Key Verses: 12:7,8
“’Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.’”
In John’s gospel chapters 1-11 we studied that Jesus is God. Jesus manifested his divine glory and power through seven miraculous signs. Especially, chapter eleven taught us that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. In chapter 12 Jesus concluded his public ministry of serving all kinds of sinners with the word of life. Now Mary expresses her love by pouring out an expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet because Jesus forgave all her sins. On the contrary, Judas rebuked her for wasting this perfume. We see two responses towards Jesus today. But Jesus accepted Mary’s action as a preparation for his impending death. Let’s give our best to Jesus as our sincere expression of love. May God bless us to pour our love for Jesus like Mary. I pray that we may worship Jesus with our heart because he is our King and Savior.
PART I. MARY POURED AN EXPENSIVE PERFUME ON JESUS (1-3)
Look at verse 1a. “Six days before the Passover...” The Passover was the Jewish Independence day. It was the day of commemorating God’s grace of delivering the Israelites from the bondage of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. When the angel of death was sweeping the land of Egypt to destroy all the firstborn of the land on account of Pharaoh’s stubbornness, the angel passed over the houses of the Israelites, looking at the blood of the lamb on their doorposts. Since that event, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. We remember the beautiful story about Jesus who went up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover when he was twelve years old. Jesus must have gone up to Jerusalem annually to celebrate the Passover. This was the last Passover for Jesus, and it was time for him to prepare himself for his death on the cross. This time Jesus himself would become the Lamb of God. Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus had been raised from the dead. There, a special dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor at the home of Simon the Leper (Mt 26:6). It was to celebrate the divine power of Jesus who had raised Lazarus from the tomb (1b,2a). It was a village-wide feast. Martha served, while Lazarus was reclining at the table with Jesus among the honorary guests. Lazarus was sharing his resurrection testimony saying, “I heard Jesus’ voice when I was sleeping in the tomb. It was an incredible experience. Praise Jesus.” Lazarus was the manifestation of divine glory to Jesus, and, on the other hand, he was a source of anguish to the Jewish leaders, who could not deny the divine power of Jesus because of Lazarus. As soon as they began to eat, a dramatic event took place. What did Mary do to Jesus while all the guests were enjoying a delicious dinner. Look at verse 3. “Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped them with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” According to Mark 14:3, she broke the jar and poured the perfume. It is said that nard was a very expensive perfume produced in India. But she did not spare any perfume and poured all of them. There are many women who have their name as Mary in the gospels as we have seven women who have their name as Mary. This Mary is a sister of Martha and Lazarus. She was a good Bible student of Jesus. Her sister Martha cooked while she was listening to the word of Jesus. (Luke 10:39) She was moved by the word of Jesus. In the past Mary had many scars and wounds when she lived according to her sinful desires. Her heart was broken when many boys left her one by one. She was thirsty when no one quenched her deep and wounded soul. But since she met Jesus, she was healed from her sin sickness. She became a new creation through the love of Jesus. Though Jesus was the Son of God, he served her like her own daughter with a humble shepherd heart. Jesus poured out his life for Mary. Jesus poured last drop of his blood to forgive all our sins. Jesus made us to be clean as white as snow. He gave up everything to save us from the power of sin and death. Mary was cured completely through Jesus’ love and grace. Now the time of Jesus’ death was approaching and the religious leaders were plotting to kill Jesus. Though Mary was known as a listener of Jesus, it was time for her to act. Mary seized this opportunity to express her thanks and love towards Jesus.
She had a sense of timing though it seemed to be inappropriate to pour perfume while people were enjoying their food smell. It did not matter to her. If she did not act at this time, she would have missed the opportunity to express her love towards Jesus. Timing is everything in life. There is time to eat, time to sleep, time to sing, time to exercise, time to worship, and time to study. Rebekah Lim Jr. studied hard during her school year and graduated with honor and Bank of American offered her a good job. She had a sense of timing. Mary had a sense of timing. It was her time to action. If we miss timing, we miss an opportunity. One young man was late for his fight and called the airline saying, “There is a terrorist threat.” He missed the plane and was arrested. One woman burst into anger with a trivial matter towards her husband in the morning and wanted to call him to say, “Sorry, honey. I was wrong. I love you.” But she did not call him. On the way home her husband had a car accident and died. She missed her chance to say, “I love you.” She lived in a great regret. Mary got it right and poured perfume on Jesus right before his death. Jesus said in verse 8, “You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” Are you ready to serve Jesus right now? Yes, I am ready to sever him now. Do not delay and it is time to express your love.
Mary offered her best. According to Judas calculation, it was worth a year’s wages. It was a lot of money like $30,000. Probably, it was her life saving for her wedding. But she did not spare anything and poured it all. She did not give Jesus her left-over but gave her best gift. How could she do that? We cannot understand her. To human eyes she looked crazy. Spiritually speaking it was the best thing to Jesus. She knew that Jesus did not spare anything for her. Now she did not spare anything for Jesus. Jesus raised her brother Lazarus and planted the resurrection faith in her. Jesus promised her the eternal life in the kingdom of God. Why did she have to worry about her future when Jesus gave her the best gift of eternal life? She was happy and satisfied. What did you give up for Jesus? I thought I gave up everything for Jesus. But I find out that I am reluctant to pour my life for Jesus. I have a strong desire to save my life. I am dropping my life as if I am putting my shaving lotion to my face little by little. I lost my pure love for Jesus because I have many possessions. In the early pioneering days I was so happy because I was able to pour my life for Jesus. One time S. David left center riding a bike after the Sunday service and it began to rain. I worried about his safety and drove all the way to Fort Washington to find him. I pray that God may restore me to give my best to Jesus. We have five shepherdesses to be baptized. I am thankful for their willingness to give their youth to Jesus. YDJ are precious because they give their best their youth to the Lord. Praise Him band members are beautiful because they give their hearts to Jesus. Joe and Jay pour their hearts when they sing. M. Abe Lee gives his three precious prime of life to the Lord in a remote place of China to plant hope in God for many Chinese students.
