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John 12:1-8
12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 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. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 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. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”
Watch the Sermon
Summary: For Palm Sunday this year, we will be studying Jesus' anointing at Bethany in the gospel of John. After Lazarus has been raised from the dead, Martha and Mary host a dinner to honor Jesus. At this dinner, Mary performs an unconventional act of anointing Jesus' feet with a costly perfume and letting her hair down to wipe his feet. Mary honors Jesus in this way because she has faith in Jesus' words that he will go up to Jerusalem and die. Her act, both costly and uncomfortable for all the dinner party attendants, is rebuked by Judas with seemingly sound logic. Why waste the perfume when it can be given to the poor? Jesus defends Mary's actions, knowing that she recognizes the significance of this moment and His impending death. In this passage, we will see the contrast between true devotion to Christ and hypocrisy and how our Savior prepared for His impending death on our behalf.
Review & Apply
Mary was willing to expend her social standing and monetary resources to honor Jesus. What are some examples of how we could do the same?
What can we learn about Judas' motivations from this story?
In what ways are Mary and Judas contrasted in this passage?
How can we understand Jesus' statement that "the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me"?
How can we seek to treasure and believe Jesus' words, as Mary did in this passage?
What does this story tell you about Jesus' mission and heart?
What do you treasure most in life? How extravagant is your devotion?
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