JESUS WAS ANOINTED BY A WOMAN
Mark 14:1-11
Key Verse: Mark 14:9
"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."
Today’s passage is about Jesus’ preparation for his death. Death is sad. It reminds us that those who are gone will never be seen here again in this world. No matter what we hear about the heaven, the sense of loss and the helpless feeling we have in regard to the unfolding events are real for us.
part 1, “A woman broke her alabaster jar of perfume (1-5).
Look at verses one and two, 1Now 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. 2"But not during the Feast," they said, "or the people may riot." The Passover commemorated that the people of Israel were saved from the bondage of Pharaoh in the Egyptian Empire after 430 years. Moses spent the first 40 years in the palace and the next 40 years in the wilderness. When Moses had no strength of his own and had to only depend on God, God called him as a deliverer of his people. Pharaoh the Egyptian Emperor depended on his powerful army. Moses depended on God absolutely. Through ten rounds of terrible contest, Pharaoh the Emperor of the Egyptian Empire surrendered to Moses. In this way God delivered his poor people who had been slaves in the Egyptian Empire. God told them to remember this deliverance in the name of the Passover. During the Passover, from all the corners of Israel, men brought lambs to slaughter
And gave them as a sacrifice for their sins.
The true Lamb of God is our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came up to Jerusalem. Now it was two days before the Passover. This refers, in terms of Bible prophecy, to the day of our Lord Jesus Christ's crucifixion. Jesus would become a ransom for many, just as the Lamb was killed at the Passover for the atonement of men's sins. May God help us know the deep
Meaning of his blood.
It was two days before the Passover. Following the custom, adult males who lived within 15 miles of Jerusalem were bound to come to Jerusalem with sacrifice animals to observe the annual event of the Passover. Along with the Passover Feast, there were three more important feasts. They are the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles (Deut 16:16). The Feast of Unleavened Bread is closely connected with the Passover Feast. Perhaps many adult males were walking toward Jerusalem two by two, or three by three, or in groups, talking and sharing their storied of hard life under Roman rule during the previous year. During this Passover time the chief priests and teachers of the law, wanted to kill Jesus in "some sly way." They were devising some secret ways to kill Jesus. In this circumstance, Jesus was invited to a
House for a meal with his disciples.
Look at verse 3:”While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table 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.…” Jesus was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper. Anyway, he was a man of great wealth who could invite many people to his house. While people were served a meal, a woman came and did something extraordinary. In fact, this woman’s action is somewhat strange or odd to us. Anyway, pouring perfume on one’s head is an expression of love and devotion. In Jesus’ time it might be appropriate for a bride to do for her bridegroom. Then, what is the meaning of the action of this woman?
(1) Here, we can see a woman’s beautiful devotion to Jesus. Her devotion was based on the saving grace of Jesus. A devotion that was based on the saving grace of Jesus. This alabaster jar of perfume represented her most valued possession. It was her life’s savings. She even sold her flesh to save up for this jar of perfume. This jar of perfume represented her hope of marrying a man who would love her and care for her unconditionally. In doing this she gave her hope, trust and love to Christ.
(2) Women display their beautiful devotion to Jesus as they experience the saving power of Christ in their lives. In her past she devoted herself to making money and hoped for true love. She was devoted to the wrong things and she was hurt by many men and the world. Probably people despised her. She was hopeless, helpless and lost in this world, but one day something changed. One day she met Jesus and he gave her something this world could not give her. In Christ she received forgiveness of her sins, hope in a new life and unfailing love. When other men just used her, Jesus helped her. In Christ she found that she is not trapped in her repeated sin and endless pursuit of happiness. Since Jesus came into her heart she was happy and Jesus was priority number one, and to her, Jesus was the world to her. She had the alabaster jar of perfume as her treasure. But it didn't mean much to her now. Out of her joy and thanksgiving heart for Jesus' forgiveness of her sins, she invaded the banquet where she was not privileged to enter. And she poured out the perfume on Jesus from head to toe. He understood her heart and her happiness after receiving the
Forgiveness of sins
This was her beautiful act of devotion to Jesus based on the grace of God. This beautiful act of devotion is not only in the time of Jesus. Many offer their heart devotion to Jesus. It is beautiful to see women offer their love for Jesus. We see many beautiful examples of women’s devotion to Christ today. How did the people around her respond to her action? "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'" (4,5a). They did not care for the woman who needed the hand of God's mercy. Moreover, they did not see the sacrificial character of a woman who came to thank Jesus for the forgiveness of her unchangeable sin. This sin had bound her soul to the extreme measure so that she was not happy for even a day. Those who were in the banquet only saw the drops of perfume spilling from Jesus' head to his shoulders and to the floor. They rebuked her harshly, saying, "Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." In fact, they were not rebuking the woman, but they were expressing their own greediness with reasonable words.
