Anointed in Bethany

February 28, 2010

Background Scripture: Matthew 26:3 – 16; John 12:1 – 8
Lesson Passage: Matthew 26:3 – 16

Nothing quite portrays the humanity of Jesus like the friendship he had with a family in Bethany. It seems as though his visits to Bethany were prompted by the call of friendship more so than the working of miracles or teaching of the masses. In fact, most of his recorded visits there seem to be for the purpose of removing himself from the masses and enjoying some quiet time with his friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. Bethany was situated about two miles from Jerusalem on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. It was said to be the last station on the Jericho Road prior to reaching Jerusalem. It was close enough to Jerusalem to be convenient and yet far enough to provide some seclusion if one needed a break. The week before his passion, it appears that Jesus made at least two stops in Bethany. On Palm Sunday he started out in Bethany and went to the temple in Jerusalem and cast out the money-changers and declared the temple to be the house of prayer. He then healed the blind and the lame that were in the temple and was afterwards confronted by the chief priests and the scribes. He left them and returned to Bethany and lodged there. Bethany is the setting of today’s lesson and it would be the last time Jesus would visit the village prior to his crucifixion. As one pieces together the setting as described by Matthew, Mark, and John, Jesus was an invited guest in the home of Simon the leper. John’s account would lead one to believe that Judas Iscariot was the son of the homeowner, Simon the leper. As they sat at the supper, Mary anointed Jesus with some very expensive ointment. This act was enough to cause indignation in the disciples—especially Judas Iscariot who seemed to be more concerned about the value of the ointment than the reason for the act. Jesus knew the real meaning of the act was an act of worship and preparation for his death. Jesus rebuked the disciples for their attitude towards Mary and then commended her for her actions. He went a step further and declared that this act was to be an integral part of the message embodied in the worldwide preaching of the gospel. Mary memorialized Jesus through her actions and Jesus in turn memorialized Mary in declaring that her act was to be told throughout the world as a memorial to her. The scriptures present Mary as a worshiper of the Lord. While her sister, Martha, is presented as a diligent worker with a servant’s disposition, Mary was to be found at the Master’s feet worshiping him. It is fitting that while even the disciples are behaving as though they are at just another dinner with their teacher, Mary had received a revelation of the deeper meaning of the time at hand. Her Master would not be there always and she was determined to do as much as she could and sacrifice, in spite of cost, what she could to show reverence for her Lord. Judas Iscariot’s estimation of the value of the ointment was about a year’s wages for a common laborer. For a thief, that amount of money would have been seen as a lost opportunity. For Mary, Jesus was worth it, and because of Mary’s anointing of him, this provided yet another testimony to Jesus as Messiah.

Robert C. Hudson
February 22, 2010

Witnessed by Disciples

February 21, 2010

Background Scripture: Matthew 17:1 – 13
Lesson Passage: Matthew 17:1 – 13

The event in today’s lesson is recorded in four passages of scripture. It is worth reading all of them since each passage offers a slightly different perspective. This will allow for more information being that each passage was written to a different group for different reasons. Each of the synoptic gospel writers (Matthew, Mark and Luke) records this incident and Peter recounts it in his second epistle. Peter was the only writer who was an eyewitness and he wrote about it so that after his death, others might be strengthen in the faith in knowing that the teaching of the apostles was not with cleverly designed fiction but with actual facts. Today’s lesson is another example of testimony of Jesus as Messiah under the general theme of Christ the fulfillment.

As we examine Matthew’s account of the transfiguring of Jesus, we note that it took place as Jesus prayed. Jesus had taken Peter, John, and James with him up a very high mountain away from the other disciples and the multitude in the valley. These three disciples are often referred to today as Jesus’ inner circle. It is recorded that on several occasions when Jesus isolated himself from the crowd that he would take these three disciples with him. It is not really explained why these three were included and not some of the others. Matthew for instance is one of the disciples that would later record an account of the gospel but yet he was not included in the inner circle for reasons only God knows. It is sufficient for us to know that Peter, James and John were respected enough by the other disciples as well as other Christian converts that would be added after Pentecost that their testimony was and is most certainly believed and accepted by all. What was witnessed on the mountain was a physical change of Jesus’ appearance. The Greek word that is used of the change is metamorphosis. Jesus’ face and clothes became as radiant as the sun with a very white glow. This scene was further enhanced by the appearance of Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus and they also had radiant appearances. Some see Moses and Elijah as representative of all believers in glory. Moses died physically as a believer and Elijah did not die but was instead translated or raptured from the earth. Even more powerful than this appearance was the conversation between the three focused on Jesus’ future sacrifice of himself for the sins of man. As the disciples began to come out of their grogginess, Peter suggested that memorial tents be set up to commemorate this mind boggling event in the name of Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. At that suggestion, God, the Father, spoke from heaven to the disciples and declared Jesus as his beloved son and the only one they should listen to. God would not allow the disciples to elevate the prophets to the same status as Jesus. After all, the prophets, like the disciples, were servants of Jesus and therefore they did his will. This event is another example of Jesus as Messiah and three of his disciples witnessed it.


Robert C. Hudson
February 15, 2010