Jesus Our Prophet, Priest and King

• 1 min. read • grade level: 9

In Luke 10:39³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. (Luke 10:39), Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word, owning Him as her Prophet—the one who had come from the Father’s bosom to reveal the Father.

In John 11:32, 33³²Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. ³³When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, (John 11:32‑33), Mary, in her sorrow, falls at Jesus’ feet and weeps, and He weeps with her. Here she owns Him as her High Priest, and found He was one who could be touched with a feeling of her infirmities, and comes boldly to Him, who was full of grace and truth, for the grace and help she needed.

In John 12:3³Then 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 odor of the ointment. (John 12:3), Mary anoints His feet, “and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.” Sweet and diffused as its fragrance was, it was not so sweet as her faith was to the heart of her Lord. So precious was it in His esteem, that He declared its fragrance should be known wherever His gospel came.

Matt. 26:12, 13¹²For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. ¹³Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her. (Matthew 26:12‑13), “She did it for my burial.” Her faith understood what even the disciples could not understand. She saw Him slain, as the lamb, for the sins of the people; and looking (I believe) beyond His death and burial to His resurrection, (in v. 7) she anoints Him as king in Zion, the character in which we find Him immediately after entering Jerusalem, exhibiting in weakness what He will hereafter accomplish in resurrection-power and glory.

May our faith recognize our earth-rejected and despised Lord in all these His precious offices: sitting at His feet to learn; weeping at His feet, in the assurance of His sympathy in all our sorrow; and looking forward with joy to that time when He shall be manifested as King of kings, and Lord of lords; and we shall reign with Him in glory.

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