An Expensive Footwash

Published on 8 November 2024 at 11:08

SCRIPTURE

John 12: 1-8 New Testament

Six days before Passover Jesus visited Lazarus, Mary , and Martha with his disciples.  Jesus had already raised him from the dead (THE LAST SIGN). While they were eating dinner, Mary came in the room and sat at Jesus's bare feet.  She carried a large alabaster jar. She poured the contents of the jar, a very expensive perfume used to anoint kings in India and China, on his feet.  Then she unwrapped her long hair.  She wore a head scarf like all Jewish women.  She proceeded to dry his perfumed feet with her hair. All these things she did were a big no-no for Jewish women to do . 

Judas was sitting nearby and objected to this anointing.  He said that the amount of perfume she used was about a year's worth of wages!

"Leave her alone," Jesus said. "It was intended for my burial.  You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me."

This really wasn't a footwash but an anointing.  Olive oil, not perfume was usually used. A foreshadow of this was in the gifts the wise men brought to baby Jesus.

LESSON

Mary's act was an outpouring of pure love and worship. She knew Jesus would soon die as well because Lazarus had told her.  What she did was profound.  A great amount of money was spent so this was a treasure and she poured it to honor him and to express her love for him.  She gave all she had to worship Jesus.  What can we do to worship our Lord?💕