Tag Archives: Mark 14:1-11

Jesus Received Something Beautiful

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Wednesday of Holy Week finds Jesus having a meal with Simon the Leper.  There are three main characters in this story: Jesus, Judas, and a woman.  The woman, according to Matthew and Mark, opens a container of very expensive perfume and Annointing_Jesus002pours it on Jesus’ head.  Even though it does not say it I can image Judas starting the complaining about the cost of perfume and getting really mad when Jesus puts a stop to the chatter ( that is in John 12).  This anointing may have been the key to Judas betraying Jesus.

Jesus’ reaction is amazing, not only does He let the woman pour oil on His head/body but also defends the action.  He allowed her to minister to Him in this rather extraordinary way.  He knew that she had received a revelation that He was about to die and that He needed to be anointed.  Notice there was no reaction about His statement that He was about to die.  Jesus put this act of obedience in a very important position so it will be told when the Gospel is preached.  She did three notable things: she got a revelation, acted on it, and she gave a tremendously valuable monetary gift.

There are two other references to Jesus being anointed: Luke 7:36 – 39 and John 12:1- 8.  John’s telling is still probably this story even though chapter 12 starts with “six days before Passover.”  I would tend to blame modern man’s need to put punctuation into Greek text; if this is not an oversight maybe Jesus was anointed twice during the week, once before the ride into Jerusalem and then before His trials, both would have been fitting.  Luke has a different story about Jesus being anointed and given that he did a lot of research before writing his gospel I would tend to think that there was at least two different occasions that Jesus is anointed.  The main similarity is the name Simon but that was a common name, plus would a Pharisee risked having Him to dinner while everyone was looking for a way to kill Jesus?

Imagine now that Jesus and His clothes have been anointed on Wednesday what Thursday and Friday must have been like.  Judas sitting next to Jesus at the Passover meal still smelling the perfume and being angry, the mob and the chief priest had to smell Him while they are going through the arrest and trial, Pilate smelling the perfume while he is questioning Jesus, and the soldiers trying to beat the fragrance off Him so they can crucify Him.

Matthew 26:3-16, Mark 14:1-11, Luke 22:1-6

See Holy Week 2013 – Wednesday

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HOLY WEEK – WEDNESDAY

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Scripture References: Matthew 26:3-16, Mark 14:1-11, Luke 22:1-6

See Holy Week 2014 – Wednesday – Jesus Received Something Beautiful

I know this is a simple thought but everything that is written for today deals with Jesus’ death; the priest and Judas and Jesus being anointed. It has amazed me how many great stories and teachings take place in this week.

There is one thought I just don’t buy even after hearing learned preachers and others have given their thoughts- Judas was not a poor misunderstood individual. I have put him into a play and just study him and his types and shadows from the Old Testament and I believe that the rebuke (yes, I think Judas was complaining at the dinner) and the fact that he could not get his hands on the money for the perfume just sent him over the top. Please see my blogs on Judas and Judas in the Old Testament.

Matthew 26:3-163 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, 4 and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 5 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

6 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, 7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. 8 When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. 9 “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” 10 Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 The poor you will always have with you,but you will not always have me. 12 When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

14 Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15 and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. 16 From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.(NIV)