Mary had a pure motive in serving Jesus. She poured the perfume without any calculation. If she calculated, she could not pour it. She just did it to anoint Jesus. She had a single mind. She did not expect any return because she already received enough love and grace from Jesus. We understand why this woman expressed her love in such a surprising way. Since Jesus came into her heart, Jesus became her source of joy, because he forgave her sins. Jesus was all the world to her. According to Jewish custom, obviously she should pour perfume on his head first, and then on his feet. After pouring it out, she wiped his feet with her hair. To a woman, hairstyle is very important. Suppose a woman had a sportsman’s haircut. How repulsive she would look! 1 Corinthians says that long hair is a woman’s glory (1 Cor 11:15). But Mary did not mind wiping Jesus’ feet with her hair. This was her expression of respect, joy and thanks to Jesus since Jesus came into her heart. She poured perfume on him, but in actuality, she was pouring out her heart to Jesus out of the unutterable thanks in her soul.. In this part we learn that it is very important for each one to know that he or she is a sinner, but that by the grace of God he or she is a holy child of God. How difficult it is to recognize oneself as a sinner! But this is the beginning point of receiving God’s grace and joy.
PART II. JUDAS ISCARIOT OBJECTED (4-6).
Verses 4-6 comment on a man called Judas Iscariot. He looked at the woman’s genuine love for Jesus and was furious about her wasting perfume. He could not see the heart of the woman linked with the grace of Jesus. He only looked at the material waste for nothing. He said a very offensive thing about the woman. It is common sense that even an angry man should not talk to a woman in such an indecent way. Look at verses 4-5. “But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’” He appeared to be an advocate for the poor. He appeared to be a patriot who was mindful of poor people. He did not understand Mary’s beautiful heart. He was critical of her action. Other disciples were critical of her action also. People say that men are practical but women are devotional. When women find true object of love, they give everything without calculation. But men are practical. They don’t understand women’s hearts. What should men do when they do not understand women’s beautiful hearts. Instead of bothering them and objecting them, they should be quiet. I don’t want to criticize because today is Father’s day. It is just an advise. But John comments that he said this because he was a thief. Look at verse 6. “He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.”
Here we see that purpose is purpose and motive is motive. Judas Iscariot’s purpose of following Jesus was to become one of his disciples. Purpose shows one’s life direction and goal. But his motive was not in Jesus. When he followed Jesus, he became a treasurer of Jesus’ band. This shows us that he was interested in money more than in Jesus’ words. As the Apostle John commented, his motive was in money. Though Judas was with Jesus, his heart was in the world. Jesus gave him many opportunities to repent of his impure motive but he refused to accept Jesus’ word. Then he invited the devil to use him to betray Jesus. He was different from Peter who repented when he failed.
What happened to Judas Iscariot, who had an impure motive in following Jesus? He could not remain as one of his disciples. He sold Jesus for 30 silver coins. But his conscience was stricken, and he could not keep the money. So he tried to return the money, but the priests didn’t accept it. So he threw the money away on the floor of the temple and hanged himself on a tree. But the rope was loose and he fell down on the ground and his intestines spilled out. God blesses those who have a pure motive in the sight of God.
PART III. JESUS ACCEPTED MARY’S ACTION (7-11).
How did Jesus interpret Mary’s action? Look at verse 7. “’Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.’” In Mark 14:6 says, “She has done a beautiful thing to me.” Her action was not a waste but a beautiful thing to Jesus. We cannot say that Mary poured perfume on Jesus knowing that it was for his burial and death. But Jesus accepted her act preciously and credited it as a part of God’s work. Here we learn Jesus’ value system. Jesus valued this woman who gave what she had to him, and he attributed the meaning of her giving as the anointing for his burial. Here we learn that Jesus values not the achievement but the heart. Jesus valued Mary’s pouring perfume on his body as a part of God’s work. We must learn the value system of Jesus. Without a proper value system, we are no more than animal men. Jesus accepts whatever we offer to him with pure motive. I listened to Mary team testimonies last Tuesday. My heart was moved. Most of them are struggling to raise up young children. Babysitting is a big heart-breaking matter. They sacrifice their children for Jesus. M. Ruth Kim came to the meeting though she was bleeding. They are beautiful to Jesus. M. Esther Lee drove five hours to study with Ashley Fox at Hagerstown and Jesus will accept it to raise up one HNW.
Verses 9-11 tell us that the religious leaders made a plan to kill Lazarus, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him. So they decided to kill poor Lazarus, who was once dead and was raised by Jesus. Their spiritual condition was not a degree of corruption, but a state of deadness. May God help us to know that each of us is a great sinner before God. Then God will give to each of us his forgiveness. Then we will come to know God’s love and put our faith in the Son.