In the Beginning: The Book of John

(John 12:1-8[HCSB])

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, the one Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for Him there; Martha was serving them, and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of fragrant oil pure and expensive nard — anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped His feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

4 Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray Him), said, 5 “Why wasn’t this fragrant oil sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor? ” 6 He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it.

7 Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of My burial. 8 For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

Note: 300 denarii would have been roughly equivalent to a worker’s average yearly wage, or about $20,000.

* Ecclesiastes 2:18-19 also tells us that all of our striving is vanity, chasing the wind, unless it has a Godly purpose.

Anointed by Mary

This was no ordinary anointing and neither was the care given to cleanup. While we are all generally aware that this was another prophetic act representing the care of a dead body in the tomb, the sheer cost, volume, and inappropriateness is extraordinary:

We are talking about a pound (16 liquid ounces) of fragrant oil that was worth about $20,000 dollars lavished on Jesus and then wiped up with a woman’s hair. Use of a woman’s hair, let down in that manner, is considered provocative, even seductive, in Middle Eastern culture to this day.

I highly doubt that Judas was the only one wondering why! He alone had the nerve to ask the question everyone else had on their minds. In this way he served a divine purpose, though John refers to him as a thief and condemns his motivation.

Jesus, again attempting to prepare His disciples, took the opportunity to defend Mary’s actions and to make clear His limited time among them. Jesus, being the poorest of the poor Himself (in secular terms) was making clear that money and possessions were of no value unless used for a purpose.

Biblically we know that hoarding serves neither the rich nor the poor. Luke reminds us of this in his Gospel 12:1620,* and Jesus makes a public declaration of it through Mary’s act of devotion on the eve of His own crucifixion.

Giving more than enough is only the beginning.