Wasterd Perfume

We have now moved to Wednesday, and it is at least the midday meal.  Mark is going to do something that he has down in the past.  He is going to bracket an event or sandwich an event between two others.

 

Chronologically, Mark 14:1-2 and 10-11 go together.  Mark 14:3-9 is a separate event that probably happened the previous Saturday but is included to contrast two difference responses to Jesus. 

 

This morning’s message is from Mark 14:1-11 and is entitled “Wasted Perfume.”

 

 

1. A Desire to Deceive, Mark 14:1-2

1 After two days it was the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take Him by trickery and put Him to death. 2 But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar of the people.” 

 

It is not my desire to get into a lengthy discussion about the how Romans counted time and how the Jews counted time.  For simplicity sake, I am presuming that these events in verses 1-2 happened on Wednesday. 

 

The Passover began at sundown on Thursday and lasted until sundown on Friday.  Therefore, “after two days” counted Wednesday as the first day and Thursday as the second day so again, it has been concluded by many that we are talking about Wednesday. 

 

At this time, Jerusalem was crowded to say the least.  Some have reported there was a minimum of 250,000 Jews in Jerusalem at this time while others have said close to 2 million. 

 

The Feast of the Passover was celebrated by the Jews in Jerusalem remembering when the Lord passed over the houses of the nation of Israel protecting them from the death angel in Exodus 12.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread celebrated Israel’s exodus from Egypt in the same chapter.

 

The religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus at this time.  He had challenged them and asserted His authority over theirs.  He had exposed their hypocrisy and deceit. 

 

They wanted Him out their hair and were willing accomplish such through trickery and deception, but it wasn’t the right time because of the crowds.  There were too many people around, and Jesus was a crowd favorite so they decided to wait until later.

 

 

1. A Deed of Devotion, Mark 14:3-9

3 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. 4 But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.  6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. 7 For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. 8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. 9 Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.” 

 

Let me share with you some facts about this event, here are some agreed upon conclusions. This event is also recorded in Matthew 26 and John 12.  However, this is not the same event as recorded in Luke 7. 

 

These verses involve Simon the leper, who probably was healed by Jesus, maybe in Mark 1:40-42, and Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.  The other event in Luke 7 involved Simon the Pharisee and Mary Magdalene. 

 

Mary was probably the only woman in the room.  In verse 3, she anointed Jesus head with a vial of perfume. 

 

John’s gospel lets us know that she also poured the spikenard on His feet and wiped them with her hair and also tells us that the perfume amounted to about a year’s pay.  Imagine pouring out $30,000 worth of perfume.

 

Again, John’s gospel tells us that Judas then led the attack.  Why was the perfume wasted?  It could have been sold and given to the poor. 

 

However, we also know that Judas had no intent of ministering to the poor.  He wanted the money in his hands as the embezzling treasurer of the Twelve Disciples. 

 

Verse 5 says all of the disciples were scolding her.  This word means to snort like a horse.  Obviously, Mary was embarrassed.

 

In verse 6, Jesus came to Mary’s defense.  He described her deed of devotion as good.

 

He then chastised the Twelve, but notice why He chastised them.  He didn’t chastise their desire to minister to the poor. 

 

He chastised their timing.  The contrast is not poor and Jesus.  The contrast in verse 7 is “always” and “not always.” 

 

Of course, we should minister to the poor, but it was time to demonstrate devotion and gratitude to Jesus while He was still alive and available.

 

This reminds me of things I’ve heard recently in our world.  Of course, all lives matter.  However, if black lives don’t matter then all lives don’t matter. 

 

Verse 8 tells us that Mary’s deed was not only costly but completely.  Her devotion was completely to Jesus.  She did all she could. 

 

However, she probably didn’t even know all that she had done.  It wasn’t Mary but Jesus who declared that she was anointing His body for burial in verse 8.

 

Then comes verse 9.  It is the key to this text, and I’m going to come back to it in a minute. 

 

 

• A Disciple who Deserted, Mark 14:10-11

10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.

 

In verse 10, we see that Judas had every intent to betray Jesus.  Matthew’s gospel tells us that the amount of money was thirty pieces of silver. 

 

By the way, I would suggest to you that Judas is not an example of falling away, but an example of being constantly exposed to the gospel but never saved.  Jesus deserted Jesus the man and the Twelve.  Judas had never embraced Jesus the Savior. 

 

 

Invitation

As I said a moment ago, verse 9 is the key to this text.  This text is about the gospel.  The good news of the gospel is why Mary did what she did.  She gave what she could because Jesus was giving and would give all He could for her and the world.

 

Here’s what we learn.  First, when it comes to responding to the gospel, some will love Jesus, and others will loathe Jesus.  We see that in this story in the religious leaders and Judas and Mary.  We see that in John 6:63-65.

 

63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”

 

And verse 65 actually leads to my second point. God is in complete control.  In a mysterious way that is hard to understand, Judas’ betrayal was part of God’s plan.  See John 17:12.

 

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

 

That phrase “son of perdition” was actually a Hebrew idiom that meant one destined to perish. 

 

However, thirdly, humanity, in an also very mysterious way, is fully responsible for our choice.  That is the choice of either receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior or rejecting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  See John 1:12.

 

12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

 

Judas never received Jesus.  He rejected Jesus and is in hell today. 

 

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus wants to forgive your sins and give you eternal life.  For that to happen, you must admit you’re a sinner, believe that Jesus died in your place on the cross, and call on Him to save you.

 

Today, will you receive Him or reject Him?