In today’s reading, Christ is anointed in both word and deed. First, we read about the children in the temple who declare, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:15). And then there is the woman in Bethany who anoints Jesus physically, breaking open a jar of perfume and pouring it out on His head (Mark 14:3). Both are beautiful examples of exulting Christ both with our words and with our actions, though not everybody in the story is happy.
Scripture describes the chief priests and scribes as indignant after hearing children call Jesus “Son of David,” a title reserved for the Messiah. And after the woman anoints Christ with perfume, the onlookers are described in the same way—indignant—asking, “Why has this perfume been wasted?” (v.4).
The anointing of Christ was an offense and a disruption. For the chief priests and scribes, it represented a disruption to their hierarchy, placing this man Jesus at the top. For those watching the woman spend her most expensive perfume, the anointing seemed irresponsible: Why waste such a precious possession? Additionally, as members of two marginalized and powerless demographics in first-century Judea, a woman and a group of children would not have had the authority to make such claims about a man. The anointing of Christ grated against an otherwise ordered and reasonable existence.
But did Jesus come to ensure a reasonable and ordered existence for us all?
When the woman anoints Jesus, He says she is foreshadowing an even greater disruption to society as they knew it. Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection were about to turn humanity upside-down. The greatest societal disruption of all was still to come, one in which the unclean would be clean and the unrighteous made righteous.
If I’m honest, I can be resistant to the Jesus who disrupts my order in the same way He disrupted the temple and the town of Bethany. I can grow very comfortable in the world I’ve created for myself and my place in it. The anointing of Christ, as well as the way He was anointed, tell me my purpose is not to be complacent with the way things are. I am to anoint Christ in word and in deed, following my King and doing His work, even if it pushes social boundaries, even if it prioritizes the wellbeing of the marginalized over my own comfort. This is the work that acts out real love toward one another, not because we are so good at loving, but because we have been so loved.
This is my prayer for us today, that our hearts would be set on the anointed Christ. I pray that the sacrificial love we have been shown and given would propel us to love others, so that one day Jesus will look at us and say, “She has done a noble thing for me” (v.6).
Yes, thank you. Continue to always keep the pregnancy help centers in your areas covered in prayer. Also, we love our volunteers!! Even a few hours a week- or be an advocate at your church— or simply pray!!
I was caught up with the word “indignant”. And in today’s world how easy it would have been to be indignant toward those who believe and Jesus. How crazy those children and that women would have seemed. I mean, imagine if a man was walking around performing miracles and claiming to be the son of God? Today, we’d lock them up, but those who believed were steadfast and others believed because they believed and couldn’t deny the truth. My heart goes out to those who lost everything to believe in a man that many would call crazy, but ultimately was not crazy and died for our sins.
WOW, Andrea so powerful. I truly had to hear this from you this morning. It has spoken to me on so many levels for so many things going on in my life right now. So He may say one day, “She has done a noble thing for me.” Yes!
Disturb my world so my heart, life, & actions are full of your love.
It can be so easy to feel that my plans and my decisions are being interfered with when Christ comes calling. But I don’t have time for that. We don’t have enough money for that. That’s going to be really hard. They’re going to think I’m crazy. The excuses are endless – filled with fear and uncertainty. But in the end, choosing the way of Christ is going to eliminate all of those questions if I trust in His plan and His way. Sometimes, like to onlookers in Judea, it may not make sense why I am choosing to turn towards Christ over ease, wealth, comfort, or conformity. But in the end, what I and the onlookers think carries no value. The only true value comes in knowing and following Christ and being brave enough to do something about it.
God I pray that in my life today I can hear you calling me, that I can be willing and open to listen to all you have to say and all you want from me. I pray that I can take your requests and do something noble with it.
Beautiful prayer, Kenya!
“GOD IS LOVE”!!!!
After living in the States for 16 years & coming closer to God in my church here, my life is being disrupted as I move home to Scotland. I pray I take all I’ve learned with me and “do a noble thing” for Christ.
Praying for you Janice as you go through this change!
Praying for His courage, strength and Grace as you go and make disciples!!!
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
As I read today I really gravitated to the 1 John passage. Love doesn’t consist of my love for God or what I can do for Him, but love consists of what God did for us, sending His Son to live a life I could never live to die I death I deserved! So wonderful! So amazing!