Jesus: The Anointed King (12:1-8)

Bible Passage: John 12:1-8

Almost half of John’s gospel focusses on the final week of Jesus’s life, and this passage kicks things off. The setting is a home in Bethany, where Lazarus lives along with his sisters Martha and Mary. They are hosting a dinner for Jesus, and at this dinner Mary anoints Jesus with an expensive perfume called nard. The same story is also told in Matthew 26:6-13 and in Mark 14:3-9, and these accounts add additional details to the story. In this sermon we look at how Mary responds to Jesus and what this reveals about both of them.

Mary’s Heart: The nard that Mary poured out on Jesus was expensive, and we learn from Mark’s account that the value was around 300 denarii ( where 1 denarii = 1 days wages). Because the perfume was in an alabaster jar it was not something that could be given incrementally. Once the jar was smashed then the perfume would be used, and she used all of it on Jesus. This is an utterly extravagant act of devotion that shows Mary’s heart of worship and love for the lord. It challenges us to look at our own love for him and what we are willing to pour out in worship.

Mary’s Understanding: What Mary did in anointing Jesus reveal that she had grasped some really profound things that many of the others (even the closest disciples) hadn’t got in the same way. She was a woman who had been sitting at the feet of Jesus and the things he had been saying to her had gone in. Anointing was something that happened a lot in the Old Testament. People were anointed for particular ministries (e.g. 1 Sam 16:12-13), anointing was a symbol of healing, cleansing and empowering. Anointing also spoke of the promise of one to come (e.g. Psalm 2:2, Isaiah 61:1). The word for anointed one is Messiah (Christ in Greek) and it literally means the ‘oil smeared one’. When Mary anointed Jesus she understood who he was, and if he is the anointed one then he must be anointed! By this prophetic enactment she performs the anointing herself.

The other aspect of Mary’s understanding is shown in the nard she used. This is typically an ointment used in burial, and Jesus highlights this in his commendation of her. She has seen that his death is coming. She has been listening. Mary shows that heart and mind belong together. It is as she has come to understand who he is, sitting at his feet and soaking up his word that her worship is fuelled and this informs how she pours herself out for him in such a magnificent way.

Mary’s Shaming: What Mary did was beautiful, and yet the reaction was mixed. There was pushback from the disciples (particularly Judas) who argued that the money could have been given to the poor. In making this accusation, they missed the spiritual edge of what was going on, they questioned her motives and they diminished this act of devotion. It was a power play that attempted to silence and belittle Mary that was utterly hypocritical (as Judas himself was stealing the money rather than giving it to the poor).

Jesus jumps to Mary’s defence and asserts that “she has performed a good service for me.” The honour he gives her is mind-blowing, and he promises that wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her. This is because what Mary did points to the gospel itself. Just like Mary poured out something of great value, Jesus poured out his own blood. Just as the alabaster jar was broken, so the body of Jesus was broken for us. Just as she was shamed by those around her, so Jesus carried our shame, and just as she was honoured in the end, so Jesus was vindicated as he rose from the dead. Mary understood, and she readied Jesus for burial and pointed to the good news of what he would do. Her response serves as a pattern for our response.

Potential Applications:

• There is an obvious application to worship. Just as Mary expressed her love for Jesus, have a time together of expressing love for him through song.
• One of the ways anointing is spoken of in the Bible is in relation to healing (see James 5:14). You could bring some oil and offer to pray and anoint any who desire healing.
• The passage challenges the way we respond to the worship of others. Perhaps some may be convicted of a critical spirit in the way they regard others expressing their devotion to Jesus.