“She has done a beautiful thing to Me.” Mark 14:6b ESV¹

Read Matthew 26:6-16; Mark 14:3-11 & John 12:1-11

One of my favorite hymns is “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” by Joseph Medlicott Scriven (1819-1886). Mr. Scriven suffered much loss in his life. He penned the words of this hymn in 1855 after the tragic loss of his second fiancée. The trouble in his life drove Mr. Scriven into a deeper relationship with the only One he could never lose. Thus, the words of this hymn are especially encouraging to anyone struggling in any manner. Likewise, singing this hymn is particularly moving to many who know Jesus intimately because of the times He has met them in their need. The powerful words of this hymn are as follows:

“What a Friend we have in Jesus; all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit; oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a Friend so faithful, who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden, cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our Refuge; take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee? Take it to the Lord in prayer!

In His arms, He’ll take and shield thee; thou wilt find a solace there.

What a Friend we have in Jesus; take it to the Lord in prayer.”²

Indeed, Jesus has been a tremendous Friend to me, but have I reciprocated? I have been looking at a well-known and often referenced passage of Scripture in the light of friendship with Jesus.

“Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So, they gave a dinner for Him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with Him at the table. Mary, therefore” (John 12:1-3a), “came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over His head” (Mark 14:3b), … “and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:3b).

 

“And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, ‘Why this waste?’” (Matthew 26:8). “And they scolded her” (Mark 14:5b). “Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples (he who was about to betray Him), said, ‘Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?’ He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:4-6).

 

“But Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to Me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have Me. She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for burial. And truly, I say to you, wherever the Gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her’” (Mark 14:6-9).

 

“When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came, not only on account of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So, the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because, on account of him, many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus” (John 12:9-11).

 

“Then … Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I deliver Him over to you’” (Matthew 26:14-15)? “And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money” (Mark 14:11a). “And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray Him” (Matthew 26:15b-16).

Since I am considering this account as it relates to friendship, I would like to take a closer look at each of the friends of Jesus mentioned here.

Simon the Leper—The Celebrator

From Scripture, we know that Simon was a homeowner in Bethany. Bethany was a mere two miles away from Jerusalem (see John 11:18). It appears that Jesus was staying at the home of Simon during at least part of His Passion Week.

To avoid any unnecessary interaction with the religious leaders, Jesus and His disciples had, for a while, been staying in a town called Ephraim:

“[After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the Pharisees] made plans to put Him to death. Jesus, therefore. no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there He stayed with the disciples” (John 11:53-54).

Six days before Passover, Jesus and His disciples returned to Jerusalem because the time was approaching in which Jesus would fulfill His purpose for coming. At this time, the Father would use the plot of the Pharisees to accomplish His plan. Before this time, the religious leaders had no power to harm Jesus.³

As Jesus and His closest followers returned to Jerusalem, they were welcomed into Simon’s home for a party thrown in Jesus’ honor. Though the host of the party was referred to as Simon the Leper, we can assume that Simon was a former sufferer of this dreaded disease. People would not gather around a person with an active case of leprosy. During the time Jesus walked upon the Earth, leprosy was an incurable and extremely contagious disease.

“God had given the Israelites very specific instructions on how to deal with leprosy and other skin infections (Leviticus 13). Anyone suspected of having this disease had to go to a priest for examination (Leviticus 13:2-3). If found to be infected, ‘the leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp’ (Leviticus 13:45-46). The leper then was considered utterly unclean—physically and spiritually …

 

Those with leprosy were so despised and loathed that they were not allowed to live in any community with their own people (Numbers 5:2) … A leper wasn’t allowed to come within six feet of any other human, including his own family. The disease was considered so revolting that the leper wasn’t permitted to come within 150 feet of anyone when the wind was blowing. Lepers lived in a community with other lepers until they either got better or died. This was the only way the people knew to contain the spread of the contagious forms of leprosy.”⁴

Likely, Simon hosted this supper in honor of Jesus out of gratitude for his healing from the horrible disease of leprosy. Jesus had given Simon a new lease on life and he wanted to thank his Healer the best way he knew how—by throwing a party. A celebration in community with his loved ones and his Lord would have been extra special for Simon. It was the very type of thing he was prevented from doing when he was diseased. I am sure this was the very best social gathering Simon ever hosted.

