Let’s begin by doing a short recap of today’s verses: A woman entered the home of Simon the Leper and found Jesus reclining there. She carried an alabaster jar of costly perfume. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on Jesus’ head. Some people there scoffed at her, saying her gesture to Jesus was wasteful. They even rebuked her! They thought she should have sold her perfume and used it to give money to the poor instead.
Let’s take a moment to realize the value of this perfume. The oil, or “nard,” was from a plant found in the Himalayan Mountains. It was very hard to get and very expensive. In fact, it was worth 300 denarii. Why is this noteworthy? Because the average working man’s daily wage was only one denarius! The oil this woman poured on Jesus was worth an entire year’s wages! This specific oil was used for a few different reasons in Jesus’ time: to anoint a priest or king, to be given as a gift fit for a king, or to anoint the dead for burial. I don’t think it was any coincidence that this was the oil the woman chose for anointing Jesus!
I love what Jesus says to those who were critical of her:
“Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them anytime you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” (Mark 14:3-9, emphasis added on “beautiful”)
If I can glean a few assumptions from this passage, the most important is that this woman loved Jesus. She loved Him so much that she wanted to give Him the best of the best. She didn’t hold back on anything she had to offer. I would imagine it took quite a bit of bravery for her to walk in there and anoint Jesus, maybe even knowing she would be ridiculed. However, I don’t think she cared. She had one thing on her mind: Jesus. She wanted to show Him her adoration and her respect by honoring Him with the best, most valuable thing she could get her hands on! I think when Jesus said that this woman’s story would be told in memory of her, He spoke of her wholehearted devotion to Him. She was in awe of Him and wanted to give Him her best. It was a genuine act of worship. I imagine she wasn’t worried about what it would cost her to anoint Jesus that day; she was only concerned with showing Jesus her adoration. And, as Jesus said, it was beautiful in His sight!
Blessings and Love,
Krystle Porter & the Help Club for Moms Team
- Enjoying Motherhood Day 1: What Does it Mean to Enjoy Motherhood? - April 21, 2024
- Holy Week Family Devotional - March 20, 2024
- Mom to Mom with Krystle - February 24, 2024