Christ in the House of Martha and Mary, by Jan Vermeer van Delft , c. 1654Vermeer painted very few religious pictures, and it's typical of Vermeer to use an intimate, rather homey setting. Jesus is relaxed, Martha and Mary are comfortable & at ease in their own home.
John 12:1-11
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, ‘Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?’ (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.’
When the great crowd of the Jews learned that he was there, they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death as well, since it was on account of him that many of the Jews were deserting and were believing in Jesus.
Written by Reverend Nigel Cowgill
At this point in the Gospel of John, we are nearing the end of Jesus' life. For him to come to Jerusalem was an act of great courage: he had been made an outlaw by the authorities. Bethany had been marked out as the 'official' place for the overflow of pilgrims who had been travelling to celebrate the Passover festival in the city of Jerusalem.
When Jesus arrived in Bethany, Mary and Martha made him a meal. It may have been that they shared the house with their brother Lazarus. It seems that as the meal was being served Mary's heart ran over with love. She had a pound or pint (depending on the translation) of very expensive ointment or perfume, and with it, she anointed Jesus' feet.
The disciple Judas Iscariot questioned the motive and accused her of wasting such an expensive item. The money spent on the perfume could have been given to the poor. But this was Mary's way of showing her undying love for her Lord, and so she used her hair to wipe Jesus' feet.
In Palestine, at the time, from the day a woman married her hair would be bound up and never seen flowing in public. However, Mary was not bothered about what people might think. She was happy to show her love for Jesus.
In verse 3, John includes the sentence "the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume", which also tells us something about love. Many of John's statements have two meanings: one which lies on the surface and one which might need a little more working out. Some have suggested that this verse also refers to the room being filled with the sweet memory of Mary's actions. A lovely action that adds to life is something which time can never take away.
To Ponder
When was the last time you showed love to someone in a act of unselfconsciousness like Mary? Look for an opportunity to do so again.
Are there things in your life which you feel need attention? Remember that failure to act, especially failure to express love, might bring regrets.
2 Corinthians 2:14-17
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.
<><
Posts
