John 12: 1-11

(John 12: 1-11)

Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead.  There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead.  But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;  Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

 

Jesus visited Lazarus' house in Bethany where he was living like his family. The reason was to say goodbye to loved ones before he died on the cross. Bethany was close to Jerusalem, where the Jews could capture and die.

『 Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?  Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him. 』 With the Jews and the high priests already deciding to kill Jesus, and with an arrest order already issued, Jesus came to meet Lazarus' family. That is why the Lazarus family prepared a feast for the Lord as best they could. Four characters appear here.

The first is Martha. Martha herself prepared the table and served her, expressing her respect and love from her heart. Although he had been reproved by Jesus for his busy work before, he did not feel uncomfortable with the excuse for such reproof, and Martha continued to serve and serve the Lord in accordance with his gift. The most enjoyable way for Martha to express her love was to work her own hands for a treat.

The second is Lazarus. Lazarus provided an important reason for this feast. He died because he was weak and was resurrected by Jesus. He played the role of intimate fellowship with people and directing and witnessing of Jesus. 『Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; 』Through the witness and service of Lazarus, he was used as a tool and channel of the gospel.

The third is Maria. Mary specifically expressed respect and love for Jesus. 『Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. To pour the perfumed oil on his feet is to believe that Jesus is God's anointed Messiah.

The fourth is Judas Iscariot. 『Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? Judas Iscariot expressed his dissatisfaction with the people with a good cause and good reason. Judas made the atmosphere of the feast bleak by speaking words that reveal his true heart, full of greed. A person who has no love for Jesus subtly wraps up his greed in the name of faith. Judas' act of betraying his teacher and selling it for 30 silver coins begins with condemning Mary's act of showing deep love and devotion to Jesus. Judas's fault was not only a heart of greed, but a hypocritical attitude to upset the poor while counting everything in money.

Jesus said, “Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always. Judas had only the calculations and greed before his eyes, and the thoughts of those gathered at the feast that day did not reach the event and the funeral of Jesus' atonement on the cross. Mary was in preparation for Jesus' death. She was written in the Bible and became a symbol passed down to generations to come. The funeral of Jesus when the people who are trying to kill themselves and who are trying to satisfy their desires, follow Jesus without being afraid or shaken by those around who show greed, believe in what the Lord has done and words, and do all the love and service that they can do. It will be used beautifully in preparing for and making many people believe in Jesus.

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