John 12JOH 12
"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 odor of the ointment”
We have in this beautiful scene a normal Christian life and a normal Christian home. In these actors in this beautiful scene, we have service, communion and worship. How fitting each one is in this scene as it is recounted here. There is no dissension, no rivalry; each one is in his and her place, taking that place beautifully.
There are elements here that are implied, and 1 would like to bring before each of us, before your heart and mine, these elements that activate each one in their part in this lovely scene. Remember this scene occurs toward the end of the Lord's life here. He is soon to go to Calvary, and we might say this is His burial supper. There is something solemn about it and something precious. May there be in these words something that each one will have to wrap around his heart. These things that are brought out are not new, but may they be fresh and may they touch our hearts.
Martha here is serving. She is in her place serving with no rivalry and no complaint. How beautiful this is. There were women who followed the Lord and ministered to Him of their substance. It was nothing that someone else may have given them, nothing that they may have borrowed in order to do it, but it seemed to be just what was at hand. The Lord does not ask us to give that which we do not have, but according to our possessions and according to what He has given us. These dear women ministered to Him of their substance, and Lazarus was one who sat at meat with the Lord.
We have here a statement that is pertinent to the whole scene: "They made Him a supper." How precious; it was just for Him. This was something that was different and not haphazard. The Lord Jesus is the center of this activity, as homey as it may be. It was in that place where He often resorted, Bethany, that they made Him a supper. There was one there who entered a little more deeply, or shall we say differently, into the feelings of that blessed Person and His attitude toward her and His revelation of Himself to her. This seemed her natural place—to be at His feet.
How precious and what a privilege it is to be at the feet of Jesus. This does not take education. This does not take a deep learning or knowledge of Scripture, which in its place is to be cherished. Mary gives what she has, but she gives what she had saved up. Is there that in your life and mine which is devoted to Christ, to be presented to Christ at an opportune moment? This was a costly gift that Mary had. It says so—"very costly.”
I know that there is criticism as to the waste of time for praise and worship. That was the attitude of the critics of Mary. But was it a waste? Was it not something that was precious to the heart of the One to whom the worship was directed? What was the result of this? The house was filled with the odor of the ointment!
Now let us consider and go over this again. Martha was busy at her service; but while Martha was at her service, she had to breathe even as we all have to breathe. But there was an atmosphere that Martha breathed which was the odor of that ointment. In every breath she drew she enjoyed the odor of the ointment, for it filled the house. And in measure I do believe that, when we worship, the house is filled with the odor of the ointment.
Lazarus was in a different position that was very blessed. He was hearing the word of the Lord, and having the purposes and counsels of God revealed to him. He was enjoying sweet communion with His Savior and life-giver—communion of which he had tasted deeply a few days before when he was raised from the dead. It is mentioned here in this chapter in a double way: in the place "where Lazarus was... raised from the dead," and he was raised from the dead by this One with whom he sat. What a scene that was. But Lazarus had to breathe too. And when he breathed, what was it that he breathed? It was the odor of the ointment. Who appreciated that the most? It was our blessed Lord. We may feel dull; we may feel as if our response is not as it should be, and it isn't. But He puts value to it, and the odor of the ointment is valued by Him. So the odor of the ointment is filling the house as to the activity of each one. Mary, of course, is at His feet. She enjoys that odor in a more solemn way than they all, except the Lord Himself.
This is a scene that is near the end of the Lord's journey on this earth. I would like to read of a scene that is at the beginning of His life to see if there is not a connection which is precious. Matthew 2:11Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, (Matthew 2:1) speaks of the wise men of the east. How many there were we are not told, but there were at least two because it is in the plural. They come from the east, guided miraculously by a star. When they come to Jerusalem, the star does not supersede the Word of God. The star was given to them; the Word of God was not given to them in the east.
When they come to Jerusalem they have to inquire, "Where is He that is born King of the Jews?" The informers, in order to answer this question, had to refer to Scripture, this very book we are reading. They said, "In Bethlehem," because that is where the prophet said He was to be born. So they go to Bethlehem. They are not guided by the star; they are guided by the Scripture. Where the Scripture guides us, let us not be guided by anything else.
When they get there, what is His address? They don't know and that is not in the Scripture, so the star appears to them again and directs them to the very place where He and His mother were. Now let us read Matthew 2:1111And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11), "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child [notice it is a child and not a babe], with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him." It says they worshipped Him, "and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”
In Philippians 2 we read, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God" (vss. 5-6). Now these wise men had three gifts. We don't know how many men there were, but we are told what they brought. Christ Jesus was in the form of God. This was the gold. This was one gift that they gave. "They had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold"—"being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God." This is His deity. They were wise men, were they not?
Then it goes on, "And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient." This was the frankincense. This was His spotless, holy humanity which was acceptable to God. How wise these men were! Gold to tell of His deity, frankincense of His perfect humanity, and He was obedient. We refer back to Philippians 2 now. "He... became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." This was the myrrh. So we get here the very existence, the very being of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But there is something that draws these two scenes together—the one at the beginning of the Lord's life and the other at the end. Worship We don't need to be clever to worship; we don't need to have a glib tongue to worship. It is from the heart; yes, it is from the heart and may it be your place and mine. We have recourse to a place, and this is open to each of us from the oldest to the youngest and to the most humble child to give homage to our blessed Lord. What will the result be? The house wilt be filled with the odor of the ointment.
Philippians 2:55Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5) begins, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." How can we do that? Is it your desire and mine to have this mind that was in Christ Jesus? How can we have this mind? There is one way: by sitting at His feet. Where is there a more blessed place than being at the feet of Jesus? Do you covet to have that mind that was in Christ Jesus and to be at His feet and in that place of worship? We can't go any tower than that to worship, and we can't go higher.
You recall that Leah had four sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah. Reuben means "behold the son" and we "behold the Lamb of God." Simeon means "hearing"; we hear His blessed voice. Levi means "joined"; we are joined by the Spirit to that blessed One. Judah means "praise," and she left bearing. There is nothing higher than that.
So here we have two lovely scenes, one at the beginning of the Lord's life on this earth when these wise men, wise indeed, came from the east and worshipped Him. And then we have the beautiful scene at that burial supper in Bethany. Soon after, our Lord was crucified, and the Lord states the beautiful value, exquisite value of what she did: "Against the day of My burying hath she kept this." This is the myrrh that the wise men gave, that which spoke of His death, so we have His birth, His life, His death, and who He is—God, manifest in the flesh, come into this scene for you and me. Our place is at His feet to give Him homage.
We shall behold Him, whom not seen we love,
We shall be with Him, whom we long to see;
We shall be like Him, fit for realms above,
With Him, and like Him, for eternity!
Is now to sit at Jesus' feet our choice?
How will fruition then our souls rejoice!
The simplicity of a life of faith has charms that
they do not know who never tried it.