In which Jesus takes a break from Jerusalem and visits a friend in Bethany. There, an unidentified woman anoints his head with very expensive perfume. This is a beautiful, caring, soothing gift but she is criticised and what she did shook things up again. Was this a bit of the week’s pattern which just didn’t match up?
The house in Bethany was warm and comfortable. The scent of bread and spiced lentils filled the air, mingling with warm oil when the lamps were lit. Simon, the host, prayed the evening prayer and blessed the light and the food, then with a grateful sigh, the men took their places at the table.
Walking the two miles from Jerusalem at the end of a long day had been worth it. The city crowds were oppressive. Everyone was ready to celebrate Passover and passions were running high. To mark the festival of freedom, the Roman governor Pontius Pilate had moved into town with military reinforcements, and they were making their presence felt. Talk about irony!
However much they wanted to leave the tension behind, of course they carried it into the welcoming house with them. Their conversation was brief and they looked from one to another to see if anyone had a clue what was going to happen next.
Eventually, they looked to Jesus, who must have been wearier than all of them. In a few days, he had arrived in Jerusalem, wept over it, looked around at everything, driven money changers out of the temple and taken his place there as teacher, giving out some hard lessons. He even said that the temple would be destroyed. He must have been goading his opponents. Surely this was the time for decisive action, the time some of them had been waiting three years for.
Thank God he had friends in Bethany. Surely, while they were safe in this house, he would tell them what to do next and how the pattern of this week would fit together.
Still, Jesus kept quiet, breathed in the peace and quiet and enjoyed the food.
Until that is, a draught cooled the air and a new scent entered. Simon looked up first to see who had entered his house and a flicker of recognition crossed his brow. He smiled to welcome the woman but stood up to stop her when he saw what she was doing.
The men around the table gasped when they heard the crack of alabaster and smelt the beautiful perfume which was poured over Jesus’ head. Quickly, they were all on their feet, apart from Jesus, who relaxed and smiled his first smile for a long time.
The scent of spices, oil, and shocked, tired bodies gave way completely to that perfume. The whole house was filled with it.
The horrified silence soon gave way to muttering, which became angry outbursts. It was hard to put their fury into words, so it came down to money. What we spend our money on is always an easy target for criticism.
“That perfume was worth a full year’s work. It could have been sold and the money given to the poor.” Mark’s Gospel chapter 14 verse 4.
Little did that woman know that for millennia to come, men would still be arguing about that and condemning her as immoral just because she had a valuable possession!
Still, Jesus spoke then in her defence. What a beautiful thing she had done. In that week of tension and danger, that woman gave all she had to comfort and soothe Jesus. He recognised that this was a preparation for his death. Maybe she was the only one in the room to get what was happening.
This was a piece of the pattern which just didn’t fit for some of the disciples. The group got a bit flakier.
A woman’s loving generosity and understanding didn’t fit the pattern and threatened the expectations of the men who were closest to Jesus.
What I wonder is this: did that beautiful perfume cling to Jesus through the rest of the week? In the middle of terrible cruelty, did that perfume act as a reminder of an act of kindness? What do you think?
Wander well towards Easter,
Mandy.
You can read this Bible story in Mark’s Gospel chapter 14 and Matthew’s Gospel chapter 26.
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