“While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.”(Mark 14:3, NIV)
When in Jerusalem, Jesus didn’t stay in the city itself. He usually stayed in the house of his friend Lazarus, in the town of Bethany, just outside Jerusalem. There he enjoyed peace and companionship.
The Cross is drawing near, and it is at this time that Jesus receives a very special dinner invitation.
In the seventh chapter of the Gospel of Luke, the host of this dinner isn’t called “Simon the Leper,” but instead “the Pharisee.” They were almost certainly the same person.
A leper wasn’t allowed to have any contact with other members of the community, so Simon must have been a Pharisee who had been healed by Jesus. When he heard that Jesus was in Bethany, Simon felt obliged to invite him to dinner.
Luke also tells us that the woman who gate-crashed the dinner was a notorious sinner in the town of Bethany. He also mentions that Jesus had forgiven her many sins.
She brought all she had to Jesus. The value of the perfume was equivalent to more than a year’s wages. The alabaster jar was also precious. But she didn’t care. She broke it to pour the perfume on Christ’s head.
What’s the lesson here? It’s that this woman valued nothing that she owned above the privilege of knowing Jesus. She brought everything she had to him.
That’s what happens when you realise how great the love of Jesus is for you, and how complete his forgiveness and acceptance for you is.
Reflection: What is the most valuable thing in your life? Would you be willing to give it to Jesus? Think about why or why not. And if you were, what conditions would you put on your gift?
Article supplied with thanks to Dr Eliezer Gonzalez.
About the Author: Dr Eli Gonzalez is the Senior Pastor of Good News Unlimited and the presenter of the Unlimited radio spots, and The Big Question. Sign up to his free online course called Becoming a Follower of Jesus to learn about Jesus and His message.
Feature image: Photo by Siora Photography on Unsplash