A BEAUTIFUL THING TO JESUS

Passage: Mark 14:1-11

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.”

10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve,(K) went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.(L) 11 They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.

Read full chapter
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.”

Judas to Betray Jesus

10 (P)Then (Q)Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, (R)went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to (S)betray him.

Read full chapter
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

Jesus’ final days before his crucifixion were at hand. Instead of preparing the Passover, the Jewish leaders were scheming against Jesus. But there was another person planning something. Simon the Leper had invited Jesus to a meal at his house in Bethany. While Jesus was reclining, a woman came and poured very expensive perfume on his head: breaking the jar, saving none of it. She said nothing; her act told everything of her love and devotion to Jesus. Jesus was everything to her.

Some of those present smelled the perfume and saw it as a waste. They didn’t see Jesus as the woman did. They also didn’t see the woman as Jesus saw her. Her act meant so much to Jesus. He defended her, calling her act a beautiful thing. Jesus exposed their logical failing: they could help the poor anytime but did not. Only this woman expressed love for Jesus. Her act foreshadows Jesus’ own impending death, where he poured out his blood, lavishly loving sinners like you and me.

This nameless woman’s story is a positive example while Judas’ story is one of distrust and betrayal. Both are included in the gospel narrative, like roads before us. Whose path will we follow? Let’s do a beautiful thing for Jesus today.

Prayer: Father, thank you for your lavish love for me through Jesus. Help me value Jesus and creatively express my love for him today.

One Word: Remember the beauty of Jesus.