Part 2, “Leave her alone…She has done a beautiful thing to me" (6-8). The woman’s action was beautiful. Jesus’ response to this woman’s action was much more beautiful. Look at verse 6. "'Leave her alone,' said Jesus. 'Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me.'" Jesus rebuked all those who spoke harshly against her. Jesus characterized her action as beautiful. To Jesus, her pouring the expensive perfume on him was not a waste. It was a sacrificial, courageous and lovely act with an untenable charm to it. Maybe the perfume was for her marriage. When she poured the perfume, in actuality, she poured out her heart to Jesus. When she poured the perfume on him, she was pouring out her love to Jesus: She loved God with all her heart. She gave extravagantly all she had. Indeed, she gave all her soul to Jesus. She gave everything recklessly to Jesus because she saw God in Jesus and she had been happy since Jesus came to her and forgave all the dirty power of sin which had tormented her day and night. Who else but Jesus could afford such devotion? Praise and thank God for sending us Jesus who alone is worthy of our worship and devotion. Happy are those who have this kind of
Experience of receiving life through Jesus.
This woman was happy when her sins were washed away. Probably she was the woman in Luke 7:36-50 who had lived a sinful life. While Jesus was eating at a Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping and weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. She came to Jesus as she was and asked his mercy for her sinsick soul by pouring out an alabaster jar of perfume. Jesus loved her with the love of God. Jesus washed all her sins away when she came to Jesus as she was. Jesus defended her and stood by her while all the world seemed to be against her.
Look at verses 7-8. "The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial." Here, Jesus explains the meaning of love. To love is to know the right time for action. The timing matters in love. To love is not merely to help all the poor of the world. To love is to do for what is meaningful at the critical moment. Jesus died once and for all for us. People, including all his disciples, were busy preparing for everything else except preparing for
The death of our Lord.
Jesus clearly tells us that he is going to be the Lamb of God by his death on the cross. No one cared for him before his death. Jesus was alone. No one asked about it. No one prayed for him. Even the woman who poured the alabaster jar of perfume probably did not know. But Jesus accepted this woman’s action and related it to the preparation for his death. Jesus acknowledged God through her action. God did not leave him alone. God comforted Jesus through this woman’s beautiful act of devotion. Certainly, Jesus saw the beautiful love of this woman. More than that, Jesus saw the
Wonderful care of his of his Heavenly Father.
In Proverb 3:6 we read, “In all your ways acknowledge him, he will make your paths straight”. Where is God? People ask. God is in all your ways. Acknowledge God in unfolding events in life, we find reasons for comfort and joy. God is not far way. God is near. God is with us in the moment of great joy. God is with us in the moment of great sufferings. Acknowledge God. Expect God to show his face. Ask God to reveal his amazing grace among us. People try to fit in this world. Experiencing rejections one after another many feel left alone, hopeless helpless and even lost. To such people the world is nothing but a place of torture. Yet, God is there. Acknowledge God and see what God is preparing for you. By the grace of God we can see God and experience the love of God. We learn how to acknowledge God in all things. Then, strangely even small act of love of others become such a reason for joy and hope. We know that we are not alone; rather this world is a place where God displays his amazing love for us. What is it that we cannot face at this time? What is it that makes us so fearful? What is it that poisons our souls in disappointment and even bitterness? Acknowledge God. Affirm God’s goodness and beauty, although we don’t understand. Jesus acknowledged God just before his excruciating death? He did so much good for the world. The world paid so little to him except this woman’s unexpected, odd act of love. Yet, this was sufficient for Jesus. Sometimes our heart is so drained that we are blinded of all the evidences of goodness of God around us. Rather, many are ready to strike back to God with a hint of evils in this world as a trigger to confirm their poor views of God and the sad conclusion about this world.
But that is not the way God’s people live in this world. We, just like little children, are happy with the hints of goodness of God. Our souls refused to be poisoned by the bad news in this world. Either we accept or reject Christ and his truths. By faith we accept the truth that God is here and he rules the world. His love triumphs over evil. Our tomorrow is not all that uncertain as many claim. No matter what happens in this life, the truth remains that God prepares for our every moment through Christ Jesus our Lord. God gives victory in all things through Christ Jesus our Lord. This is the reality. We are prepared to live today and face all things tomorrow.
part 3, “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” (9-11). Jesus said in verse 9. "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." From a human point of view, she had done a very poor job and she also embarrassed Jesus. But Jesus as the Son of God who was going to be the Lamb of God on the cross, saw her act as the
Most unforgettable gospel account throughout history.
Look at verses 10,11. Mark concludes this story with Judas Iscariot. He is such a contrast to the woman and Jesus. Judas Iscariot was the treasurer of the apostolic band. But he went to the chief priests to betray Jesus. He made a deal to hand Jesus over to them for thirty silver coins. Judas Iscariot never had such an idea. Judas loved money more than Jesus. John 12:6 says, "Judas ….was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it." As the treasurer in Jesus’ ministry, he often stole money for his selfish gain. His love for money and secret double life eventually cost him everything—he betrayed Jesus.
Let's read verse 9. "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." Here, Jesus explains the principles of preaching the gospel. The good news of Jesus Christ is preached through those who give their beautiful devotion to Jesus. Those whose sins are forgiven through Jesus, those whose lives are transformed through Jesus, those who tasted the love of God through Jesus, those who met Jesus in their hopeless and helpless state, those who tasted the life giving scarifies of Jesus on our behalf, they are the primary means to preach the good news of Jesus to all nations.
In this sense, this woman’s beautiful devotion to Jesus is spoken again and again. As we meditate this story, this woman inspires to choose love Jesus. The love of Jesus compels us to share the good news of Jesus in
This desperate world.
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