The Smell of Good News
I continue today with the set of questions that Tanner Morton poses about this week's gospel lesson. John 12:1-8:
Nard is an essential oil derived from the rhizome of the Spikenard plant, Nardostachys jatamansi, a member of the Valerian family. It was grown in the region of the Himalayas, and was thus imported for use in Palestine and the Roman empire. the rhizome would then be crushed and an essential oil would be extracted from it that was strong and pungent. Because of that importation and processing, it was also very expensive.
Because of the heat of Palestine and the Mediterranean region, bodies would sweat and smell, and dead things would decay and putrefy. Smells were everywhere. Bathing was not widely practiced, so the industry of perfumery was even more important than pharmaceuticals. Apothecaries dealt more with perfumes and essential oil than with medicines, although many oils and spices also had healing properties as well.
When a person was welcomed into a home, the host/ess would provide water and towel to wash the dust off their feet. It was a customary practice (requirement) of hospitality. Occasionally a special guest might also be anointed with oil that had a fragrance added to it, or oil might be used to soften the skin. Often olive oil would be used, but perfumed oils were also used. But it was not customary, in my research, for the feet to be anointed with oil.
So what was Mary doing, anointing Jesus' feet with oil? Raymond Brown, in his commentary on The Gospel According to John I-XII, comments that "one does not anoint the feet of a living person, but one might anoint the feet of a corpse as part of the ritual of preparing the whole body for burial" (p. 454). Thus many scholars have suggested that this action is preparation and prefiguring of the death of Jesus, which was to occur in one week.
But there might be an echo also of the Prophet Isaiah where he says in chapter 52; "How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’" (Isaiah 52:7).
Jesus has been just such a messenger, and not only the messenger, but the very presence and power of that God who reigns in grace, love and mercy. This is not a God of harsh judgments and wrathful punishment. Jesus is the emissary and embodiment of the God who dances at weddings, who brings healing to the sick, sight to the blind, justice to the oppressed, hope to the despairing, comfort to the afflicted and love to all. This is indeed good news, and Mary and Martha have also experienced this God restoring their brother to life. The feet of Jesus not only announce good news, they bear the One who is the Good News.
These are precious feet indeed.
- Why waste the money?
- Why anoint the feet instead of the head?
- Why did Jesus say he would be gone soon so let her do it?
Because of the heat of Palestine and the Mediterranean region, bodies would sweat and smell, and dead things would decay and putrefy. Smells were everywhere. Bathing was not widely practiced, so the industry of perfumery was even more important than pharmaceuticals. Apothecaries dealt more with perfumes and essential oil than with medicines, although many oils and spices also had healing properties as well.
When a person was welcomed into a home, the host/ess would provide water and towel to wash the dust off their feet. It was a customary practice (requirement) of hospitality. Occasionally a special guest might also be anointed with oil that had a fragrance added to it, or oil might be used to soften the skin. Often olive oil would be used, but perfumed oils were also used. But it was not customary, in my research, for the feet to be anointed with oil.
So what was Mary doing, anointing Jesus' feet with oil? Raymond Brown, in his commentary on The Gospel According to John I-XII, comments that "one does not anoint the feet of a living person, but one might anoint the feet of a corpse as part of the ritual of preparing the whole body for burial" (p. 454). Thus many scholars have suggested that this action is preparation and prefiguring of the death of Jesus, which was to occur in one week.
But there might be an echo also of the Prophet Isaiah where he says in chapter 52; "How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,
who brings good news,
who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’" (Isaiah 52:7).
These are precious feet indeed.
(Image above found online at: http://thelisteninghermit.wordpress.com/2010/03/15/there’s-no-soul-in-safety-only-shadows/)
Image of Spikenard from Wikipedia, "Spikenard," ({{Information |Description= Illustration of ''Nardostachys grandiflora'' |Source= Curtis's botanical magazine vol. 107 ser. 3 nr. 37 tabl. 6564 from www.botanicus.org |Date= 1881 |Author= Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817-1911) |Permission= }} )
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