John 12:3 - Jesus Anointed at Bethany - An Illustration of God's Methods.
John 12:3 - Jesus Anointed at Bethany - An Illustration of God's
Methods.
John 12:3 (KJV) Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard,
very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with
her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.
John 12:3 (NIV) Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an
expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with
her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the
perfume.
John 12:3 (NLT) Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive
perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it,
wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance.
John 12:3 (AMP) Mary took a pound of ointment of pure liquid
nard [a rare perfume] that was very expensive, and she poured it on
Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. And the whole house was
filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
John 12:3 (MSG) Mary came in with a jar of very expensive
aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus' feet, and then wiped them
with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house.
WORD STUDY
Pound or Pint:
Probably about 0.5 liter. [NIV SB 2008]
12 oz (.7 lit). [Ryrie SB]
About 11 1/2 oz. [SDA Bible Commentary]
Nard Or Ointment Of Spikenard:
The name of both a plant and the fragrant oil it yielded. Since
it was very expensive, Mary's act of devotion was costly. [NIV SB
2008]
A precious spice imported from North India, was sweet, red, and
smelled like gladiola perfume. Twelve ounces of nard cost a year's wages
(12:5). [NLT SB]
Translated "ointment of pure nard" in Mark 14:3, margin. Not
all agree that pistikos means "pure," "genuine." Some suggest the
meaning "liquid." Others consider pistikos a local name. For a
description of the ointment see on Luke 7:37. [SDA Bible Commentary]
Anointed His feet:
Matthew (ch. 26:7) and Mark (ch. 14:3) state that the ointment
was poured on the head. Doubtless Mary performed both operations,
with each gospel writer noting but one. Luke, like John, mentions the
anointing of the feet (Luke 7:38). [SDA Bible Commentary]
Mary also anointed Jesus' head (see Matt. 26:7; Mark 14:3). The
custom of that time was to anoint the heads of guests. Anointing Jesus'
head was an act of honor; anointing His feet was a display of
devotion. [Nelson SB]
According to Mark, Mary also anointed Jesus' head (Mark 14:3),
and the perfume ran down and scented his garments (Mark 14:8). [NLT
SB]
Her hair:
Women never unveiled their hair in public (see Luke 7:38). Mary
was acting with extravagant abandon and devotion. [NLT SB]
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
This ointment or perfume was made from an aromatic herb (also
called spikenard) from the mountains of India, and it was imported in
alabaster bottles. This expensive imported item carried such value that
people used it for investment purposes, as gold is often used today.
According to 12:5, this particular nard was worth 300 denarii (the
equivalent of a year's wages of a working man). When supper was finished,
Mary took this pure, expensive perfume and poured it on (literally,
"anointed") Jesus' feet. Nard was used to anoint kings; Mary may have been
anointing Jesus as her kingly Messiah. [Life Application Commentary]
The perfume that Mary used to anoint Jesus was worth some 300
denarii, equivalent to a year's wages. Perfume was imported into
Palestine, and because of its value was often purchased as an investment.
The nard Mary poured on Jesus' feet may well have represented her
life savings. [The 365-Day Devotional Commentary]
APPLICATION COMMENTARY
This ointment was a symbol of the overflowing heart of the
giver. It was an outward demonstration of a love fed by heavenly
streams until it overflowed. And that ointment of Mary, which the
disciples called waste, is repeating itself a thousand times in the
susceptible hearts of others.
The Lord God is profuse in His gifts to our world. The
question may be asked, Why does the Lord show such waste, such
extravagance in the multitude of His gifts that cannot be enumerated? The
Lord would be so bountiful toward His human family that it cannot be
said of Him that He could do more. When He gave Jesus to our world,
He gave all heaven. His love is without a parallel. It did not stop
short of anything. . .
To human reasoning the whole plan of salvation is a waste of
mercies and resources. They are provided to accomplish the restoration
of the moral image of God in man. The atonement is abundantly able
to secure to all who will receive it, mansions in heaven. The
supposed prodigality of Mary is an illustration of the methods of God in
the plan of salvation; for nature and grace, related to each other,
manifest the ennobling fullness of the Source from which they flow (MS
28, 1897). {5BC 1101}
Mary seemed drawn to the feet of Jesus. It is not surprising
that of all those who followed Jesus, Mary was the one to anoint His
feet. The disciples would have their opportunity to show the same
love, but pride would prevent them (John 13:12-13). Martha, too, was
prone toward acts of service, but she had developed a different kind
of relationship with Jesus than Mary had. While Martha had labored
on Jesus' behalf in the kitchen, Mary had joyfully sat at Jesus'
feet and listened to Him teach (Lu 10:38-42). Because Mary had come
to know and love Jesus in this way, she was ready to humble herself
and offer this poignant expression of love to Him. Such depth and
sincerity of love comes only through spending time in close fellowship
with Jesus.
The way we express our love for Jesus depends on the kind of
relationship we have developed with Him. Our love for Him will not grow
unless we spend time with Him, listen to His voice, and experience His
love for us. If we find that our love for Jesus has waned or that we
struggle to serve Him, it is a clear sign that we must take time to sit
at His feet. We may have been involved in Christian activity on His
behalf and yet neglected our relationship with Him. After we have spent
time in intimate fellowship with our Lord, and after we have heard
His voice and received His love, we will be prepared to serve Him,
even laying down our life for Him if that is what He asks.
[Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and Richard Blackaby re John 12:3]
It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour each day reviewing
the life of Christ from the manger to Calvary. We should take it
point by point and let the imagination vividly grasp each scene,
especially the closing ones of His earthly life. By thus contemplating His
teachings and sufferings, and the infinite sacrifice made by Him for the
redemption of the race, we may strengthen our faith, quicken our love, and
become more deeply imbued with the spirit which sustained our Saviour.
{Mar 77.4}
Many centuries later we are still humbled by the extravagance
and the appropriateness of Mary's gift. She poured out the very best
she could find. Price is not the central issue, but the sincere
expression of faith and love. We render similar honor to Jesus when we
practice faithful service wherever God has placed us--at home with
children, at the office, leading a company, running a financial
institution, teaching, preaching, etc. Faithful, honest, diligent service
done as unto the Lord can be a gift to God. It is costly. Often
others might think the effort wasted, for it seems to make no large or
permanent change in the world. But what others may call insignificant or
wasteful, God deems to be like the fragrant aroma that filled the house
when Mary poured the nard on Jesus' feet. [Life Application
Commentary]
There is always something beautiful and fragrant about what we
do out of love. No act performed out of a mere sense of duty, or
out of obligation, can fill the air with that kind of fragrance.
[The 365-Day Devotional Commentary]
Are the places where you go filled with Christ's fragrance
because of you (2 Cor. 2:15-16)? [Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary
by Warren Wiersbe re John 12]
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