John 12:1-11. The Effects Jesus had on People
After the raising of Lazarus, the Sanhedrin decided Jesus must die and news of this must have spread. Consequently Jesus and his disciples withdrew to a village called Ephraim which was probably in the region of Ephraim, one of the twelve tribes. This was located in the wild, uncultivated hill-country thirteen miles to the northeast of Jerusalem, perched on a conspicuous eminence and with an extensive view between the central towns and the Jordan valley. Here he could spend some more time with his disciples prior to his death that he knew was to occur at the Passover feast.
As the Passover approached, people from all over the country went ‘up’ to Jerusalem, much as people in the United Kingdom go up to the capital, London. They had to be ceremonially purified before they could take part in the feast. This purification had been stipulated for any who had been defiled in any way, such as touching a corpse (see Numbers 9:6-14).
The questions about Jesus were on many people’s minds – could he be the Messiah?
“They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, ‘What do you think?” John 11:56
Oh that this was true today, that people were looking for Jesus and kept asking others about him. It was now public knowledge that the Sanhedrin wanted to arrest Jesus and it was obligatory for everyone, with any knowledge, to report this to the authorities.
“But the chief priests had given orders that anyone who found out where Jesus was should report it so that they might arrest him.” John 11:57
Surely this presented a problem for Judas Iscariot. He now had a decision to make. Where does his loyalty lie. There is a strong link between being faithful and being loyal. To remain faithful to one’s husband or wife demands that we remain loyal and say and do nothing that could harm them. So many relationships fail because people have not learned this vital lesson. Judas clearly decided to obey the authorities rather that be faithful to the Lord Jesus and his band of disciples.
Six days before the Passover, which probably began at sunset on the following Thursday, Jesus arrives with his followers back in Bethany. This would mean that Jesus probably arrived in Bethany the previous Friday evening. A celebratory mean would have taken some planning so this dinner probably took place on the Saturday evening. News of Jesus’ arrival rapidly spread and a large crowd came to Bethany. The triumphal entry into Jerusalem on a donkey took place ‘the next day’, which would then be the Sunday. We celebrate this with ‘Palm Sunday’.
Mark also describes this dinner but adds the detail that it was held in the home of ‘Simon the leper’ (Mark 14:3-9). It seems likely that he had been healed by Jesus as otherwise he could not host this large party. There must have been over seventeen present. Jesus was the guest of honour. The decision to host this meal was an act of considerable bravery, as the antagonism of the Jewish authorities to Jesus and his associates was, by now, well known.
John makes this story focus on four people, three were followers of Jesus, Mary, Martha and Lazarus and one was disloyal and unfaithful, Judas Iscariot. They act as a microcosm of those, throughout time, whose lives have been affected by Jesus.
Martha
Martha was one of those attractive people who love to serve others. Although the meal was in Simon’s home, she was clearly in charge. It is likely that she planned this as soon as news of the arrival of Jesus and his disciples surfaced. You can imagine her roasting the leg of lamb, with that fragrant aroma permeating throughout the house. Can we all imagine her fussing around, laying the table and ensuring that everything is just right for Jesus. She wants everyone to be happy and feel at home.
When Jesus first met Martha and Mary, it was the busy Martha who had invited Jesus into their home. Luke records the different personalities of these two sisters,
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Mary was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and said, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’
‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” Luke 10:38-42
As time passed, Martha changed even though the circumstances are similar. Both sisters are serving the Lord Jesus, but in different ways. Martha was serving him by preparing the dinner. We can all serve Jesus and his people in different ways. How important it is that there are those who serve Jesus practically. When Jesus says, ‘Mary has chosen what is better,’ does not mean that practical service is wrong. Service can be just as much worship as singing hymns! Whatever we do with our bodies should be for the Lord Jesus. Paul wrote,
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” Romans 12:1
True worship must involve service. Whatever we do in our lives should the done to honour the Lord Jesus. The trials of running a home should be considered as worship. Going to work should be done for Jesus.
Catherine Booth was a very capable lady with many gifts. She was the wife of General Booth, who founded the Salvation Army and she was a very accomplished public speaker. Her son, who wrote her biography, explained that she began her public ministry when he was just five years old. However her home was always the priority and she never neglected this. He wrote about these two ministries,
“Both alike had been opened to her by God. She saw his purposes in both, the humble duties of the kitchen table, her hands busy with food or in the nursery when the children were going to bed or at the bedside of a sick child, she was working for God’s glory.”
A lady put a sign up over her kitchen sink,
“Divine service performed here three times daily.”
One of her Anglican friends added,
“True, the way to change tedium into ‘Te Deum’.
