The Whole Story
John 12 opens...
with a moment of breathtaking
beauty and quiet devotion — a moment that prepares us for the passion of Christ
not with the sound of crowds or the clang of swords, but with the fragrance of
worship. Jesus is just days away from the cross. The hour has come. He knows
what lies ahead — betrayal, arrest, crucifixion. But before the shouts of
“Hosanna!” and the agony of Gethsemane, we are brought into a home in Bethany,
where a woman kneels with perfume and pours out something far more precious than
oil.
Her name is Mary — the sister of Martha and
Lazarus, the one who had sat at Jesus’ feet listening to His words, the one who
had wept at His feet when her brother died. And now, with resurrection still
fresh in her memory and love overflowing in her heart, she breaks open a jar of
pure nard — an expensive, imported perfume worth nearly a year’s wages — and
anoints the feet of Jesus. The whole house is filled with its fragrance.
This act is not random. It is intentional,
sacrificial, and deeply personal. Mary doesn’t ask for anything. She doesn’t
speak. Her worship is wordless and lavish. In the face of death, she chooses
devotion. In the shadow of the cross, she pours out love. Jesus sees it for
what it truly is — not waste, but preparation. “Leave her alone,” He says, “so
that she may keep it for the day of my burial.” Mary understands, even if only
intuitively, what others refuse to see: that Jesus is going to die. And she
gives Him the honor due to a King, not in triumph, but in sacrifice.
Judas, in contrast, protests. He hides greed
behind the mask of charity. But John unmasked Judas’ heart, he didn’t care
about the poor. He was a thief. And so, in this moment, we see two responses to
Jesus: one gives everything, the other takes what he can. One kneels in love,
the other schemes in self-interest. One worships, the other walks toward
betrayal.
John 12 reminds us that true worship is
costly. It flows not from obligation, but from adoration. It’s not just about
the value of what is given, but the heart behind it. Mary gave what was costly
because Jesus was worthy. She didn’t just give an offering — she gave herself.
This passage is a holy invitation. Before we
rush to the cross, before we cry out “He is risen,” we must first sit in this
moment and ask: What is Jesus worth to me? What am I holding back? And will I
choose the posture of Mary, humble, grateful, broken and poured out?
Jesus is here, receiving the worship of those
who see His worth, preparing to lay down His life for the world. The fragrance
of Mary's offering lingers still. May our worship today echo hers.
John 12:1-8
Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany
12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus
therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the
dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one
of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of
expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and
wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the
perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray
him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and
given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but
because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help
himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she
may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you,
but you do not always have me.”
The
Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001
by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. John 12:1-8
Discussion Questions
What do you think the dinner conversation
would have been like between Simon, Lazarus, Mary, and Martha? How does
imagining their gratitude deepen your view of worship?
Why do you think Judas’s words sounded
reasonable to some, even though John calls him a thief?
Where do you feel the temptation to practice
a “moderate faith” (keeping Jesus as a part, not the center, of life)?
What’s an example of “costly worship” you’ve
witnessed (giving, serving, risking reputation)? How did it impact you?
How can our worship become the kind of
“fragrance” that fills the house — overflowing into the lives of others?
Closing Thoughts
Mary’s act of devotion shows us that true
worship is never moderate, safe, or convenient — it is costly. She gave up what
was most valuable to her because she believed Jesus was worth more than
anything she possessed. In a world that tells us to keep our faith balanced and
reasonable, Mary reminds us that Jesus deserves our best, not our leftovers.
Worship that costs us nothing is easy, but worship that costs us something
reveals what we truly treasure. So, let me ask you: what would it look like for
you to pour out your “perfume” and give Jesus your all, this week?
END
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