The gospel text for tonight was “very famous” and quite popular in the early church, and we find “four different accounts” of this “same story” recorded in our four gospels.
Each of the four versions of this story is “slightly different,” but we can learn something from each of the four versions.
It is difficult to harmonize “all the details,” but most readers sense that “it is the same exact story.”
“Basically,” there seems to be two versions of “the same story:” the one found in the “synoptic gospels” and the second version of the same story found only in the Gospel of John.
The structure of the story “is the same” – in all the gospels; it is “the details” that are different.
The story for today is “a classic.” It is “a famous one.” Christians have “loved this story” throughout the centuries. It has caught our minds and our imaginations.
The essential features or the structure of the story are this:
The incident happened “right before” the Passover, near Jerusalem, in the little village of Bethany “right outside” of Jerusalem.
This incident happened in a home apparently owned by a Simon in three of our gospels. Perhaps that was the name of the father of Lazarus, Mary and Martha.
A “particular woman,” who is “unnamed” in three of our gospels, takes a pound of expensive perfume that was valued at three hundred denarii; that is, three hundred days of work.
This was “very expensive perfume;” you would have to work for an entire year in order to earn enough money to purchase this expensive and extravagant perfume.
Wordless, this woman kneels at Jesus’ feet and breaks the jar’s neck. The smell of “spikenard” fills the room—it is a sharp scent halfway between mint and ginseng. It is pungent.
“Then,” as everyone in the room watches her, she does four “remarkable things in a row.”
First, she loosens her hair in a room full of men, which an honorable woman never-ever does.
Then she pours perfume on Jesus’ feet, which is also not done. The head, maybe—people did do that to kings, prophets and priests–but never the feet and never by a woman.
Then, she touches him—“a single woman” rubbing “a single man’s feet” —also not done, not even among friends.
Then, she wipes the perfume off with her hair—totally inexplicable—the bizarre end to an “all around bizarre act.”
I can imagine a pin dropping. Silence.
What do you say? How do you react?
Most people are so moved by the scene that they tend to overlook its eccentricities…or else they just don’t care. The point is that she loved him and was completely devoted to him, right? She showed her love and her care…she showed her devotion.
The point is that – she didn’t care what others thought?
For her, it was not a matter of cultural mores or right or wrong. It was what she wanted to do. It seemed right and just and good to her.
It was a prophetic act. Jesus was soon going to be put to death. Mary understood that. If no one else “got that” —she did… She understood his time was limited.
By raising Lazarus from the dead Jesus had graduated from the category of a “manageable nuisance” to that of – a “serious threat.”
“News of the incident” had sent his followers “over the top.” There is not a chance Pilate is going to “ignore them” during the Passover festival.
It is time for Jesus to disappear before he leads hundreds to their deaths. So, “his days” are numbered and he knows it, Lazarus, Mary and Martha know it too.
When he arrives at his friends’ house in Bethany, they can see it on his face. He can probably see it on their faces. It is all about to hit the fan.
So they offer him hospitality and protection, if need be. It is in the course of this meal and this gathering – that Mary does her thing.
Again, the silence…The text says much about Mary. It says much about the families’ wealth. It says much about Jesus. It also tells us much about Judas.
I think more importantly, the stage is now set. Jesus is near Jerusalem. The powers that be, are looking for him. Judas is making his mind up. Pilate is ready to respond to anything at the Passover holidays. And the disciples – still not too sure, what all this means…or what it is supposed to mean.
There is talk about “how” to enter into Jerusalem, and “how” to meet the crowd of pilgrims…that will be there…but that is still a few days away.
For now, it is enough, to sit back and to enjoy the company of good friends. Tomorrow is another day.
But the clock is ticking…and very loudly.