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A Plot To Kill Jesus
(Matthew 26.1-5; Luke 22.1,2; John 11.45-53)
1 It was now two days before Passover and the Festival of Thin Bread. The chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses were planning how they could sneak around and have Jesus arrested and put to death. 2They were saying, “We must not do it during the festival, because the people will riot.”
At Bethany
(Matthew 26.6-13; John 12.1-8)
3 Jesus was eating in Bethany at the home of Simon, who once had leprosy, when a woman came in with a very expensive bottle of sweet-smelling perfume. After breaking it open, she poured the perfume on Jesus' head. 4This made some of the guests angry, and they complained, “Why such a waste? 5We could have sold this perfume for more than 300 silver coins and given the money to the poor!” So they started saying cruel things to the woman.
6But Jesus said:
Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me. 7 You will always have the poor with you. And whenever you want to, you can give to them. But you won't always have me here with you. 8She has done all she could by pouring perfume on my body to prepare it for burial. 9You may be sure that wherever the good news is told all over the world, people will remember what she has done. And they will tell others.
Judas and the Chief Priests
(Matthew 26.14-16; Luke 22.3-6)
10Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve disciples. He went to the chief priests and offered to help them arrest Jesus. 11They were glad to hear this, and they promised to pay him. So Judas started looking for a good chance to betray Jesus.
Reflect
This story seems simple, but it is actually full of nuance and depth. Many of us can identify with the reaction of the disciples: after all, we tend to pride ourselves on our charity (at least in theory, even if not when it comes to our actual spending decisions). Jesus – who was far more compassionate towards the poor than anyone else who ever lived – obviously did not think this resource was wasted. Why was this expensive gift appropriately given? Why was it okay to pour out this valuable perfume on Jesus, rather than using it to help the poor?
There are three things to notice. First, Jesus says she has done a beautiful thing for him. The Lord is always pleased when people honour him by doing beautiful things. Second, Jesus says she did what she could. This is an amazing statement. We are not responsible to do what other people can do: we are responsible to do what we can do. We may not have a bottle of perfume worth a year’s wages, but we do have something – some time, money, energy, gift, or love. Jesus is honoured when we do what we can. Third, the woman’s gift was special because she anointed him for burial. Jesus was going to his death, burial, and resurrection, and even though a crowd of women came to his tomb to anoint his body after his crucifixion, by then they were too late! This woman is the only one who perfumed his body which would soon be laid in the grave.
Her gift was extravagant, her sacrifice prompted by love. Who are we to judge? Her attitude is contrasted with Judas’s, who arranges to betray his master for a pittance. The point is never the monetary value: the point is always love.
Respond
Lord Jesus, help us to do beautiful things for you. Help us to love you. Open our eyes to see the special things that we can do for you. Help us to recognize the gifts you have given us, and enable us to see opportunities to return them to you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Steve West
Steve West is the Lead Pastor at Crestwicke Baptist Church in Guelph, Ontario, as well as an adjunct professor at Heritage College and Seminary (Cambridge) and Toronto Baptist Seminary.