John 12:1-8 (NRSV) 1 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus' feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" 6 (He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief; he kept the common purse and used to steal what was put into it.) 7 Jesus said, "Leave her alone. She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial. 8 You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me." Everyone's going over to Lazarus' house for dinner. There is excitement in the air as Martha is preparing the house for their special guest. Mary is beside herself with anticipation. Meanwhile, their brother Lazarus is bopping around the house just soaking it all in. He is counting each and every day a blessing, he's enjoying the company of his family and friends, he knows that Life is Good. He's was given a Life-extension by Jesus, and he's going to enjoy it. Just over in John Ch. 11, we heard the story of how Lazarus had gotten ill and word was sent to his friend, Jesus to come and heal him. When Jesus finally arrived Lazarus was dead and, in fact, he'd already been in his tomb for 4 days. But, soon after, Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead and all was made well. And Mary, one of the characters in our story today, hasn't stopped thinking about it since then. Could you? Jesus is her teacher and friend, but Jesus saved her brother's life. Can you imagine trying to thank someone for something like that? Maybe you have tried and know a little bit of what Mary might have been feeling. The person who saved your loved one's life is coming for dinner...what would you cook? What would you make for dessert? Would you have gift to give...what would you give to someone like that? But its more than that. Mary has seen what Jesus has done for others, what he has done for her and her life. She knows there is something extraordinary about this man.
So all week as Mary prepares for his coming, she's been trying to think of a way to honor and to thank him. For Mary, just nothing seems sufficient. Saying it isn't enough. Nothing is enough...but she must do something... This is where the perfume comes in. The story tells us that Mary anoints Jesus' feet with an expensive perfume and this offering to Jesus is a powerful moment in the story of the end of Jesus' life. And this story serves several meanings in the greater narrative of the Gospel. First, we must recognize that this perfume she uses, as Jesus mentions, is the kind of perfume you would use at a burial. Its like what Nicodemus later brings to the tomb after the crucifixion to wrap Jesus' body according to Jewish Custom. In Mary's case, the perfume was to be used after he was dead and buried, but instead it functions here to help foreshadow his crucifixion This passage should also be recognized as Jesus' anointing in the Gospel of John. Every great King or Prophet has an anointing story. When a person has been blessed, touched, called by God to lead, the community gathers to acknowledge it. But with Jesus, the significance is greater for they believe that he is not just an anointed leader, but the anointed one, The Christ of God. And the fact that this anointing doesn t take place before dignitaries and performed by the high priest, the fact that its done in a simple suburb of Jerusalem, in the living room of a home, amongst friends, loved ones, and disciples, and performed by a woman (which I'll say more about in a moment) speaks volumes. This is not the anointing story one would expect for the Savior of the World, but it truly and perfectly fits the story of Jesus. But for Mary, I'm not sure that these "meanings" were on her mind. Sure they are noteworthy in the overall scope of John's Gospel, but as far as Mary goes, I'm sure she did not get out the perfume as a way to foreshadow Jesus' burial and I can guess that at the time she didn't see this as Jesus' official "Anointing Ceremony." Instead, I believe that for Mary, the perfume is an extravangant "thank-you," an expression of deep love and affection for her Teacher and friend. Instead of waiting to offer it to him after he dies, Mary gives this offering to Jesus while he lives, so he can know her love, her gratefulness, and devotion.
