Mary Anoints Jesus at Simon the Leper's HouseBible World
12:2John 12:2
There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.
Six days before the Passover, on His way from Jericho to Jerusalem, Jesus was honored with a supper at Bethany in the house of Simon whom He had healed of leprosy, where Martha served and Lazarus raised from the dead sat at the table with Him. The meal became the setting for Mary's costly gift of ointment poured on His feet out of love because He had forgiven her sins and raised her brother, filling the house with its perfume. Judas condemned the gift as waste that should have been sold for the poor, but his plea covered covetousness and misuse of entrusted money, and Jesus reproved him and defended Mary's act as good and as preparing Him for burial. Christ is to be honored with the best of one's means by those who value His pardoning love above cost, giving His cause first place without neglecting the poor. In sharing this hospitality He accepted ordinary social life not as worldly conformity but to bless others, and He found in that Bethany home quiet rest and freedom from strife amid the plotting of priests and rulers to kill Him and Lazarus.
Supper at Bethany
Six days before the Passover a supper was made at Bethany to honor Jesus, on the eve of His betrayal and death. On His way from Jericho to Jerusalem for the feast He stopped there for rest and refreshment, and rested over the Sabbath. The supper was made by Simon of Bethany, whom Jesus had healed of leprosy, who invited Jesus and His friends as guests to show his Master special honor. It took place at Simon's house.
It is also described as taking place at the house or home of Lazarus in Bethany. Jesus sat at the table with Simon, cured of a loathsome disease, on one side and Lazarus, raised from the dead, on the other. Martha served at the table while Mary listened earnestly to every word from Jesus, feeling gratitude as she saw her brother restored to health. Martha's character differed in some respects from Mary's.
The gathering brought together people whose lives had been marked by Jesus' healing and resurrection power, including Jesus and His disciples. It drew many Jews amid growing public attention to Jesus and His mission. People came wanting to see Lazarus, raised from the dead, and Lazarus testified powerfully that Jesus was the Son of God. The supper took place while the chief priests and Pharisees at Jerusalem were seeking Jesus, threatening arrest, and plotting to kill Jesus and Lazarus.
Anointing and Giving
The supper is the setting for Mary's costly gift of ointment poured upon Jesus' feet, whose fragrance filled the house. She gave it out of love and gratitude to her Saviour because He had forgiven her many sins and had raised her beloved brother from the dead. Lazarus sitting at the table recalls that resurrection, while Martha serves, making the meal the occasion for Mary's act of devotion.
Judas objected that the ointment was wasteful and calculated its value, claiming it could have been sold and given to the poor. His appeal in the name of the poor was an excuse for covetousness and not concern for them, revealing a covetous and selfish spirit. He was selfish and misused money entrusted to him for the poor. Those who have received Christ's pardoning love value Him more than the cost of an offering, unlike covetous Judas who counted the cost.
At Simon's house, where Mary anointed Jesus, Judas's covetousness became evident and Jesus reproved him. Jesus defended Mary's act as good and accepted it as an expression of appreciation for His work. He received it also as an act anticipating His burial. The episode teaches that Christ is to be honored with the best of one's means, and that caring for the poor must not lead to neglect of God's cause, for faithful stewards can serve both while giving Christ's cause first place.
Rest and Fellowship
There they made Him a supper, and He accepted the honor done to Him and to His disciples, taking His place in the ordinary social life of friends who welcomed Him and receiving their hospitality. By sharing that table He gave hosts and guests opportunity to know His character and teachings through His teaching and generous conduct. Such joining in the meal was not worldly conformity but a way to bless others. Critics wrongly condemned it as worldly conduct, standing in contrast to the narrow, self-righteous condemnation of the Pharisees.
In the Bethany home He found a quiet resting place in the midst of constant criticism and accusation from priests and rulers. There was no strife, prejudice, and enmity there, no words to sting and bruise the soul, and there He found rest and freedom from the strife of tongues. Though divinity enshrouded in humanity, bearing heaven's clear credentials while the necessities and woes of the human race pressed upon Him in suffering for man, He was not dependent on human sympathy yet did not check or repulse it.
