Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany & The Plot to Kill Lazarus-John 12:1-11

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passages of Scripture. From memory, determine the central points.

  1. Before going further, look at Matthew’s (Mt. 26:6–13) and Mark’s (Mk. 14:3–9) accounts of what most say is the same story.
  2. Likely a Saturday, the last such before Jesus dies, at the home of Simon the Leper at Bethany, and not at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. Bethany, on the east slope of the Mt. of Olives, two miles from Jerusalem, is where Jesus felt safe and was among friends.
  3. A dinner is given for Jesus and Martha served, and Lazarus was present: Could it be a celebration of life event?
  4. Mary is present, of course, with a flask of a very costly perfume, that most think came for a plant found in North India. 5         Mary pours the juice on Jesus’ feet (note in Matthew and Mark, on His head) and most think she anointed both head and feet, the head being the common practice. Pouring the nard on the feet is a sign of deep gratitude.

6          Judas, somehow he kept the money box, protests this supposed waste of resources. We see how little he cared for Jesus. And yes, millions of us have wondered why it was Jesus included him amongst His disciples.         But, He did.

7          Jesus stops Judas short and explains, though no one there would have understood His meaning, that this was an anointing like one would anoint a dead family member.  

8          Yes, one can always give to the poor, and it is unlikely Judas cared for the poor in any case, but Jesus would not always be physically present.           

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