Martha—the Servant

Although the party took place in Simon’s home, Martha served the dinner held in honor of Jesus. From Scripture, it seems that Martha was gifted in the area of hospitality. From the very first time Jesus and His disciples entered her hometown, Martha opened her door to them:

“Now, as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching” (Luke 10:38-39).

From Biblical accounts, we can assume Martha was the head of her household. There is no mention of a husband or parents, just her sister, Mary, and her brother, Lazarus. Though this was a patriarchal society, Lazarus, for whatever reason, was not in the protector and provider position in the family. Perhaps, Mary and Lazarus were much younger, and with their parents gone, Martha was the guardian of her siblings and had the majority of the responsibility for running the household.

You probably remember what happened the first time Martha waited on Jesus:

“Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.’ But the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:40-42).

Martha may have been built to serve but her service at first was tainted by selfishness. She wanted to be recognized and she wanted help. But something happened in Martha between the first time we see her serving in Scripture and this time. The transformation through which Martha went is best described in the words of Oswald Chambers:

“It is one thing to follow God’s way of service if you are regarded as a hero, but quite another thing if the road marked out for you by God requires becoming a ‘doormat’ under other people’s feet. … Are you ready to be sacrificed like that? Are you ready to be less than a mere drop in the bucket— to be so totally insignificant that no one remembers you even if they think of those you served? Are you willing to give and be poured out until you are used up and exhausted— not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister?⁵

 

“Are you ready to be poured out as an offering? It is an act of your will, not your emotions … God sends you through a crisis … Once you have experienced the crisis in your will, you will take no thought of the cost when it begins to affect you externally. If you don’t deal with God on the level of your will first, the result will be only to arouse sympathy for yourself … [But if you do deal with God on the level of your will,] when another crisis arises, you will realize that things cannot touch you as they used to do.”⁶

Between the first and second time we observe Martha’s hospitality in Scripture, Martha became a believer.

“[Martha] said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world’” (John 11:27).

In aiding her to become the servant He had planned for her, God likely presented Martha with many small crises. Through all of them, she dealt with God on the level of her will. So, when the biggest crisis she could imagine was allowed to enter her world, Martha responded with faith.

“When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met Him … Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give You.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the Last Day.’ Jesus said to her, “I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord’” (John 11:20-27a).

Martha’s complete trust in Jesus now gave her the peace to serve Him joyfully. In this account, there is no indication that she is concerned any longer about herself. It was Martha’s complete confidence in Jesus that allowed her to support her sister, Mary, in being the friend to Jesus that Mary was called to be. As the leader of the home, Martha would have had to agree to the way Mary felt led to revere Jesus.

Mary—the Worshiper

Mary had access to a beautiful alabaster container of a very expensive oil called spikenard. Spikenard was more than a perfume and more than an anointing oil. Essentially, spikenard is a miracle healing oil:

