Meditation

Reader,

​In today's passage, Mary, the sister of Lazarus, the man Jesus has raised from the dead, anoints him with an extremely valuable ointment.

When Jesus is crucified and dies, there isn't time for his body to be properly anointed before his hurried burial, so Mary's act of devotion possibly serves two purposes:

First, to anoint Jesus for burial, as Jesus notes, and second, to finally trigger Judas's betrayal.

Not for the last time in this chapter, Jesus has to correct the disciples' misunderstanding of the unfolding events.

Today's text is Matthew 26:6-13.

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

⁶ While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, ⁷a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.

⁸ When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹ “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”

¹⁰ Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.

¹² When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.

¹³ Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Encouragement

Were the whole realm of nature mine,

That were an offering far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross. Isaac Watts

👂 Listen Here​

Andy

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