Jesus anointed At Bethany
6Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy.7While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume and poured it over his head.
8The disciples were indignant when they saw this. “What a waste!” they said.9“It could have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor.”
10But Jesus, aware of this, replied, “Why criticize this woman for doing such a good thing to me?11You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.12She has poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial.13I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.”
Perfume then was not like it is today. Most scholars think this would have been a oil based perfume in a special jar. The cost of the perfume in those days would have easily been several YEARS wages for the average person. The jar alone would have been very valuable, and the woman just breaks the jar, seemingly without a thought. This woman was probably using her most valuable asset to honor Jesus…and therein is the lesson for us.
Do we use what we have to honor Jesus? Obviously from this story, that doesn’t mean giving everything to the poor. While generosity and charity are very important, that isn’t always what God wants from everything we have. But God does want us to always bring him glory.
Father, help me to see everything I have, regardless of how valuable it is to me, as an object to give you glory with. Open my eyes, and heart, and mind to your calling and your way. Beginner’s Online Bible Study *obbs*