“Spikenard … has potent anti-fungal properties that can help … treat a range of fungal infections. Coupled with its antibacterial properties, spikenard’s anti-fungal properties can help treat a variety of fungal skin conditions … but it also effectively deals with internal [infections caused by fungi], like food poisoning … Spikenard … is a very effective natural remedy for a whole range of skin conditions caused by bacterial infection … like psoriasis and eczema and to help combat some of the skin’s signs of aging like wrinkles … Spikenard … can also help to destroy bacterial growth within the body. Spikenard … can be applied directly to minor cuts and wounds to prevent bacteria from taking hold and spreading … Spikenard [can be] used as a sedative to help with a number of anxiety and stress-related issues such as panic, palpitations, restlessness, and sleep disruption … It can … help … relax [the mind] and promote a comfortable night’s sleep … There is some evidence to suggest that spikenard can lower cholesterol levels by increasing good cholesterol and decreasing total and bad cholesterol levels … One of the traditional uses of spikenard is as a laxative to relieve constipation … Spikenard … has been traditionally used to help women maintain the health of their reproductive organs. The oil helps stimulate the ovaries and the uterus and promotes the excretion of hormones such as progesterone and estrogen and generally keeps the reproductive system in healthy working order … Spikenard … is used to treat a variety of inflammatory conditions because of its powerful anti-inflammatory nature … conditions … such as the digestive and circulatory systems or painful joint conditions like rheumatism … [Additionally,] this delightful fragrance can help [you and] your living environment … smell … fresh [and be] a pleasant treat for any guests.”⁷

 

“Spikenard symbolized the very best in ancient cultures the way that ‘Tiffany diamond’ or the ‘gold standard’ does to us … When Mary of Bethany broke her alabaster jar of spikenard (John 12:3) and bathed the feet of Jesus with the oil, she … wanted only the best to define her love for Him. It has been speculated that this jar may have been Mary’s dowry or her inheritance. In other words, this jar of spikenard ointment may have been all she had of value, and she poured it out on Him. Her extravagant gift is a picture of the kind of offering expected of each of us. Only the best was worthy of her Lord, and she was willing to give everything as an act of worship.”⁸

Mary’s gift signified that she no longer counted on her beautiful jar of expensive spikenard to heal and provide for her in her times of need but that her complete confidence was in Jesus as Healer and Provider.

Mark and Luke mentioned that Mary emptied her spikenard over Jesus’ head. John commented on the fact that she poured it on His feet and wiped it with her hair. Essentially, she covered all of Jesus in her oil, she got it all over her, and the whole house was filled with its fragrance.

Though this was not her home, the room was filled with guests, and many observers surrounded the table, Mary was not distracted by her surroundings. Mary was singularly devoted to Jesus; she wished to bless Him with her worship regardless of where she was and what others thought of her actions.

From the moment she met Him, Mary had been enthralled with Jesus:

“Mary … sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching … The Lord [commented] … ‘One thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:39b, 41a & 42).

It was not just Mary who adored Jesus. Jesus also loved Mary (see John 11:5). Therefore, when Mary was under attack, Jesus defended her.

“Jesus said, ‘Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to Me. For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have Me. She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for burial’” (Mark 14:6-8).

Mary’s heart of worship allowed her to be more deeply in tune with Jesus. She has a spiritual perspective and insight into the future. She believed Jesus when He told His disciples He would be betrayed and crucified. (See Matthew 16:21-23, 17:22-23, 20:17–19; Mark 8:31-32, 9:30-32, 10:32–34 & Luke 9:21-22, 9:43-45, 18:31–34).

Unlike the other close followers of Jesus, Mary realized Jesus would soon be leaving, that He would soon be buried, and that He could use this kind of anointing. Jesus said she did a good work (Matthew 26:10), did what she could (Mark 14:8), and even that she had reserved her precious oil for this specific purpose (John 12:7).

Interestingly, Jesus also stated that, as a memorial to Mary, what she had done would be an essential part of all Gospel preaching:

“‘Truly, I say to you, wherever the Gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her’” (Mark 14:9).

What about what Mary did is so important to share when presenting the Gospel? Mary’s action was that of significant sacrifice. Mary honored Jesus above all else in her life. She put all of her security in Him alone. That is an ingredient that is often missing in today’s Gospel preaching. Frequently, our focus is on what we gain by submitting our lives to Jesus, not what we should reasonably give in response to what Jesus has done for us.

Lazarus—The Identifier

Lazarus was a resident of Bethany, the same town in which Simon the Leper lived. Maybe Lazarus and Simon were friends. Perhaps, Lazarus’ resurrection was cause for at least part of the celebration. Whatever the case, Lazarus was invited to the party and joined Jesus at the table.

“Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So, [Simon] gave a dinner for Him there … and Lazarus was one of those reclining with Him at the table. (John 12:1b-2).

Undoubtedly, Lazarus was also praising Jesus. Lazarus had been sick and he had died but Jesus resurrected him (see John 11:1-44). Now Lazarus was alive and well—perhaps more alive and well than he had ever been—maybe it wasn’t his age but his health that kept Lazarus from being the head of his home. Whatever the past had been, Lazarus’ future was focused on Jesus. By joining Jesus at the table, Lazarus, by his actions said, “I’m with Him.”

But it wasn’t just Lazarus’ actions that gave evidence of his loyalty to Jesus; his words gave honor to his Lord. Lazarus had been dead but now he was alive. This fact was undeniable. But Lazarus’ newly acquired life was in danger because of his testimony. Many believed in Jesus on account of Lazarus.

“When the large crowd of the Jews learned that Jesus was [in Bethany], they came, not only on account of Him but also to see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. So, the chief priests made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because, on account of him, many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus” (John 12:9-11).

“There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24). Lazarus had found that kind of Friend in Jesus and he was determined to return the favor.

The Disciples—The Grumblers

There were others in attendance that day who should have been celebrating, serving, worshipping, or identifying with Jesus. Instead, even after all they had experienced by observing and listening to, walking and working with Jesus, they chose to murmur.

“[When Mary] came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over His head” (Mark 14:3b) “and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume” (John 12:3b). “And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, ‘Why this waste?’” (Matthew 26:8). “And they scolded her” (Mark 14:5b).

Jesus’ closest disciples focused on the waste, not the worship. They calculated the cost; they didn’t contemplate Mary’s complete confidence in Christ. They suggested what they considered a better use of what was freely given. They criticized the one who worshipped Jesus without abandon.

What was given was not theirs to determine how it should be used, yet they didn’t hold back their opinions. They were acting as if Mary’s extravagant gift somehow harmed them. The Twelve were offended where no offense was intended. These close companions of Jesus could have enjoyed the fragrance the spikenard released into the room. They could have absorbed some of the oil that dripped from Jesus. Mary’s gift could have inspired them to join in with their own worship. Instead, because they would have been unwilling to do what Mary did, sadly, they chose to protest and find fault.

Judas—The Betrayer

Though John was one of the Twelve who likely got caught up in the griping, he named Judas as the originator of the complaint.  Indeed, “one rotten apple can spoil the whole barrel”! In John’s account, only Judas is defined as indignant (John 12:4), and the actual one who calculated the cost and determined Mary’s gift was a waste (John 12:5). John also gave the reason why Judas had a bad attitude toward Mary; the way she used her spikenard did affect him and his plans:

“[Judas suggested selling the spikenard], not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag, he used to help himself to what was put into it” (John 12:6).

Judas was a fair-weather friend. He had once been faithful to Jesus. Jesus chose him to be among the Twelve of His closest disciples. Judas was trusted with a job, as the keeper of the money, that relied on his faithful trustworthiness.

Judas was on board with Jesus as long as He was popular and appeared to be rising to a position of authority. Judas followed Jesus for personal gain. His was a deceptive faith (John 12:6). He knew how to look good and sound good, concealing his true intentions.

When it became evident to Judas that Jesus wasn’t going to be the earthly ruler he had expected, Judas transferred his loyalties to himself. As Jesus preached self-sacrifice, Judas grabbed up what was quickly slipping through his fingers. When he became disillusioned, Judas not only looked for a way out, he looked for a way to silence Christ’s message. Judas was willing to betray his master and go to any lengths he felt were necessary to get his due.

“Then one of the Twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, ‘What will you give me if I deliver Him over to you’” (Matthew 26:14-15)? “And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money” (Mark 14:11a). “And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray Him” (Matthew 26:16).