And so standing there with the jar of perfume in her hand, Mary must have asked herself, "What type of worship would I give to the one who restored my dignity? What would I give to the one who returned my brother, my own flesh and blood, from the dead? How can I return my thanks to the one who has offered himself to others so willingly and humbly? Would I give a drop from this jar, would I count the drops as they are poured out, or would I break the seal and dump everything I possessed upon the Savior s feet?" And the decision is made and the extravagant gift is given. And we should recognize that this intimate interaction, makes both of them extraordinarily vulnerable. It is customary for a guest to receive a foot washing, but typically it s done by a slave and with water, not expensive perfume. It is not done by one of the hosts and certainly not by a woman. In that time, a woman would never touch a man who wasn't her husband, in that culture she would never let anyone beside her immediate family see her hair. It was risky for both of them, but they knew, as well as others in the room, that their time together was short, there was no time for customs, rule-following, and avoiding cultural taboos, it was time to lay your heart out there and soak in the moment. It is a powerful moment. It is a sacred moment of worship. And this sacred, beautiful moment is so rudely interrupted by Judas. He says, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?" And because of who he is and his timing his comment reeks of bitterness. Now I must say, that when I've read this before, I always thought that Judas makes a good point. Why wouldn't they sell it and give it to the poor? It is something certainly worth thinking about as much then as it is now. But in this moment, it comes off as callous, rude, and insensitive to the Spirit of the moment. Plus, can he really be serious, questioning Jesus' commitment to the poor? When reading the Gospel Jesus' compassion for the poor and outcast is clear. But as it turns out, with ease we can question Judas'. Though he tries to play the prophet here, we know from this text and from the other gospels that Judas had stolen from the treasury for his own purposes and to top it off we know that later he betrays Jesus, sells Jesus' life for 30 silver coins or 120 denarii. Do you think for a minute that he was sliding that silver over to the poor? Its not the poor he thinks of, but only himself. Perhaps he
can't stand the stench of the perfume because it reminds him of his own part in Jesus' burial that is coming soon. Perhaps he can't stand it that Mary honors him in this way, that she expresses thanksgiving and love for her teacher and his, that he should be doing the same, but instead the seeds of betrayal are already bearing fruit within him. So we have Mary and Judas...and the contrast between these two disciples is absolutely striking...mary extravagantly honors her teacher in the way patterned after her master who has extravagantly given to her. While the other sulks in bitterness, irritation, and disapproval, unable to see what is right before his eyes. Judas has great intentions, but he seems to put his principles above people. After years of walking and learning from Jesus, he has soaked in the idea of concern for the poor, but fails at putting it to action and fails to truly have compassion and feel it in his heart. He is not learned to Love. He has no sensitivity for the sacred, for the Spirit of God. Judas confronts Jesus with a poignant and profound point, but it rings hollow because of his hypocrisy. And Jesus response to him on the surface is troubling at best, disturbing and disappointing at worst. A champion of the poor, Jesus says something that people will quote for centuries to discourage people from working with the poor. He says, "There will be poor with you always, but you won't always have me." This enigmatic phrase seems to suggest that at the moment, Jesus feels he is more important than the poor because soon he will be gone and the poor won t be. Just doesn t seem to fit what we normally get from Jesus. Now, I won't attempt to explain away Jesus words, but I do wonder if you know that Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 15:11. It says there, "There will never cease to be some in need on the earth, but have you read the rest of the text? I therefore command you, "Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land." The second part is rarely quoted and in fact feel free to read all of Deut 15 and you will see more commentary on how God calls all to care for the poor. Jesus' commitment to the poor is solid and perhaps he was nudging Judas to go back to the Torah and read it again, but it is doubtful he will. Regardless of this response, it is plain to see that Judas concern for the poor is minimal at best, instead he is consumed with himself, his own concerns, his own agenda. He's looking to see how he can control the
situation, he's looking to put in his own 2 cents, and he just doesn't get it. When all is said and done, Judas is a hypocrite. Perhaps I'm being too harsh on Judas? Afterall, I'm sure there are reasons for his bitterness and irritation. He may have genuinely been upset and as I said before, every time I've read the passage I've honestly thought that Judas had a good point. But given his history, given his future betrayal, and given that he says this right in this sacred time and in this sacred space, I just can t get behind him. And furthermore, I cannot condemn this action after looking at it through the eyes and experience of Mary, when seeing it from her point of view. And so then, the question that keeps reverberating through my mind as I read the story is: What kind of disciples are we? Mary or Judas? Finding ways to thank God, to offer thanks to our Savior, from the very depth of hearts, sacrificially and passionately? Or do we see God and life as a means to our own agenda and purposes? Are we too nit-picky, bitter, and self-serving? Do we talk-the-talk, but not walk-the-walk like Judas. If you are like me, it is a mixture of both. I have times when I'm like Judas - - consumed with my own stuff, my own issues, quick to point out the faults of others, and often willing to get up on my soap box, but not willing to back it up with good old fashion action and work. But, I have moments where I live like Mary -- seeing what is before me and not taking it for granted. Giving and loving sacrificially and extravagantly because it is bubbling up inside of me, because I can't help myself. So grateful for what God has done, so grateful for the gift of Jesus Christ, so moved by our Teacher's compassion, and mercy, and love -- that we must do the same for others. And so in this Lenten time, don't withhold your love for God, for neighbor, for Jesus let s open up the bottle and let it poor out. Let's get out of our own little world and see the bigger picture. Let's open up ourselves up a bit more to others and to God, let's learn a little bit about what it means to live and give sacrificially and extravagantly. After all, it is how Jesus lived and died for us. Barbara Brown Taylor writes, "like the bottle of perfume, [Jesus'] precious life was also not meant to be saved. It was going to be opened, offered, and
used at great price. It will be raised up and poured out for all humankind, emptied to the last drop.". Let's live our lives, then, honoring that gift with heartfelt thanks. Amen.