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Author: Stephen Weller
734 words, 4 minutes read time

Wrong Priorities by Many

Scripture: Matthew 26:10, 12-13; Mk 14:6-8; John 12:4-6, 9-11

In the previous lesson we witnessed Mary’s act of devotion and worship of Jesus as she anointed him with some expensive ointment made from pure nard. We ended the lesson as those who felt what Mary did was a waste, and so they scolded her. In this lesson Jesus speaks up and defends her actions as a beautiful thing.

^{Jn 12:4} “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.”

Of those who were indignant over the assumed waste of expensive ointment by Mary, Judas was the most vocal, and spoke out and said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” According to Matthew 20:2 a denarius is the expected wage for a day’s labor; thus 300 denarii is a year’s wage, working six days per week. Since Judas was assigned the responsibility of managing the moneybag, even though Jesus knew he was stealing from it, he felt that Mary should have given the anointment as a gift to Jesus that could be sold to help the poor and, in his mind, add some to his pocket.

^{Mt 26:10} “But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ^{Mk 14:6} “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ⁷ For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me.”

Jesus knew what was going on, what was in the hearts of those who were indignant, and speaks on behalf of Mary. He requests that they leave her alone and not trouble her with their hurtful insensitive words because what she has done was a beautiful thing to him. He then points out to them that they will always have the poor with them, and they can help them whenever they want, but I will not be with you much longer, and while I am here, she has done a good thing.

^{Mk 14:8} “She has done what she could, ^{Mt 26:12} in pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it ^{Mk 14:8} to anoint my body beforehand; ^{Mt 26:12} to prepare me for burial. ¹³ Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”’

Mary poured the ointment on the body of Jesus as an act of worship, but Jesus sees it also as an act of preparing him beforehand for burial. In fact, what Mary has done was so significant that it was recorded in the gospel to be proclaimed to the whole world and told in memory of her.

^{Jn 12:9} “When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. ¹⁰ So the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, ¹¹ because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus.”

The large crowd that has formed is made up of two parts: those who do not believe in Jesus and see him misleading the people and have plans to kill Jesus along with Lazarus, and the other part who believe in Jesus. It is no different today as all of humanity is divided into two groups: those who believe in Jesus and are born spiritually and have eternal life with God, and those who do not believe and remain in their sin and will remain separated from God for an eternity of suffering.

Conclusion

I find Mary to be a special woman that we should spend some time with the Scriptures to learn more about her walk with Jesus. There is much we can learn from her about her priorities in life.