We now enter the crucial week before the crucifixion, with Jesus returning to Bethany to stay with Lazarus, Mary and Martha.
Martha served the food, and Mary anointed Jesus with perfume. This picture of Martha working and Mary doing the "spiritual bit" is consistent with the incident in Luke (Luke 10:38-42).
Mary anointed Jesus feet with the nard, and wiped them with her hair. This filled the house with a fragrance of perfume, but Judas filled it with a stench of criticism. He objected that the money spent of the perfume could have been better used to feed the poor. The unrighteous will often have seemingly plausible arguments,as Judas does here, but in reality they have no substance.
There were two things wrong with Judas' arguments. First his own character, for he himself had periodically stolen from the common purse that the disciples had. Secondly, the words of Jesus. Jesus knew the true significance of what Mary was doing, preparing Him for burial. This should remind us that not everything we should do as individuals and as churches will follow a nice neat logic, some things that are motivated by the Holy Spirit will seem strange. Finally, they could have helped the poor at any time. The use of the nard did not stop them helping the poor.
Martha served the food, and Mary anointed Jesus with perfume. This picture of Martha working and Mary doing the "spiritual bit" is consistent with the incident in Luke (Luke 10:38-42).
Mary anointed Jesus feet with the nard, and wiped them with her hair. This filled the house with a fragrance of perfume, but Judas filled it with a stench of criticism. He objected that the money spent of the perfume could have been better used to feed the poor. The unrighteous will often have seemingly plausible arguments,as Judas does here, but in reality they have no substance.
There were two things wrong with Judas' arguments. First his own character, for he himself had periodically stolen from the common purse that the disciples had. Secondly, the words of Jesus. Jesus knew the true significance of what Mary was doing, preparing Him for burial. This should remind us that not everything we should do as individuals and as churches will follow a nice neat logic, some things that are motivated by the Holy Spirit will seem strange. Finally, they could have helped the poor at any time. The use of the nard did not stop them helping the poor.
No comments:
Post a Comment