Six days before the Passover, on His way from Jericho to Jerusalem, Jesus was honored with a supper at Bethany in the house of Simon whom He had healed of leprosy, where Martha served and Lazarus raised from the dead sat at the table with Him. The meal became the setting for Mary's costly gift of ointment poured on His feet out of love because He had forgiven her sins and raised her brother, filling the house with its perfume. Judas condemned the gift as waste that should have been sold for the poor, but his plea covered covetousness and misuse of entrusted money, and Jesus reproved him and defended Mary's act as good and as preparing Him for burial. Christ is to be honored with the best of one's means by those who value His pardoning love above cost, giving His cause first place without neglecting the poor. In sharing this hospitality He accepted ordinary social life not as worldly conformity but to bless others, and He found in that Bethany home quiet rest and freedom from strife amid the plotting of priests and rulers to kill Him and Lazarus.
Supper at Bethany
Six days before the Passover a supper was made at Bethany to honor Jesus, on the eve of His betrayal and death. On His way from Jericho to Jerusalem for the feast He stopped there for rest and refreshment, and rested over the Sabbath. The supper was made by Simon of Bethany, whom Jesus had healed of leprosy, who invited Jesus and His friends as guests to show his Master special honor. It took place at Simon's house.
It is also described as taking place at the house or home of Lazarus in Bethany. Jesus sat at the table with Simon, cured of a loathsome disease, on one side and Lazarus, raised from the dead, on the other. Martha served at the table while Mary listened earnestly to every word from Jesus, feeling gratitude as she saw her brother restored to health. Martha's character differed in some respects from Mary's.
The gathering brought together people whose lives had been marked by Jesus' healing and resurrection power, including Jesus and His disciples. It drew many Jews amid growing public attention to Jesus and His mission. People came wanting to see Lazarus, raised from the dead, and Lazarus testified powerfully that Jesus was the Son of God. The supper took place while the chief priests and Pharisees at Jerusalem were seeking Jesus, threatening arrest, and plotting to kill Jesus and Lazarus.
Anointing and Giving
The supper is the setting for Mary's costly gift of ointment poured upon Jesus' feet, whose fragrance filled the house. She gave it out of love and gratitude to her Saviour because He had forgiven her many sins and had raised her beloved brother from the dead. Lazarus sitting at the table recalls that resurrection, while Martha serves, making the meal the occasion for Mary's act of devotion.
Judas objected that the ointment was wasteful and calculated its value, claiming it could have been sold and given to the poor. His appeal in the name of the poor was an excuse for covetousness and not concern for them, revealing a covetous and selfish spirit. He was selfish and misused money entrusted to him for the poor. Those who have received Christ's pardoning love value Him more than the cost of an offering, unlike covetous Judas who counted the cost.
At Simon's house, where Mary anointed Jesus, Judas's covetousness became evident and Jesus reproved him. Jesus defended Mary's act as good and accepted it as an expression of appreciation for His work. He received it also as an act anticipating His burial. The episode teaches that Christ is to be honored with the best of one's means, and that caring for the poor must not lead to neglect of God's cause, for faithful stewards can serve both while giving Christ's cause first place.
Rest and Fellowship
There they made Him a supper, and He accepted the honor done to Him and to His disciples, taking His place in the ordinary social life of friends who welcomed Him and receiving their hospitality. By sharing that table He gave hosts and guests opportunity to know His character and teachings through His teaching and generous conduct. Such joining in the meal was not worldly conformity but a way to bless others. Critics wrongly condemned it as worldly conduct, standing in contrast to the narrow, self-righteous condemnation of the Pharisees.
In the Bethany home He found a quiet resting place in the midst of constant criticism and accusation from priests and rulers. There was no strife, prejudice, and enmity there, no words to sting and bruise the soul, and there He found rest and freedom from the strife of tongues. Though divinity enshrouded in humanity, bearing heaven's clear credentials while the necessities and woes of the human race pressed upon Him in suffering for man, He was not dependent on human sympathy yet did not check or repulse it.