Somehow, Judas justified his act of betrayal and accepted the chief priests’ offer.

“Judas’ 30 pieces of silver, [was] equivalent to around 120 denarii … At the time, 120 denarii was approximately equal to four months’ wages for a common laborer.”⁹

Judas had spent three years of his life as Jesus’ disciple. Thirty pieces of silver wouldn’t make up for his lost wages but he must have thought it would be enough to hold him over until he could give himself a fresh start.

Judas’ what-will-you-give-me attitude was never more prominent than in his act of betraying his Lord. Personal gain had become Judas’ god. For thirty pieces of silver, he was willing to sever a friendship. To Judas, gaining a few months’ wages was worth giving up a life. For money, he was willing to stoop to murder. All because his advancement was the most important thing in Judas’ life.

Me (and You)—To Be Determined

In light of all of this, I can’t help but evaluate what kind of a friend I am to Jesus.

Like Simon, am I looking for frequent opportunities to celebrate Jesus? Am I giving Him continual and abundant thanks for healing me from the dreaded, spreading, contagious, incurable disease of sin? Am I spending time with others who are glorying in this same healing? Am I celebrating my new lease on life with my loved ones and drawing them near my Healer?

Like Martha, am I able to think nothing of myself but serve Jesus for His sake alone? Can I peacefully give to Jesus if I am not noticed and or even thanked? Can I rejoice from behind the scenes when others are applauded for their contribution to the Kingdom’s work? Am I willing to allow others to love Jesus in the way they were designed?

Like Mary, am I willing to spend what is most precious to me in reckless, audacious worship of Jesus? Am I willing to put all of my confidence in His ability to provide for me both physically and spiritually? Am I able to disregard the opinions of others, even those whose advice I have respected in the past, to worship Jesus in the way I am confident He is calling me?

Like Lazarus, is my spiritual resurrection so obvious that I am welcomed into gatherings held in Jesus’ honor? Do those who knew me in my spiritually dead state know that I am now alive in Christ? Am I so separated from worldliness and my devotion to Jesus so evident that those who hate Him hate me too? Is my testimony one that threatens the enemy’s kingdom and brings many to Christ? Does my association with Christ endanger my life in this world? Do I care that the world no longer applauds me but wants me dead?

Or, like the disciples, do I hold back and miss out on fully enjoying Jesus while I am in His presence? Do I judge other’s intentions and grumble about how they uniquely worship Jesus? Do I let my caution justify my criticism of those who freely give to Jesus? Do I let others’ negative attitudes affect my worship?

And, like Judas, am I standing with Jesus only as long as it benefits me? Do I get offended when others willingly sacrifice in ways I won’t? When Jesus insists on the death of self, do I seek to silence Him? Am I more apt to join the enemy than repent of my self-serving attitude toward Christ?

Am I a celebrator, a server, a worshipper, or an identifier of Jesus? Or am I a grumbler or a betrayer of Him? And what about you? What kind of a friend are you to Jesus? Frequently asking ourselves if we are more grabbers or givers is essential. If we are in a relationship with Christ for what we can get out of it, we will never be satisfied, and we will betray Him every time it is to our advantage. But if we seek to spend what we have on Jesus, we will find our place in His Kingdom, feel His pleasure in our gift (Matthew 25:21 &23), and it won’t matter what anyone else thinks. There is a whole lot of freedom and peace in that.

 

 

¹ Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.

² https://www.songlyrics.com/hymns/what-a-friend-we-have-in-jesus-lyrics/

³ For more on this, check out: https://blueturtletrails.com/according-to-gods-plan/

⁴ https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-leprosy.html

⁵ https://utmost.org/are-you-ready-to-be-poured-out-as-an-offering-1/

⁶ https://utmost.org/are-you-ready-to-be-poured-out-as-an-offering-2/

⁷ https://healthyfocus.org/10-uses-for-spikenard-essential-oil/