Gift Of Perfume Made No Sense

In the build-up to Easter Rosemary Dawson looks at key events in the life of Jesus. This week: Adoration (John 12:1–8)
 
What's the most extravagant gift you have ever received? Is there such an occasion that stands out in your memory? We’re talking more than flowers and chocolates here. We’re talking about someone really showing us how much we mean to them - with money being no object.

Jesus received such a gift during a meal at the home of his friend Lazarus - who he had recently raised from the dead - and his sisters, Martha and Mary. The Bible tells us: ‘Mary took about half a litre of… an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume’ (John 12:3 New International Version).

In those days, women often carried phials of highly concentrated perfume. Mary demonstrated the strength of her devotion to Jesus by using the whole amount. This very extravagant gift was one of the last gifts he received before his death on the cross.

Mary’s action provoked an angry response from Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples: ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages’ (12:5). Judas wasn’t really bothered about the poor; he was thinking of himself. As keeper of the money bag for Jesus and the disciples, he often helped himself to its contents.

His attitude brought rebuke from Jesus: ‘You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me’ (12:8).

Mary could have been more reserved. She could have used just a drop or two of perfume. She didn’t have to use the whole bottle. So why did she? Perhaps it was because she recognised that she had few opportunities left to show Jesus how much she loved him. If not now, when?

Jesus recognised the generosity of the gesture. He accepted her open-handed adoration in the spirit with which it was given. The only gift he wants to receive from us is the gift of ourselves. Is that too much to ask?

UK & Ireland War Cry 29 March 2014