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Mary Anoints Jesus
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The disciples were not like Judas. They loved the Savior but did
not rightly understand His character. The wise men from the East,
who knew so little of Jesus, had shown that they understood more
truly the honor due Him.
Christ values acts of heartfelt courtesy. He did not refuse the
simplest flower that a child plucked and offered to Him in love. He
accepted the offerings of children, and He blessed the givers. The
Scriptures mention Mary’s anointing of Jesus as a way to distinguish
her from the other Marys. Acts of love and reverence for Jesus are
an evidence of faith in Him as the Son of God.
Christ accepted Mary’s wealth of pure affection which His disci-
ples did not, would not, understand. It was the love of Christ that
drove her to action. That ointment was a symbol of the giver’s heart,
the outward demonstration of a love fed by heavenly streams until it
overflowed.
The disciples never appreciated, as they should have, the lone-
liness of Christ in living the life of humanity. He was often sad
because He knew that if they were under the influence of the heav-
enly angels that accompanied Him, they too would think no offering
to be valuable enough to declare their hearts’ affection.
Jesus Was Never Really Appreciated
When Jesus was no longer with them and they felt like sheep
without a shepherd, they began to see how they could have brought
gladness to His heart. They no longer heaped blame on Mary, but
on themselves. Oh, if they could have taken back their criticism,
presenting the poor as more worthy of the gift than Christ! They felt
the reproof keenly as they took the bruised body of their Lord from
the cross.
Today, few appreciate all that Christ is to them. If they did, they
would express the great love of Mary. They would think that nothing
was too costly to give for Christ, no selfdenial or self-sacrifice too
great to endure for His sake.
The words spoken in indignation, “Why this waste?” brought
vividly before Christ the greatest sacrifice ever made—the gift of
Himself as the atoning sacrifice for a lost world. From a human
point of view, the plan of salvation is a reckless waste of mercies and