Martha, at first, had complained when her sister Mary did not pull her weight in doing the chores. If we have critical mindsets, it harms us. Much better to get on with the job lovingly and without complaining.
Mary
Mary, who doubtless had been helping Martha with the meal, decided to do something to demonstrate her personal devotion to Jesus. She had probably heard about an earlier occasion when a prostitute had shown her commitment to Jesus when he was having a meal in a self-righteous Pharisee’s house. This woman had brought with her an alabaster jar full of perfume. She stood behind Jesus weeping, the tears falling on his feet as he lay at the table. She then wiped his feet with her hair and poured the ointment over them. This led to a discussion about how much she loved Jesus and what he could offer her,
“Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ Luke 8:36-50
As this meal progressed, Mary left the room and collected a large jar containing a very expensive perfume. This is described as ‘pure nard’. Nard is a plant that produces a sweet aromatic oil which was made into perfume. This was then exported from India. Mary approached Jesus and poured the ointment onto his feet and then wiped his feet with her hair.
The room was filled with this wonderful aroma, doubtless partly caused by Mary walking around with perfumed hair. Martha’s cooking had brought one gorgeous aroma, now Mary’s actions brought another. Martha’s sacrifice was perspiration, Mary’s was perfume,
This was a very costly act. The ointment alone was worth a man’s wages for a year, perhaps the equivalent of £20,000 in our money. Mary had wanted to do something to show her love for Jesus and so gave him what must have been a most treasured possession.
It is so easy to take Jesus for granted, but he loves it when we show our devotion to him by what we give. Our status, bank account, boy-friend or girl friend, time and even reputation may all be given. Nothing is rejected by the Lord Jesus when given to him and his service.
Martha gave of her time and energy to serve Jesus. Mary gave her best, she used her hair, symbolising a woman’s glory to show how dearly she loved her Saviour. Jesus never rejects what we genuinely offer him. In Matthew’s account of this story the onlookers were indignant,
“Why this waste?”
Jesus replied to them,
“Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.” Matthew 26:8-10
Paul picks up this idea of the effect of perfume in encouraging Christians to tell others about Jesus.
“. . . and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God, the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” 2 Corinthians 2:14-15
Lazarus
Lazarus is interesting in that we know virtually nothing of what he did or said, all we know is that Jesus loved him, he had two sisters, he was raised from the dead and attended this meal. Yet he is the point of the whole story. John wants us to understand that it is not what Lazarus did for Jesus but what Jesus has done for him that is essential.
Although we know nothing of his gifts or abilities, he is important because he came to life and was set free. This is so encouraging for those who feel they cannot teach, are not creative, don’t have great personalities or have little education – what matters is to have a new life through Christ. This fact alone aligned him with Jesus Christ. The authorities hated Jesus and consequently they hated the presence of Lazarus who reminded people all the time, just by his presence, of the Lord Jesus. John writes,
“Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.” John 12:9-11
This should be the effect that those who have been given new life in Christ have. Just the fact that now they want to be with Jesus and his people regularly, by going to a church or Bible Study or talking about Jesus, aligns us with him and that divides people. Some are against God’s rule and others will be drawn to it. God’s Spirit works through us if we are close to him.
Judas Iscariot
Judas considered the pouring of nard onto Jesus feet to be a waste of much money. He objected,
“Why wasn’t this money given to the poor? It was worth a years wages.” John 12:5
This all sounds very altruistic, but John adds a comment about his real motives. Money meant more to him than anything else, and certainly more than Jesus.
“He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” John 12:6
It is a concern that some churches today seem to be more concerned about the poor in society that in representing Jesus and the salvation he offers to those who will follow him. Jesus rebukes Judas and those who fail to understand that he alone is the meaning of everything.
“ ‘Leave her alone,’ Jesus replied. ‘[It was intended] that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. You will always have the poor amongst you, but you will not always have me.’” John 12:7-8
Devotion to Jesus is more important than anything else, even than helping the poor. But notice that Jesus brings our attention to something else – his coming death. This is not the usual subject to be brought up at a celebratory dinner! Yet this subject is vital. If Christians fail to focus on the fact that Jesus, our sacrificial lamb, died for our sins then we have missed the point of his coming into this world. This is why we owe everything to him. Paul wrote later,
“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21
Peter wrote,
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been saved.” 1 Peter 2:24
If only Judas had understood who Jesus really was and had been loyal to him, his eternal future would have been completely different. He would have stood by Jesus and those who had faith in him and lived for the glory of Jesus as the other disciples did. They all eventually died, but he died still responsible for his own sin – he had rejected the only Saviour.
BVP
