Mary Anoints Jesus (J46)

A feast in Jesus’ honor was given
By Lazarus, whom He’d raised from the dead;
Jesus had returned, for He was driven,
His task to complete, on the cross of dread!
Mary poured out on His feet rich perfume;
She massaged them with her own precious hair;
Judas rebuked her for the nard consumed,
“It could have assuaged the poor’s despair!”
But Jesus said, “The poor’s always with you,
And I shall not be with you forever.”
Judas kept the bag, and helped himself, too;
He cared not for the poor but was clever!
Living, Lazarus brought many to belief;
Jews planned his death, too, for their plight’s relief!

Scripture Quoted: John 12:7-11 (NIV)
“ ‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘It was intended she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.’ Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.“

Commentary on: John 12:1-11 (NIV)
Six days before Passover Friday (that is, the Saturday before), Jesus and His disciples had returned to Bethany. Jesus knew that the time for His crucifixion was inexorably close. He went to the home of friends—Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. He intended to stay with them the few days left until His arrest. He knew He was safe from arrest there and in public places during the day because the Pharisees would not risk causing a riot, which would happen if He were intercepted in the presence of large numbers of His followers.

Mary had a special platonic love for Jesus, both as a human male and as the Son of God, and He probably had special love for her. Of course, He would never have thought of her in a sexual sense, nor would she of Him. But, at a dinner she and her family gave in His honor, she came and poured a pint of pure nard perfume on His feet, and wiped them with her hair. The Jewish custom was to sit sideways or reclining on the floor around a very low table on which the food was served. The front door was open to allow anyone not a guest to come in and stand around the guests and their food at such feasts. A large number of Jews came inside because of Jesus and Lazarus, the man He had raised from the dead. His bare feet were exposed within easy reach of Mary. It was a loving thing to do, the kind of thing that all people should have done in honor of their divine Creator.

Judas Iscariot, an apostle of the twelve and keeper of the “bag”, or treasurer, rebuked her on the ground that the nard, a very expensive perfume, should not have been so wasted. The Bible is 100% true, and the text says Judas not only took money from the bag for his own use, but also that he did not care for helping the poor. Of course, Jesus knew everything Judas thought and did; He knew that Judas would lead the temple guards to arrest Him in the Garden of Gethsemane late on the coming Thursday night. He answered Judas strongly (for Him), saying “Leave her alone”.

The chief priests, thinking more like Mafia bosses than priests of God, saw how the Jews by the hundreds were flocking to believe in Jesus on account of seeing the live Lazarus, plotted to kill Lazarus, too, so that they could spread the word that Jesus was a hoax.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believes in him shall not die but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)