thing after I walk in the door, I have to unplug her Airwick things she has plugged into her outlets. Can’t handle strong smells.

Mary put perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair.

She was overwhelmed by her love, and adoration, of Jesus.

She was so overwhelmed that not only did she perfume His feet, and not only did she wipe His feet with her hair, but she had spent more than a year’s worth of a normal person’s wages to do so.

- vs 5

Why wasn’t this sold for 300 denarii? A denarii was equivalent to a normal person’s salary for 1 day. Sio the perfume she put on Jesus’ feet, if Judas’ estimate was correct, would have been worth what a normal person would make in 300 days. If you count off holidays, and Sabbaths, that would have been about what a normal person would earn in a year.

Can you imagine that? Being so in love with Jesus that you would perfume His feet, that you would wipe His feet with your hair, and that you would spend the equivalent to a normal person’s annual salary to do so?

The vast majority of people in church today don’t even tithe. They don’t even give the 10% required by the Lord, much less that kind of sacrifice. A lot of people who claim to be Christians can’t be bothered to even attend church, much less minister, or serve, and certainly not menial service like that. How degrading.

Oh, I wish I loved Jesus like that. I wish He was that kind of a priority in my life.

But notice, there was at least 1 in the group who didn’t think this was a good idea.

- Read John 12:4-6

Such a simple question, and such a revealing insight into the character of Judas. I sure am glad the Lord saw fit to include this account in the Bible. I find it scary, but I sure am glad God, when He inspired John to record his Gospel, made sure he included this event, and he didn’t have to. I mean, John didn’t include this event in his gospel account of Jesus’ life just for filler, trying to fill more pages.