She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
She did all she could by coming beforehand to anoint His body for burial, honoring Him with her best while He was alive to receive it. She had bought costly ointment at great personal sacrifice to use after His death, and instead poured it on His head and feet while He was still with her, not fully understanding what she did but moved to use her opportunity. Her act was the outpouring of faith, love, and gratitude for forgiveness that had lifted her from sin and ruin to purity and devoted service, holding nothing too precious for her Saviour. Jesus defended her against the charge of waste, declaring that the poor could always be helped but He would not always be present, and that her deed would be remembered wherever the gospel was preached. Doing what one can for Christ is therefore a fitting and commendable life, calling for timely love, consecration of the best, and humble faithfulness whose influence endures and inspires giving through the ages.
Setting and Meaning of Anointing
The anointing belonged to the feast that Simon held for Jesus and His disciples at his house in Bethany on Jesus' last visit there. Simon had been healed of leprosy and made the feast to show his gratitude, and many Jews came and watched Jesus, some with unfriendly intent. Mary had bought costly, precious ointment at great personal sacrifice with the intention of anointing Jesus' body after His death, at His burial. Instead she used the opportunity she had while He was still with her, pouring it out beforehand to honor Him, anointing His head and feet.
Though she had heard Him speak of His coming death, she was ready to believe He would soon be honored as king and elevated to kingly authority, even raised to a throne in Jerusalem. She wished to be the first to honor Him and acted from love and gratitude for His forgiveness and for restoring Lazarus to life. She did not know or understand the full meaning of what she had done, but the Holy Spirit moved and prompted her to act on the opportunity before her.
She hath done what she could, yea all she could, in coming beforehand to anoint His body for the burying. The act anticipated His death and burial and was an offering of her best, a good work done while He was alive and able to receive it. Its fragrance brought Him comfort and assurance as He faced His coming trial. That fragrance also pictured His own life, given in sacrifice and filling the earth with its influence after His resurrection, and when she and the others should later come to the tomb to anoint Him they would find a living Christ, for He would have risen from the dead.
Jesus defended her against the complaint that the costly ointment was wasted and should have been sold for the poor. He reminded the disciples that they would always have opportunities to help the poor but would not always have Him with them. He said her deed would be remembered wherever the gospel should be preached throughout the world. Its memory would endure in sacred history even as kingdoms rose and fell and rulers and conquerors were forgotten.
Love Against Covetous Complaint
Mary's pouring out of costly ointment was faith and love made visible, sincere gratitude for forgiveness that had lifted her from a life of sin to purity, from despair and ruin to close following service. She had been transformed by pardoning grace, and she was thankful also for the restoring of Lazarus to life. Nothing was too precious to devote to her Saviour, so she used while He was alive what she had kept to anoint His body after death. Her gift was offered beforehand because the opportunity was then present, even though she still hoped He was about to be honored as king.
Those who receive pardoning love do not stop to calculate the value of the offering, as covetous Judas did; they regret only that it was not richer and more valuable. Judas, with the disciples who joined in condemning her, regarded the pouring of costly spikenard upon His head and feet as unnecessary waste. They claimed it should have been sold for the poor, but that plea of concern for the poor was an excuse for covetousness and not care for them, and her generosity rebuked his selfishness. He valued Jesus only enough to sell Him for a little money.
Jesus reproved Judas and rebuked the disciples who condemned her, and His implied rebuke of that covetous spirit brought that disposition fully into view. Judas became annoyed at the rebuke, yielded to the tempter, and gave Satan easy access to his mind. Love of money had perverted his nobler nature and made him a fit agent for Satan to use. He then decided to sell his Master to the murderous priests and rulers, with no thought that Jesus would permit Himself to be taken, but thinking Jesus would deliver Himself by divine power and gain a new opportunity to display it, the priests would be cheated of their bribe, and he would secure the money to use for some purpose of his own.
She hath done what she could therefore teaches that Christ is to be honored by consecrating the best of what we have. It was a good work, an offering of her best, and Jesus defended it against the complaint of waste. Honoring Him with our means must not be neglected in the effort to relieve the poor. Care for the poor matters, but the cause of Christ must come first, yet faithful stewardship can provide for both.
