Wednesday: Jesus Is Anointed for Burial
Open Your Bible
Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:3-11, Luke 22:3-6, Zechariah 11:12-13
BY Kaitie Stoddard
Growing up with two brothers, there were times I felt a little outnumbered. Once, I came home from dance class to find my favorite doll held hostage in a game of cops and robbers. Shrieking, I dodged foam darts to rescue her from the basement war zone. I sulked away, dreaming of ways to avenge my doll’s honor. I was in no mood to share.
As an adult, the things we hold most dear might be our family, time, or resources. But when someone tries to lay a hand on our precious commodities, you’d better believe we can still throw a toddler-sized tantrum. Our fists close tighter and tighter around the stuff that gives our lives meaning, and we lose sight of the only one who can bring true meaning to our lives.
There are many accounts throughout the Bible where God asks people to loosen their grip for the sake of the gospel. One such story is found when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac (Genesis 22). We can all immediately recognize the costliness of being asked to give up a child. Abraham obeyed even that most painful instruction because he trusted God. Ultimately the Lord spared Isaac and provided a lamb for sacrifice, painting the illustration of things to come. God would give up His own perfect Son as the Lamb on our behalf. In doing so, God Himself paid the price we deserved.
While many of us struggle to hand over our idols when pressed, there are some followers of Jesus who freely give without even being asked. Mary of Bethany (according to John 12:2–3) was one such saint. Nobody guilted her into an offering, and yet she took what was probably the most expensive thing she owned, a vat of perfume, and lavishly broke it over the head of the Messiah. The Pharisees criticized her generosity, feigning concern for the poor, but Jesus saw through their calculating hearts.
Christ praised Mary’s extravagant gift, saying her act will forever be “told in memory of her” (Mark 14:9). Mary chose to live open-handedly, and it was counted as eternally significant. She gave away treasures on earth to store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19–21). And in doing so, she built a legacy that mattered. Before Mary even walked the earth, her actions were affirmed in the wisdom writings: “A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth” (Ecclesiastes 7:1).
Both Mary and Abraham earned good names for themselves by living as one anointed for death. We, too, are called to live anointed for death. Jesus said that if we want to follow Him, we must die to ourselves and take up our crosses (Matthew 16:24). As Christians, that means we must loosen our grip on earthly things and focus our eyes on heavenly things.
When we think about the impact we want to have in our lifetimes, let’s remember Mary of Bethany, who poured out her gifts for the ultimate gift giver. By dying to ourselves and joining with Christ in His anointing for burial, we are covered in the perfume of grace. Then our legacy will become a fragrant offering of Christ to the world (2 Corinthians 2:15).
56 thoughts on "Wednesday: Jesus Is Anointed for Burial"
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Speaking to myself, “Jessica, loosen the grip of earthly things and focus more on the heavenly things!” Christ is coming soon and we need to stop wasting our energy on things that don’t lead us to the eternal!
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What a great reminder not to become too attached to material things. Especially during this time where we all are stuck at home and finding new items to occupy ourselves. Let us all remember God in heaven is the ultimate gift and nothing else will ever replace that.
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It dawned on me several years ago that Mary and Martha were single ladies and that alabaster vial of perfume was likely Mary’s dowry.
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Sometimes, I fall into the trap of reading the Bible and seeing it as a series of moral stories. It’s easy for me to see Mary’s beautiful gesture and think ‘Oh, she’s a good, moral person. I need to be more like her.’ I have to remind myself that the Bible is really one great story that’s all about Jesus. Mary has walked with Jesus. She knows him as her Friend and Lord. She has experienced his power at work in her life and in her family. I think this relationship is what captivates her heart, allows her to recognize him for who he is, and moves her to anoint him with oil. Praying that like Mary I will walk more closely with the Lord, see him as he really is, and thereby my heart would be changed.
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Dorothy, my heart ❤️ hurts for you. I know it’s hard but please believe that God will never leave you. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He will see you through this storm just like he is seeing me through the death of my husband.
Isaiah 26:3
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in You.
This is the scripture that God put in my spirit last week and this morning He told me that God is still good. God is still on the throne.You are in my prayers
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After reading the verses I searched a bit to look a little deeper at the circumstances surrounding Jesus’s anointing in today’s passages. What I found in John 12:1-8 was quite interesting. This was not just any house that this gathering was held in, nor was it just any woman in the town of Bethany. This was the house where Lazarus, Martha, and Mary lived. This gathering was held for the very one who was responsible for the resurrection of Lazarus. This was not just any gathering. This was not just any man. This was Jesus. When Mary of Bethany broke that jar of perfume it was not over the head of just any man, like those protesting it’s so called “waste” would have us believe. It was over the man who had brought back Mary’s brother from certain death, the man who had revived their souls out from a pit of mourning. This was not just any man. This was Jesus. Who but him was deserving of the finest and expensive fragrance? Who but him deserved to be honored in such an extravagant way? Mary saw beyond the surface to what was truly valuable. She saw Jesus, her Savior.
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Yesterday, I read the scriptures and devotional but not any of the comments which isn’t like me. I just couldn’t function well yesterday with all that has been going on. I have gone back read the comments from yesterday and you, my SRT sisters, have helped me a lot with your responses to Clara C. I will be writing the scriptures on index cards to look at through these coming weeks. I have been dealing with feelings of what to do. My niece that died was also my roommate so everyday I see remembrances of her. I had to take down some of the pictures that were up in the hallway and put them out of sight. I feel bad about doing it but I just can’t handle seeing them all the time. I want to thank all of you for your prayers.
I so want to focus on the Heavenly things But God it so hard for me right now. I am struggling with not being able to give my sister a hug and sit with her, with living in an apartment I shared with my niece who just died and having just got in a car accident myself. I need help to focus on God and Christ and not myself.-
Praying for you, dear Dorothy. I can only imagine how tough that is but I know God is near to the broken hearted. Love and hugs to you ❤️
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It’s the DASH, everything you do between the time you are born until the time you leave this world. Let it all be to the glory of God. Give God everything that you have. Honor Jesus! Praise Him!
“I tell you,” He replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19:40
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