Holy Week - Tuesday

Mark 14:3-9 Meanwhile, Jesus was in Bethany at the home of Simon, a man who had previously had leprosy. While he was eating, a woman came in with a beautiful alabaster jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard. She broke open the jar and poured the perfume over his head. Some of those at the table were indignant. “Why waste such expensive perfume?” they asked.  “It could have been sold for a year’s wages and the money given to the poor!” So they scolded her harshly.  But Jesus replied, “Leave her alone. Why criticize her for doing such a good thing to me?  You will always have the poor among you, and you can help them whenever you want to. But you will not always have me.  She has done what she could and has anointed my body for burial ahead of time.  I tell you the truth, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be remembered and discussed.” (NLT) 

It is amazing how fragrances can spark memories in our minds about events in the past.  The smell of bread takes me back to coming home from grade school and knowing my mom had baked fresh bread that day and I would be asking to eat a heal.  

Jesus smelled of this anointing all week long.  This was powerful stuff.  It was used to help the dead not smell as bad as the dead smell.  Jesus commented on the reality that this anointing was part of his coming death.  So for the rest of the final week of Jesus life before his crucifixion he smelled like a man about to be buried.  There is no doubt Jesus was aware of what was coming and how it coming.  

It was also the smell of royalty and the wealthy.  This was not a time of daily showers and deodorant and so there was a clear distinction between the wealthy and the poor by smell.  So here is Jesus going through his week of teaching in the temple, on trial, being persecuted by the Roman soldiers, being crucified and all the time smelling like a person of royalty.  

Jesus saw this act of gift giving as significant and worthy of being remembered.  What act of worship and giving can we offer up to God that will also be remembered?  Not remembered by people or written about in books but remembered by God that we brought honor to Him?