SHE HAS DONE A BEAUTIFUL THING TO ME

Passage: Mark 14:1-9

Key verse: 6

NIV

Jesus Anointed at Bethany(A)(B)(C)

14 Now the Passover(D) and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him.(E) 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

3 While he was in Bethany,(F) 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.(G)

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[a] 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,[b] and you can help them any time you want.(H) 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.(I) 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world,(J) what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 14:5 Greek than three hundred denarii
  2. Mark 14:7 See Deut. 15:11.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Plot to Kill Jesus

14 (A)It was now two days before (B)the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes (C)were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, 2 for they said, “Not during the feast, (D)lest there be an uproar from the people.”

Jesus Anointed at Bethany

3 (E)And while he was at (F)Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,[a] as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the flask and poured it over his head. 4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii[b] and (G)given to the poor.” And they (H)scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For (I)you always have the poor with you, and whenever (J)you want, you can do good for them. But (K)you will not always have me. 8 (L)She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand (M)for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever (N)the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told (O)in memory of her.”

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Footnotes
  1. Mark 14:3 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
  2. Mark 14:5 A denarius was a day's wage for a laborer
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Pharisees' evil scheme (1-2) The Passover and the feast of Unleavened bread were just two days away. God's enemies were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and to kill him. But God will even use all their evil schemes to fulfill God's plan. Jesus will be the Pascal Lamb and the Unleavened bread from heaven on Passover. Neither Satan nor any smart men can outwit God. God is in control. He is Sovereign even in today's chaotic world. 2. The woman's broken jar and Jesus' broken body (3-9) A woman's sudden action of breaking an alabaster jar and pouring very expensive perfume on Jesus caused some to rebuke her severely. But Jesus used it to reveal how his body would be broken and his blood would be poured out as the Pascal Lamb for the forgiveness of our sins. Therefore, though we should help the poor always, we must first give thanks to Jesus even breaking our best alabaster jar and pouring our most precious life on Jesus. It is never a waste. Truly such a wholehearted devotion to Jesus would be remembered as the most beautiful thing done throughout history.

Prayer: O Sovereign Lord, let me break my expensive jar and pour myself wholly on you. Still, I know that will be too small compared to what you have done to me!

One Word: Give thanks to Jesus with the most precious things!