Jesus Anointed at Bethany (Matthew 26: 1-13)

 

Vocabulary

Disciples:      A students or learner of Jesus. (Noun)

Passover:      A Jewish festival. (Noun)

crucified:     A Roman execution by putting to death by nailing the hands and feet to a cross. (Verb)

Assembled:  Putting together something (Adjective)

Schemed:     A plan, design, or program of action to be followed. (Noun

Alabaster jar:    A material used to make, jars, lamp bases and figurines. (Noun)

Expensive:    Something that is costly, very high-priced. (Adjective)

Reclining:      To lean or lie back. (Verb)

Indignant:     Expressing strong displeasure at something. (Adjective)

 Memory:      The act of retaining information. (Noun)

 

 

Matthew 26: 1-13 NIV

 

The Plot Against Jesus, Jesus Anointed at Bethany

When Jesus had finished saying all these things he said to his disciples, ² “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.”³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, ⁴ and they schemed to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. ⁵ “But not during the festival,” they said, “or there may be a riot among the people.”

⁶ While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, ⁷ a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. ⁸ When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. “Why this waste?” they asked. ⁹ “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.”¹⁰ Aware of this, Jesus said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. ¹² When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.¹³ Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

 

Group or individual Reflections

What are the important features of the anointing that we notice? 

What do those things tell us about the meaning of the woman’s action?

What was the responses of the disciples in these verses?

What do you think, when Jesus said “The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me”?

Why do you think the women’s actions will be remembered?          

Summary

Jesus was a king, but he didn’t ask for the luxuries that usually attend royalty. With his inversion of power where the king served everyone in his kingdom, his servants actually thought it was crazy to give the king an extravagant gift.  What could prompt such a deep display of affection, such an outpouring of great honour? Whatever her story, the outpouring of recognition she gave Jesus was remarkable, filling the house with a fragrance fit for a king. This woman’s actions took the disciples by surprise. Jesus came to her defence, refusing to have her shamed for her generosity. He honours her, explaining how much her gift means to him — far more than any of them realised. In just two days, the body she anointed would be dead, shamefully dishonoured with a public execution of the worst kind.  Anointing Jesus turned out to be the most important thing this woman did in her life. She honoured the king with a regal gift, while his friends criticised her and his enemies planned his death.

Do you see what Jesus did here? He received her gift as a memorial of his life. He was about to give his followers a memorial meal (26:17-30). And if this gift is a memorial for his life, it also stands as a memorial of her values and insight: in memory of her. So, how can we give the King a life of extravagant service?