Doing What We Can
Doing what one can for Christ is a fitting expression of a devoted life and is worthy of commendation, even in a deed that prepares for His burial. Each person is accountable for the good they are able to do, and at the close of earthly work may hope to say that they have done what they could. That means using one's abilities in the Lord's work and not neglecting opportunities to do good.
The verse teaches the value of expressing love and devotion in a timely way, while the one who needs it can still receive it. Mary used the opportunity she had to honor Jesus while He was alive, anointing Him beforehand for burial, and its timing brought Him comfort and assurance as He faced His trial. She did not know the full meaning of what she had done, but the Holy Spirit had prompted her to act, and her act expressed faith and love. The anointing anticipated His death and burial, while its fragrance also pictured the influence of His life, given in sacrifice and filling the earth after His resurrection.
A single loving act can have wide and enduring influence. Mary's precious gift in loving service would continue to inspire others to serve, its influence reaching many people, and she will rejoice when she sees its results in the day of God. The memory of the woman's anointing of Christ became a lasting deed of love that prompted countless gifts to the Saviour's cause through the centuries. Doing what one can for the Lord is precious even when the work is humble and receives little recognition. A mother's faithful daily care and training of her children is important work in God's sight, although the results may not be apparent or honored by the world, for God sees and values her efforts.
Doing what one could means struggling through temptations and trials and, through the grace of Christ, molding the character of others by words and by deeds. Faith, self-denial, fortitude, patience, self-reliance and self-sacrifice, submission and endurance are all registered in the books of heaven. One who does this dies in the faith while works live on after silence in death. No care is too much for such a one in the closing hours of life, for Jesus presides in the house and in the room. Doing what one could also includes giving resources to support mission work, and neglecting a good one could have done brings an account before God. Christ will soon return and reward each person according to works.
The commendation for doing what she could belongs to faithful lives whose example inspires soul-winning service. It describes one who freely devoted all her energies to the work she loved, as Sister Davis did. It also covers willingness to travel and speak for God despite great weakness and exhaustion, trusting Him to give help within one's limits.
She did all she could by coming beforehand to anoint His body for burial, honoring Him with her best while He was alive to receive it. She had bought costly ointment at great personal sacrifice to use after His death, and instead poured it on His head and feet while He was still with her, not fully understanding what she did but moved to use her opportunity. Her act was the outpouring of faith, love, and gratitude for forgiveness that had lifted her from sin and ruin to purity and devoted service, holding nothing too precious for her Saviour. Jesus defended her against the charge of waste, declaring that the poor could always be helped but He would not always be present, and that her deed would be remembered wherever the gospel was preached. Doing what one can for Christ is therefore a fitting and commendable life, calling for timely love, consecration of the best, and humble faithfulness whose influence endures and inspires giving through the ages.
Setting and Meaning of Anointing
The anointing belonged to the feast that Simon held for Jesus and His disciples at his house in Bethany on Jesus' last visit there. Simon had been healed of leprosy and made the feast to show his gratitude, and many Jews came and watched Jesus, some with unfriendly intent. Mary had bought costly, precious ointment at great personal sacrifice with the intention of anointing Jesus' body after His death, at His burial. Instead she used the opportunity she had while He was still with her, pouring it out beforehand to honor Him, anointing His head and feet.
Though she had heard Him speak of His coming death, she was ready to believe He would soon be honored as king and elevated to kingly authority, even raised to a throne in Jerusalem. She wished to be the first to honor Him and acted from love and gratitude for His forgiveness and for restoring Lazarus to life. She did not know or understand the full meaning of what she had done, but the Holy Spirit moved and prompted her to act on the opportunity before her.
She hath done what she could, yea all she could, in coming beforehand to anoint His body for the burying. The act anticipated His death and burial and was an offering of her best, a good work done while He was alive and able to receive it. Its fragrance brought Him comfort and assurance as He faced His coming trial. That fragrance also pictured His own life, given in sacrifice and filling the earth with its influence after His resurrection, and when she and the others should later come to the tomb to anoint Him they would find a living Christ, for He would have risen from the dead.
