The Beauty of Obedience

This morning I felt like reflecting on some of the events that happened just prior to Jesus' passion, death and resurrection.  I opened my bible to Mark and started reading and was captivated by the story of the woman with perfume.  This happened right before the events in Jerusalem.  The story is recounted in Mark 14:3-9 NIV:

[3] "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."

[4] "Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? [5] It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly."

[6] “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. [7] The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. [8] She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. [9] Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

My reflection starts with the woman.  I was wondering what it was that drove her to come and pour perfume on Jesus?  I would think this is not a normal thing to do to someone.  If we look back in scripture we see that Aaron and his sons were anointed as priests in Exodus 29, by having anointing oil poured over their head.  We also see in 1 Samuel 10 and 16, Samuel anointing Saul and then David as Kings over Israel.  Thus, the anointing with oil was well known, but seemed to be reserved for events of great significance, and specifically as a prophetic sign.

I believe this is exactly what the woman was doing, she was proclaiming prophetically that Jesus was both Priest and King, and we see Jesus later referred to with both of these titles, e.g. Heb 4:14 and John 19:9.  I believe that she was moved to this act by the Holy Spirit, raising up in her the faith and desire to obey this idea that she suddenly had received.  I mean imagine yourself sitting there, maybe as a follower of Jesus, and suddenly you have this idea that you should go and pour a whole bottle of very expensive perfume on Jesus' head!  Mark specifically recounts that this bottle was very expensive, worth a  years wages!  Imagine blowing a whole years wages on one prophetic act!  Wow!  That in my mind, requires some very specific direction from the Lord!

So back to the woman, she finally decides that she must do this thing, and finally finds Jesus in the home of Simon the Leper (I am sure there is quite the story about Simon as well), and she just goes in, interrupting the meal, and pours the whole bottle on His head.  I am sure she was totally focused on Jesus, and just knew she had to do this to Him.  As soon as she does this the people rebuke her harshly!  I can just imagine her being shocked into awareness, and feeling utterly condemned before Jesus for her extravagant waste.  Talk about awkward moments...

What I love about this story is that Jesus immediately defends her, telling them to leave her alone!  I imagine the whole room went silent at that point, for the command of Jesus certainly carries weight.  Then He describes what she has done as beautiful!  I would love to hear Jesus say that about anything I have ever done!  He doesn't just thank her politely, and move on, instead He focuses specifically on what she has done and points forward to His impending suffering and death, a third prophetic meaning of her act of obedience.  He calls her act beautiful and recognizes that this was one of the key moments in His life and a part of the Gospel, even if everyone else missed it.

Finally, this pouring forth of perfume is often seen as extravagant worship, and that too makes perfect sense.  She came to Jesus, embraced him and poured forth an extravagant offering.  We know from John's Gospel (Chap. 12) that the woman, unnamed here and in Matthew's Gospel, is actually Mary the sister of Lazarus, who has recently been raised form the dead.  As we look back on the prophetic unction upon Mary and her worship of Jesus, it now makes more sense, for clearly Jesus had demonstrated that He was the Messiah.  Interestingly, the Greek word for Messiah is Christos, and it means the anointed.  Thus, Mary in her beautiful and extravagant worship and obedience, has prophetically anointed the Anointed one!  Wow!

My final reflection is on the judgment that she came under by those in attendance, most likely other followers of Jesus.  It saddens my heart to know that there have been times that I have had the same response to someone worshipping extravagantly, or stepping out in obedience to do something radical for God.  I wonder how often we miss what God is doing or saying because of our judgment. I wonder how often I haven't stepped out in faith and obedience because of my fear of judgment!

I am reminded once again of Jesus words - calling this act of obedience, selflessness, abandonment and extravagance, beautiful!  Oh, that I would have the courage and faith to render unto Jesus something beautiful!

Amen!