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Mary Anoints Jesus
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the grave and had been restored by a word from Jesus would cause a
reaction. The people would be avenged on their leaders for taking
the life of One who could perform such a miracle. The Sanhedrin
therefore decided that Lazarus also must die.
While this plotting was going on at Jerusalem, Jesus and His
friends were invited to Simon’s feast. At the table Simon sat on one
side of the Saviour, and Lazarus, on the other. Martha served, but
Mary was earnestly listening to every word from the lips of Jesus. In
His mercy, Jesus had pardoned her sins and called forth her brother
from the grave, and Mary’s heart was filled with gratitude. She had
heard Jesus speak of His approaching death, and she had longed to
show Him honor.
At great personal sacrifice she had purchased an alabaster box of
“ointment of spikenard, very costly,” with which to anoint His body.
But now many were declaring that He was about to be crowned king.
Her grief was turned to joy, and she was eager to be first in honoring
her Lord. Breaking her box of ointment, she poured its contents on
the head and feet of Jesus; then, as she knelt weeping, moistening
them with her tears, she wiped His feet with her long, flowing hair.
Her movements might have passed unnoticed, but the ointment filled
the room with its fragrance and published her act to all present.
Why Judas Was Annoyed
Judas looked upon this act with great displeasure. He began
to whisper his complaints to those near him, throwing reproach on
Christ for suffering such waste. Judas, treasurer for the disciples, had
secretly drawn from their little store for his own use, thus narrowing
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their resources to a pittance. He was eager to put into the bag all he
could obtain. When something that he did not think essential was
bought, he would say, Why was not the cost of this put into the bag
that I carry for the poor?
The act of Mary was in such marked contrast to his selfishness
that he was put to shame. He sought to assign a worthy motive for
his objection to her gift: “Why was not this ointment sold for three
hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared
for the poor; but because he was a thief.” Had Mary’s ointment been