Mark 14:1-11

Introduction

As we reembark in our study of the gospel of Mark it is important that we remember a few things.

Mark is recounting the eye witness of Peter.

Mark is a “get to the point writer.”

Jesus has been accosted at every turn, but his face is set toward the cross.

In Chp.13, The Olivet Discourse, Jesus had declared that the corrupt religious system of the religious elite would be torn down, but the Son of Man would come in great power and glory to gather all who are his , even from the far corners of the earth.

In Chp.14, there is a transition. Here, Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem and ultimately to the cross.

We have seen Jesus as Prophet, Teacher, and now we will see him as Priest.

These eleven verses are broken into four parts to show us:

vv.1-2 - The Religious Elite Condemn Jesus.

v.3 - The Woman Worships Jesus.

vv.4-9 - The Disciples Ignore Jesus.

vv.10-11 - Judas Betrays Jesus

This section of scripture really shows us why Jesus was crucified.

Here in the home of Simon the leper the worship of Jesus was revolting to Judas who desired to profit from Jesus rather than proclaim him as Lord.

You see, a person who is not truly converted will never chose to worship a God that requires the denial of self to follow him, but a person who is truly convert will gladly lay down their life to follow the God who has given them eternal salvation.

v.1-2 - The World Rejects Jesus.

This group wanted Jesus to condone rather than condemn their way of life, and when they saw that wasn’t the case they decided to kill him.

It was now close to Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

During this time Jews made their way to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Temple in remembrance of the Passover in Egypt.

This was when God judged the Egyptians by sending the death angel upon any house that did not have the blood of a lamb on the doorpost.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread was a celebration in remembrance Israel’s freedom from Egypt and the bread they were to take with them that represented their holiness .

This complicated things for the priests and scribes. They knew if they tried to arrest and kill him at this time things would be complicated by the crowds of people who now followed Jesus.

This would not stop them, for they had already judged and condemned Jesus privately because they were not being blessed by him.

Remember, their way of life was at stake. Their authority, their comfort, their financial security were all being called into question by the teachings of Jesus. He did not come to bless their earthly system, but to bring glory to the Father.

What the religious elite didn’t understand is that the foolish plans of man, even man’s wrath, cannot overrule the sovereign plans of God.

Psalm 76:10 ESV

Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remnant of wrath you will put on like a belt.

vv. 3 True Worshipers Revere Jesus

Neither Mark nor Matthew names the woman in the story, but John tells us it is Mary of Bethany. This is the sister of Martha and Lazarus.

John 11:1–2 ESV

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill.

Mary and Martha may be familiar to you also from another account of her worshiping the Lord.

Luke 10:38–42 (ESV)

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Mary was familiar with worshiping the Lord. She had made it a practice to make much of him.

“By placing this story here Mark contrasted the treachery of Judas and the leaders with the love and loyalty of Mary. The ugliness of their sins makes the beauty of her sacrifice even more meaningful.”

This story should not be confused with a similar situation recorded in Luke 7 where a converted harlot shows here gratitude and love for Christ by wet his feet with her tears, wiping them with her hair, and anointing him with ointment from an alabaster jar.

Though these are different events, what we do see are two women who did not allow acceptable cultural norms to restrict their worship of Christ.

These women knew and loved Jesus deeply.

Herman Bavinck - “God is known in proportion to the extent that He is loved.

There were consequences for Mary’s worship.

The disciples criticized her.

Jesus commended her.

vv. 4-5 Even Disciples can Dismiss Jesus.

The disciples’ response shows that they had ignored, or just didn’t get what Jesus had been teaching them.

(8:31) Jesus will suffer, be rejected, killed, and will rise after three days

(9:30–31) Jesus will be delivered, killed, and will rise after three days

(10:33–34) Jesus will be delivered, condemned, mocked, flogged, killed, and will rise after three days.

The disciples should have understood and welcomed any worship that was directed toward Christ. They should have known that there was nothing so costly that he did not deserve. But, ultimately they were focused on how their relationship with Jesus would benefit them.

Judas speaks up and tries to make his objection sound holy.

“Why was the ointment wasted like that? For this ointment could have been sold and given to the poor. “

What he said was not wrong, but John records this about Judas (12:6), “He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.”

His pious response was actually a ploy for personal gain.

One commentator points out, “It is interesting that the word translated “waste” in Mark 14:4 is translated “destruction” in John 17:12 and applied to Judas! Judas criticized Mary for “wasting money,” but he wasted his entire life!”

vv.10-11 - Judas was concerned about money, but he would ultimately betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

Though John points out that Judas was the main objector, Mark makes it clear that he was not the only guilty part. (v.4) “There were some...”

Matthew’s gospel makes it clear that the disciples were missing an opportunity to worship Jesus because they had dismissed his teaching.

Everything that we do must be tested against God’s word, even followers of Christ can be deceived into thinking they are doing the right thing.

vv.6-9 Jesus Always Defends His People

I pointed out that the disciples criticized Mary, but Jesus commends her and condemns the disciples.

v.6 - Leave her alone…she has done a beautiful thing.

We must remember the deity of Jesus. He knew the hearts of people, and here he knew the motive behind Judas’ argument and Mary’s adoration.

v.8 - Jesus makes it clear that Mary had done a beautiful thing, she gave what she could.

She gave her best, her all, her unhindered worship by faith to the Son of God.

Many hope they have done enough to please God, but few will ever have it said of them that they have done “what they could.”

She had also done what she didn’t fully understand - she symbolically anointed the body of Jesus for burial.

v.8 - And here, Friends, we see a foreshadow of Jesus’ priestly work for his people.

Romans 8:33 - Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?… (v.37) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Jesus Christ is the great avenger for those who are his. He will not allow a charge to be brought against those who worship him in Spirit and truth.

We are all in need of this type of relationship with Jesus. This is at the core of salvation. Christ stands between God’s judgement toward us. His death on the cross has actually satisfied the judgement of God on behalf of sinners.

v.7 - Jesus explains that the poor will be present always, but he would not be.

This doesn’t mean two things:

That we can ignore the poor.

That Jesus is not with us today.

Though Mary’s worship was an unconscious act of burial preparation it was not the complete story.

v.9 - Jesus points out that “wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”

This story being told today is proof that the death she anointed Jesus for was not the end. In fact her display of love is proclaimed today because Jesus perfect outpouring of love was displayed on the cross for you and me.

HIs Love Knows No Limit!

Application |

As you dwell upon the love of God in Christ it should lead you to worship in ways that are not defined by the culture around you.

Teenagers doing God honoring things in their schools. Encouraging another, not going along with what is normal, but worshiping God through your obedience.

Church gathering to worship when the government declares they can’t, when it is not convenient, or you don’t feel like it.

Families putting gathered worship at the center of their week rather than sports and leisure.

Lastly, may we rest confidently knowing that as Jesus defended Mary on this occasion, he will fully and finally defend his church on the day of judgement.

HIS LOVE KNOWS NO LIMIT!