Some Questions

Tanner Morton and I will be sharing the sermon this Sunday, and we have been looking closely at the story of Mary anointing the feet of Jesus a few days before his final Passover in Jerusalem. There are several Marys in the New Testament, and occasionally their stories get confused together. This Mary (Hebrew: Miriam) is the sister of Martha and Lazarus of Bethany. Not a lot is know of this family, other than the story of Jesus weeping for Lazarus at his tomb, indicating that they were close friends, according to the story, and his raising Lazarus from the dead. The only other mention in the Gospels of Mary and Martha is in Luke 10:38-42, in which Jesus is received into their home and Mary listens attentively to his teachings while Martha scurries around being the proper Middle Eastern hostess. But here in John, the indication that this family is close to Jesus, and are personal friends. 

(Artwork by He Qi, found at: http://www.wycliffecollege.ca/news_details.php?nid=68)

Mary of Bethany is not to be confused with Mary of Magdala, nor, of course, with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Over the years, stories have gotten conflated and confused, with Mary of Bethany being confused with Mary of Magdala who has also been confused with the "sinful woman" who weeps in gratitude for the grace and mercy Jesus shows toward her and wipes his feet with her tears (Luke 7:36-50). 


Tanner has come up with three questions that are pertinent to this story:

1. Why waste the money?
2. Why anoint the feet instead of the head?
3. Why did Jesus say he would be gone soon so let her do it?

Judas levels a legitimate criticism concerning the money. Jesus has always demonstrated a huge amount of compassion and concern for the poor of the land, in Hebrew, the am ha-aretz. There is strong evidence that Jesus and his followers collected offerings given to them and would provide for the needs of people as they came across them in their travels. In keeping with the usual practices of itinerant healers and spiritual teachers, Jesus and his followers lived close to the bone and depended upon the hospitality of people as they traveled.


So, while staying with his friends in Bethany, Mary brings out a large jar of costly perfume, pure nard we are told, which was valued at 300 denarii. 300 denarii was the equivalent of a year's wages - a lot of money. It was what a family would need to live on for a year. It could assist a lot of people who were hungry, sick, or behind in their taxes. Judas has a point. Another point is the fact that Mary was dipping into the family resources. Could they afford it? Think of this:

• Mary, Martha and Lazarus apparently all lived together. That means that Mary and Martha had not yet married, and had no means of support.
• Lazarus had been sick to the point of dying, which implies that he quite possibly had not been able to work or bring in any income to the family.
• We have no indication whether or not they had inherited any wealth or had any financial reserves.
• How were they to live? And yet, here was Mary pouring out one possible source of income and sustenance. 

The point: Why waste the money? Judas has a valid criticism. Mary's act of devotion or gratitude does seem quite extravagant. Surely frugality and prudence are better virtues than prodigality and lavish expenditures? 

But let's pause for a moment right there. Perhaps the issue is extravagance. In the chapter in John immediately preceding this story is a long narrative about how Jesus traveled to Bethany after receiving word that his friend Lazarus was near death and how his sisters were desperate for Jesus to come and perhaps heal him. Lazarus dies while Jesus is en route, but Jesus goes to the tomb anyway and calls him out from death back into life. Isn't there extravagance in this? Isn't Jesus demonstrating an extravagance of power and of love and of devotion to his friends? Isn't there an extravagance of emotion as he stands outside the tomb of his friend and weeps openly? Isn't he extravagantly moved to action? And how must Martha and Mary feel as a result? Wouldn't they be extravagantly grateful, thankful, happy, joyful and blessed? When one has such extravagance of feeling, how does one express it adequately? Doesn't an extravagant gift  require an extravagant response?


Perhaps this story is preparing us for the most extravagant gift that Jesus has yet to offer. He hints at it: "She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial." The cross was already looming on a hillside not too far way, not too long in the future. John the Baptist had already called Jesus "the lamb who takes a way the sins of the world" (John 1:29). Something awaited Jesus that far outstripped any healing, teaching, or raising from the dead that he had done prior. John comments in the 3rd chapter: "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." 


It's all about God's extravagant giving to the world - to us. What will we give in response, in gratitude, in devotion?