The Anointing of Jesus

Good morning, welcome to NHCC, please open your Bibles to Mark 14.

Where have we recently been in Mark’s gospel?

Jesus enters the city of Jerusalem on Sunday.

Monday, cleansing of the Temple.

Tuesday, teaching in the Temple and challenges from authority.

Tuesday ends with the leaving behind of the city and the Olivet discourse concerning the destruction of the Temple and the return of Christ.

Brings us to our text, beginning with religious leaders plotting on Tuesday evening.

Read Mark 14:1-11- It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.” And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her. But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.” Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.

Pray.

Before we get to our points of application, lets try our best to rightly understand the account that we have just read. We need to read it in the context of how the account is given not only in Mark’s gospel, but in John’s gospel as well.

The religious leaders, known as the Sanhedrin, are looking to arrest and kill Jesus.

Desire to avoid passover because of the crowds of common folk who are still intrigued by Jesus.

The fact that Jesus is killed during passover reveals two things to us.

First, the religious leaders had not anticipated Iscariot being willing to work with them.

Second, everything that happens to Jesus in His passion is being directed primarily by the will of God.

We come to a banquet, or dinner, taking place in the house of Simon the leper, likely someone who has been healed by Jesus.

Lepers would be unable to live in society, let alone host a dinner, unless they had been made clean.

This dinner is likely being given as a token of appreciation, especially when we consider the other guests that were present.

According to John 12, a parallel account, Martha, Mary and Lazarus were present.

What do we know of this family?

Lazarus had been raised from the dead by Jesus in John 11.

Mary and Martha, in Luke 10, welcome Jesus into their home. Martha works hard to serve. Mary sits at the feet of Jesus to receive His teaching.

Here with Jesus, then, we have Simon, likely healed by Christ, and Lazarus, raised by Christ.

According to John 12, Martha is serving the meal.

Mark’s gospel says that a woman came with oil, but John clarifies that it was Mary anointing Jesus.

Let’s pay attention to what she is doing:

She has an alabaster flask filled with oil made from nard.

Disciples note it could have been sold for 300 denarii, which most estimate that this would be the equivalent of approximately $25,000 today. Roughly a years wages.

Family heirloom, or saved up?

Jesus later- she is anointing Him for His burial.

Intentionally knew what was happening. The disciples missed it, she understood.

Hero of the faith.

She has done what she can.

The disciples rebuke her, led by Judas (John 12).

As always, Jesus rebukes the disciples.

The poor will always be there. Jesus’ time with His disciples is coming to an end.

Text ends with Judas creating a plan to betray Jesus.

Before getting to our points of application, one key note to make- What Mary is doing is worship.

Defined as giving of herself to Jesus Christ. Not what she is getting, not how she feels, but what she can give.

Plenty of points of application from our text, let’s focus our attention on three.

1. Those who have received great mercy spare no expense in expressing gratitude.

Mary is clearly the example to be followed here.

Consider what she has been through. The death and resurrection of her brother, Lazarus.

Gratitude, praise and worship are responses.

Psalm 9:1-4- I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. When my enemies turn back, they stumble and perish before your presence. For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.

Why is it a necessity that we preach on the existence and destruction of sin, present within each and every one of us?

We must recognize the great kindness shown to us if we want to live a life of gratitude.

Hebrews 12:28-29- Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.

If we know what fuels gratitude, and praise and worship, what stifles the praise that ought to be given to Jesus?

2. Pragmatism and practicality are often the greatest enemies to lavish praise and worship.

What I mean by pragmatism is seeing everything as a practical means to an end.

There is a way that we can put man-made and man-focused boundaries around worship that deadens its impact.

What I do not mean- That we ought to do anything we want or feel and consider it worship.

I think I worship best through getting a good nights rest Saturday evening and sleeping in.

God defines worship.

Instead, what I’m talking about is the defining of right worship according to human standards.

Example- Ed.

Worship ought to not be limited and constrained by our own preferences, pragmatism and practicality.

3. True devotion to God includes both the worship of Jesus and service to the poor.

False choice is often presented when it comes to worship.

Study about Jesus, learning more about Him, growing in knowledge of Him and love for Him. OR serve the poor, take care of the needy.

The problem is, we tend to focus on one at the expense of the other.

Kent Hughes- “Our Lord’s commendation to Mary for putting him above all else condemned an either/or approach to spirituality. Christians are to worship God and minister to others. The ideal is a lavish, contemplative devotional life in which we love Christ so much that we pour ourselves out for others. One without the other falls far short of the dynamic that Christ wants for us.”