Thursday, October 22, 2015

The Anointing At Bethany



The Anointing At Bethany (Matthew 26:6-13)

And when Jesus (Jesus Christ) was in Bethany, at the house of Simon, the leper, a woman came to Him (Jesus Christ) having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His (Jesus Christ’s) Head, as He (Jesus Christ) sat at the table.  But when His Disciples saw it, They (Jesus’ Disciples) were indignant, saying, “Why this waste?  For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”  But when Jesus (Jesus Christ) was aware of it, He (Jesus Christ) said to Them (Jesus’ Disciples), “Why do YOU trouble the woman?  For she has done a Good Work for Me.  For YOU have the poor with YOU always, but Me (Jesus Christ) YOU do NOT have always.  For in pouring this fragrant oil on My (Jesus Christ’s) Body, she did it for My (Jesus Christ’s) Burial.  Assuredly, I (Jesus Christ) say to YOU, wherever this Gospel is Preached in the whole World, what this woman has done, will also be told, as a memorial to her.”

The Anointing At Bethany (Mark 14:3-9)

 

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon, the leper, as He (Jesus Christ) sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard.  Then she broke the flask and poured it on His (Jesus Christ’s) Head.  But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted?  For it might have been sold for more than Three Hundred Denarii and given to the poor.”  And they criticized her sharply.  But Jesus (Jesus Christ) said, “Let her alone.  Why do YOU trouble her?  She has done a Good Work for Me.  For YOU have the poor with YOU always, and whenever YOU wish YOU may do them good; but Me (Jesus Christ) YOU do NOT have always.  She has done what she could.  She has come beforehand to Anoint My (Jesus Christ’s) Body for Burial.  Assuredly, I (Jesus Christ) say to YOU, wherever this Gospel is Preached in the whole World, what this woman has done, will also be told, as a memorial to her.”

A Sinful Woman Forgiven (Luke 7:36-50)

 

Then one of the Pharisees asked Him (Jesus Christ) to eat with him.  And He (Jesus Christ) went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat.  And behold, a woman in the city, who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus (Jesus Christ) sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His (Jesus Christ’s) Feet behind Him (Jesus Christ) weeping; and she began to wash His (Jesus Christ’s) Feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His (Jesus Christ’s) Feet and Anointed them with the fragrant oil.  Now when the Pharisee, who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man (Jesus Christ), if He (Jesus Christ) were a Prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is, who is touching Him (Jesus Christ), for she is a sinner.”  And Jesus (Jesus Christ) answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to YOU.”  So he said, “Teacher, say it.”  “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors.  One owed Five Hundred Denarii, and the other Fifty.  And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.  Tell Me (Jesus Christ), therefore, which of them will Love him more?”  Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”  And He (Jesus Christ) said to him, “YOU have rightly judged.”  Then He (Jesus Christ) turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do YOU see this woman?  I (Jesus Christ) entered your house; YOU gave Me (Jesus Christ) no water for My (Jesus Christ’s) Feet, but she has washed My (Jesus Christ’s) Feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.  YOU gave Me (Jesus Christ) no kiss, but this woman has NOT ceased to kiss My (Jesus Christ’s) Feet, since the time I (Jesus Christ) came in.  YOU did NOT Anoint My (Jesus Christ’s) Head with oil, but this woman has Anointed My (Jesus Christ’s) Feet with fragrant oil.  Therefore I (Jesus Christ) say to YOU, her sins, which are many, are Forgiven, for she Loved much.  But to whom little is Forgiven, the same Loves little.”  Then He (Jesus Christ) said to her, “Your sins are Forgiven.”  And those who sat at the table with Him (Jesus Christ) began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”  Then He (Jesus Christ) said to the woman, “Your Faith has Saved YOU.  Go in Peace.”

The Death Of Lazarus (John 11:1-2)

 

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister, Martha.  It was that Mary, who Anointed The Lord (Jesus Christ) with fragrant oil and wiped His (Jesus Christ’s) Feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

 

The Anointing At Bethany (John 12:1-7)

 

Then, six days before The Passover, Jesus (Jesus Christ) came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He (Jesus Christ) had raised from the dead.  There they made Him (Jesus Christ) a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him (Jesus Christ).  Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, Anointed The Feet of Jesus (Jesus Christ), and wiped His (Jesus Christ’s) Feet with her hair.  And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  But one of His Disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him (Jesus Christ), said, “Why was this fragrant oil NOT sold for Three Hundred Denarii and given to the poor?”  This he (Judas Iscariot) said, NOT that he (Judas Iscariot) cared for the poor, but because he (Judas Iscariot) was a thief, and had the money box; and he (Judas Iscariot) used to take what was put in it.  But Jesus (Jesus Christ) said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for The Day of My (Jesus Christ’s) Burial.  For the poor YOU have with YOU always, but Me (Jesus Christ) YOU do NOT have always.”

As YOU may have noticed, All 4 Gospels speak of this Event, describing it very similarly, but only John mentions the woman, by name, Mary (Sister of Martha and Lazarus).  Only Luke mentions her, wetting and washing His (Jesus Christ’s) Feet, with her tears, and wiping them with her hair.

So, YOU may be asking yourself, what was the importance of this Event?  Was Mary crying, because Jesus had Forgiven All her sins, or because she knew about His approaching death, upon The Cross, or perhaps both?  The Scriptures seem to tell Us, she knew about His approaching death and subsequent burial.  Notice what Jesus says, For in pouring this fragrant oil on My Body, she did it for My Burial.”  She has come beforehand to Anoint My Body for Burial.”  But Jesus said, ‘Let her alone; she has kept this for The Day of My Burial.’”  Then Jesus says something even more powerful to her, “Your sins are Forgiven.” and “Then He said to the woman, ‘Your Faith has Saved YOU.  Go in Peace.’”  As far as the fragrant oil, and the potential benefit of its sale, that was inconsequential to her, because it was for The Anointing of The Body of Jesus Christ, her Lord and Savior, and what she knew He was about to endure (His death upon The Cross).

Our Faith, acknowledging God’s Amazing Saving Grace and accepting God’s Free Gift of Salvation (i.e. accepting Jesus Christ, as Our personal Lord and Savior), grants Us the same response, from Our Lord Jesus Christ.  Your sins are Forgiven, Your Faith has Saved YOU, Go in Peace.”

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