Scripture: John 12:1-8 (ESV)
Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 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. Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”
We are now in the final book chapter of the “Book of Signs” in John. Remember that John has structured his book in two key parts, and both are designed to show us Jesus in such a way as to cause us to believe in him. This is the final part of the book section structured around Jesus’ miracles. And as John closes out this portion of the book he includes a story that shows us the two different heart responses we can have to Jesus.
The first response is that of Mary. She does something beautiful for Jesus. Jesus had come to her home for a meal, with the recently resurrected Lazarus. She takes an expensive jar of perfume and pours it over Jesus’ feet. She wipes his feet with her hair. It is intimate, it is extravagant, it borders on scandalous. Now this perfume is more expensive than the most expensive perfume you can buy at Myer. This was worth 300 denarii, almost a full years wages. Mary sacrificed massively for Jesus here. Now we may look at Mary’s act and think it foolish. We may think it a bit of a waste. After all, Judas wasn’t wrong. They could have sold the perfume and fed the poor.
Jesus however sees Mary’s heart. He himself points out that Mary was getting him ready for his burial. Is it not right that the Lord of the universe should be anointed with oil, worth a year’s wages? Mary’s wasteful worship was beautiful.
Judas on the other hand presents a different picture. He, even while being included in the disciples, seems to have not realised who Jesus really was. He, being the treasurer, worried about “stewarding” the resources God entrusted to the disciples well. John gives us a little side information, that he also helped himself to the money from time to time. But in Judas was a heart that was wise to wealth, but poor toward God. Miserly when it came to Jesus, but apparently generous when it came to himself. The gift Mary brought was seen in terms of its usefulness, its utility. But really it was a gift of love that he could not understand.
Which response do we naturally tend toward? Do we calculate before we adore? Do we measure people and relationships and perhaps even God by what they can do for us, or what they can give us, and then only invest in those relationships that have a favourable cost-benefit analysis?
The point is, Jesus is worth far more than the perfume that cost a year’s worth of wages. Jesus is worth everything. He gave everything to us, are we not to respond by giving him everything in return?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, please forgive us if we every treat you as a means to an end. Help us to see you are the prize and the treasure. Teach us to be generous toward you as you have been generous toward us. Amen.
Spiritual Challenge:
Think of your day ahead. What generous gift can you give others today as an act of “wasteful worship” toward Jesus?