Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, that He had come from God, and was going back to God … John 13:3 ESV1
If you had a money tree in your room that produced $100 bills and every time you picked one, two more grew back in its place, would you be stingy with your spending? Wouldn’t there be something seriously wrong with your thinking if you lived in poverty? Likewise, wouldn’t you be incredibly selfish if you refused to be generous?
“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” (John 12:1-2a) “in the house of Simon the leper” (Matthew 26:6b). “Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with Him at the table. Mary, therefore” (John 12:3a) “came up to Him with an alabaster flask” (Matthew 26:7a) containing “a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard” (John 12:3b), “and she broke the flask and poured it over [Jesus’] 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 12:3c). What a touching scene—Jesus spending time with His dearest friends, celebrating a miracle, being emotionally encouraged as He prepared for the future, soaking up the personalized way each of those in attendance shared his/her adoration of Him, all while a beautiful fragrance filled the air. But not everyone was feeling the love.
Have you ever been part of an exciting, amazing, or traumatic event, one replete with commotion, lively activity, or frenzy, and one so memorable, you felt you would never forget a moment? Only to find, when it was all over, and as you and others, who were also there, discussed what happened and what was said, you realized you each perceived the happening very differently, so different, in fact, that you wondered if some of the others were even at the same event? I have a feeling that those who hung out with Jesus as He walked the Earth often felt that way. The miracle we will consider now is such an example.