Jesus defended her against the complaint that the costly ointment was wasted and should have been sold for the poor. He reminded the disciples that they would always have opportunities to help the poor but would not always have Him with them. He said her deed would be remembered wherever the gospel should be preached throughout the world. Its memory would endure in sacred history even as kingdoms rose and fell and rulers and conquerors were forgotten.
Love Against Covetous Complaint
Mary's pouring out of costly ointment was faith and love made visible, sincere gratitude for forgiveness that had lifted her from a life of sin to purity, from despair and ruin to close following service. She had been transformed by pardoning grace, and she was thankful also for the restoring of Lazarus to life. Nothing was too precious to devote to her Saviour, so she used while He was alive what she had kept to anoint His body after death. Her gift was offered beforehand because the opportunity was then present, even though she still hoped He was about to be honored as king.
Those who receive pardoning love do not stop to calculate the value of the offering, as covetous Judas did; they regret only that it was not richer and more valuable. Judas, with the disciples who joined in condemning her, regarded the pouring of costly spikenard upon His head and feet as unnecessary waste. They claimed it should have been sold for the poor, but that plea of concern for the poor was an excuse for covetousness and not care for them, and her generosity rebuked his selfishness. He valued Jesus only enough to sell Him for a little money.
Jesus reproved Judas and rebuked the disciples who condemned her, and His implied rebuke of that covetous spirit brought that disposition fully into view. Judas became annoyed at the rebuke, yielded to the tempter, and gave Satan easy access to his mind. Love of money had perverted his nobler nature and made him a fit agent for Satan to use. He then decided to sell his Master to the murderous priests and rulers, with no thought that Jesus would permit Himself to be taken, but thinking Jesus would deliver Himself by divine power and gain a new opportunity to display it, the priests would be cheated of their bribe, and he would secure the money to use for some purpose of his own.
She hath done what she could therefore teaches that Christ is to be honored by consecrating the best of what we have. It was a good work, an offering of her best, and Jesus defended it against the complaint of waste. Honoring Him with our means must not be neglected in the effort to relieve the poor. Care for the poor matters, but the cause of Christ must come first, yet faithful stewardship can provide for both.
Doing What We Can
Doing what one can for Christ is a fitting expression of a devoted life and is worthy of commendation, even in a deed that prepares for His burial. Each person is accountable for the good they are able to do, and at the close of earthly work may hope to say that they have done what they could. That means using one's abilities in the Lord's work and not neglecting opportunities to do good.
The verse teaches the value of expressing love and devotion in a timely way, while the one who needs it can still receive it. Mary used the opportunity she had to honor Jesus while He was alive, anointing Him beforehand for burial, and its timing brought Him comfort and assurance as He faced His trial. She did not know the full meaning of what she had done, but the Holy Spirit had prompted her to act, and her act expressed faith and love. The anointing anticipated His death and burial, while its fragrance also pictured the influence of His life, given in sacrifice and filling the earth after His resurrection.
A single loving act can have wide and enduring influence. Mary's precious gift in loving service would continue to inspire others to serve, its influence reaching many people, and she will rejoice when she sees its results in the day of God. The memory of the woman's anointing of Christ became a lasting deed of love that prompted countless gifts to the Saviour's cause through the centuries. Doing what one can for the Lord is precious even when the work is humble and receives little recognition. A mother's faithful daily care and training of her children is important work in God's sight, although the results may not be apparent or honored by the world, for God sees and values her efforts.
Doing what one could means struggling through temptations and trials and, through the grace of Christ, molding the character of others by words and by deeds. Faith, self-denial, fortitude, patience, self-reliance and self-sacrifice, submission and endurance are all registered in the books of heaven. One who does this dies in the faith while works live on after silence in death. No care is too much for such a one in the closing hours of life, for Jesus presides in the house and in the room. Doing what one could also includes giving resources to support mission work, and neglecting a good one could have done brings an account before God. Christ will soon return and reward each person according to works.
The commendation for doing what she could belongs to faithful lives whose example inspires soul-winning service. It describes one who freely devoted all her energies to the work she loved, as Sister Davis did. It also covers willingness to travel and speak for God despite great weakness and exhaustion, trusting Him to give help within one's limits.