TEXT: John 12:1-11

SUBJECT: Exposition of John #28: The Anointing

With God's blessing, we will continue our study of John's Gospel today. And find further proof that "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God". Please recall: The divinity of Jesus Christ is of more than academic interest. Eternal souls are at stake. Including yours. Believe it and you have "eternal life"--right now and forever. Disbelieve it and "the wrath of God abides on you". The choice is that simple and clear-cut. Belief and life; unbelief and death. "Choose life".

The scene is set in the first two verses. John is fussy about the facts. He tells us just what happens, where, when, and who was there at the time. The details are given for an obvious reason: The Apostle wants us to know the events really occurred. He's not spinning a "cunningly devised fable", but was "an eyewitness to [our Lord's] majesty". Like Howard Cosell, he's

"Telling it like it is".

The place is Bethany, a town about two miles outside of Jerusalem, and well within reach of its blood-thirsty Council.

What's He doing there? He and the disciples are having "supper" with His dear friends, Lazarus, Mary, and Martha. "Lazarus" was a common name at the time, and so John informs us it was the one "who had been dead and whom He had raised from the dead". The ladies are where you'd expect them to be: Martha's in the kitchen; Mary is sitting at the feet of her Savior, and hanging on His every word.

The dinner party takes place "six days before the Passover", which is the holiest day on the Hebrew calendar. The Passover looked back to mighty acts of God in redeeming His people from the slavery of Egypt. It also looked forward to His mightier act in saving His people from a bondage much worse than Pharaoh's. In six short days two lambs would be slain--one to recall God's saving work, the Other to fulfill it.

How do the details reflect on our Lord Jesus? They remind us of His full humanity. In defending our Lord's Deity, we must not forget He is no less human than you and I! If you knew you'd be dead inside of a week, wouldn't you spend some time with your dearest friends? So did He. The party also recalls His perfect humanity. Our Lord is human--fully human--but He's not sinful. Hence, He's not morose or panicked, or self-absorbed. He's having His usual merry time; He's still "putting the interests of others above His own". Much comfort in His sacred humanity.

The Anointing, v.3.

Everyone's having a great time until someone commits a social blunder. Mary brings in a bottle of perfume worth "300 denarii"--more than $10,000. She proceeds to empty it over the Lord's feet and wipe the excess with her hair. The room is filled with wonderful fragrance, but the people are stunned.

At last, someone speaks up--it's Judas--"Why was this fragrant oil not sold and [the proceeds] given to the poor?" Ah, Judas! The voice of compassion. But Judas is a crook. He just saw some serious money rubbed into the feet of our Lord--and he doesn't like it one bit! This is to be expected.

But what's not expected is this: Judas is not alone; the other disciples agree with him (cf. Matthew 26:8, Mark 14:4). Are they crooked too? No they're not. They are conventional.

The conventional way of offering gifts to God was by giving alms to His poor people. The Pharisee took pride in his charity. The pride was wrong, of course, but not the charity. It was commanded in the Scriptures and blessed by God. Proverbs 19:17 has it:

"He who has pity on the poor

lends to the LORD,

And He will pay back what

he has given".

Mary also gave to the Lord--but she gave in a deeply personal way. Her creativity cost her dearly.

The disciples were good men who fell prey to the conventional way of doing things. And judged Mary for doing otherwise. They aren't alone. I know Christians who have been unwelcome at churches--even excluded from churches--for nothing worse than "not fitting it". For being unconventional.

Let me tell you a story. If only it were made up. For many years a woman was looking for a church with good teaching, warm fellowship, and opportunities for service. At last, she found the church. But after two or three weeks, she knew better. The people were kind and courteous, but they let her know--in a subtle way--she wasn't quite welcome. Why not? She was forty years old, not married, and not interested in marriage. She didn't have a paying job because she lived on a stipend from her rich father. She was very smart, well read, and believed women could "think God's thoughts after Him" as well as men could. No one could quite put his finger on her sin, but fingers could be used to show her the door. They were. She was unconventional. Many people--good people--can't handle that. The disciples couldn't; others can't. But thankfully, our Lord Jesus can. And does.

"Let her alone!" He snaps. Mary has done nothing wrong. Where does the Bible forbid offering gifts to God? Nowhere, of course. If the Bible doesn't forbid it, why do they? Or--more to the point--why do we? Are they holier than God? Are we? Is the Scripture sufficient? Or must we improve it with our opinions? It's been tried before. Without success.

Mary has done nothing wrong, but something right--as right as it can be: "She has kept this for the day of My burial". Her anointing is different than others. They were meant to refresh a tired guest or to heal a sick friend. Mary means to embalm a Dead Savior.

The anointing, therefore, is a prophetic act. What Moses, Isaiah, and others predicted long before, Mary has now affirmed,

"Christ must suffer

And to enter into glory".

Who was right that day? Was it Judas or Mary? If our Lord is anything but "the Christ, the Son of God", then it was Judas was spoke truly--"What a waste!" 300 bellies could have been filled with that one gift. But if Mary was right--if the anointing was both just and necessary--then "Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God". And, consequently, you can have "life through His name". Eternal life. Both now and forever. And so, who was right? Was it Judas or Mary? Who will you follow? Will it be Judas or Mary?

Epilogue, vv.9-11.

The problem with having a great party is: everyone wants to crash it. This one is no exception. "A great many of the Jews" turned up uninvited. And what they wanted to do is to gawk at Lazarus and the Man who raised him from the dead.

Seeing the two caused "many of the Jews" to believe in Jesus. But not everyone. The chief priests were so upset by the apologetic value of a dead man now alive and bearing witness to Christ that they looked for a way to kill Lazarus again...and to keep him dead this time! If it weren't so serious, unbelief would be downright laughable. Well, maybe it is anyway. Maybe because it is so serious.

"The Rulers took counsel together

Against the LORD and against His Anointed;

He who sits in heaven laughs them to scorn;

The LORD holds them in derision."