John 12:1–8 (NRSV)
Read John 12:1–8 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 12Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. Verse 2There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. Verse 3Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. Verse 4But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, Verse 5"Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" Verse 6(He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) Verse 7Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. Verse 8You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me."
Devotion
The scene is an uncomfortable one for all in attendance. In the middle of dinner, Mary gets up from the table, takes a pound of costly perfume, bends down, anoints Jesus’ feet, and wipes them with her hair. Mary’s actions and the powerful scent of the perfume would have been considered quite sensual by ancient cultural standards. Couple this with the realization that this perfume was meant to mark the anointing of Jesus for burial, and the extravagance and the foreshadowing of Jesus’ death is enough to take even a modern day reader’s breath away.
The Bible is filled with stories of people going over the top in their devotion to God—Abraham willing to sacrifice Isaac, David dancing before the Lord, or Mary consenting to bear the Son of God. While at times these stories may be uncomfortable, reckless, and even dangerous, they reveal a God who invites us to experience the depth and breadth of God’s lavish love and grace. How can we help but respond with reckless abandon and extravagant generosity?
Prayer
God of extravagant love, we are overwhelmed by the grace you have bestowed upon us. Grant us the courage to risk our own discomfort as we follow the Spirit’s lead. Amen.