“Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. ‘But not during the festival,’ they said, ‘or the people may riot.’
“While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
“Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, ‘Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ And they rebuked her harshly.
“‘Leave her alone,’ said Jesus. ‘Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.’
“Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them.” –Mark 14:1–10
Mary lived at the feet of Jesus. It was a familiar place where life seemed to slow down, and she could just be in His presence. It was at these feet she would learn the deepest truths no one else would dare teach her. She found belonging and acceptance and unconditional love there at His feet. She knew she was always welcome there, again and again.
Something was shifting in the atmosphere. The days to the cross were quickening, and there was a different focus in Jesus. Mary picked up on it. She believed the words He spoke about His suffering and death. Her spirit was sensing something was coming quickly, and the Spirit of God had something to fulfill prophetically through her life. In obedience and honor and a depth of love only she could express, she grabbed her alabaster jar and headed to Simon’s house.
As she sat at his feet, reclining in fellowship with the others gathered, she knew the moment had come. She got up quietly with her jar and walked behind Jesus. Breaking the neck of this alabaster flask, her honor and worship began to pour out on the beloved head of her friend and Messiah.
This was the soon coming reality: the sinless body of Jesus would bear the stench and disgust of the whole world. He would be wrought with every sin imaginable under Heaven, and He would willingly take it on Himself so we could be clean.
A broken alabaster jar not only anointed the head of this King but ran down his hair onto His body. The fragrant perfume covered Him and filled every particle of the atmosphere in that place. It was a fragrant offering of preparation for a body being prepared for the sins of the world.
I wonder if Mary ever second-guessed herself in the midst of the harsh accusation and scorn. Or was the depth of her worship able to drown out the mockery? When you know and believe the words of Jesus, does it really matter what scoffers say?
The depth of worship Mary exudes in this passage is profound to me. I love exploring in my imagination with the Lord what this moment meant to her and those who observed her actions. Mary was willing to give her treasures and her life to her Jesus; nothing was too extravagant.
How many times do I measure my worship by what it costs me or by what others will say? Is my sacrifice unto Jesus or for the accolades of the world?
In this short little life we have, God has entrusted us with treasures—lots of alabaster jars full of expensive perfume. They look like our children, our businesses, our marriages, our wealth, to name a few. If Jesus asked for them, would I be willing to lay them down to follow Him and love Him and worship Him, even in the pain of the cost?
When I was 12 years old, my parents knew God was calling them to sell everything and become missionaries in Germany. My parents had good jobs, and we had a nice house in Southern California. The Lord was asking for some alabaster jars of great value. Family members who were followers of Jesus mocked them for their decision. They could not understand such a sacrifice. But my parents knew this was what God was calling them to do—leave family and homes and friends and work for the sake of the gospel. So we left for Germany. Their oil was poured out.
The perfect life of Jesus was a costly and extravagant jar that was broken for you and for me. His very life was poured out so that we could have life and life abundantly. May we remember, when we weigh, to get up from sitting at His feet, take the alabaster jar in our hands, crack it open, and pour it on the One our heart loves. Don’t keep the jar in your pocket. He is worth the cost of sacrifice and the demonstration of your worship, even when the world mocks you.
The fragrance of Mary’s offering did not stay in that room. Jesus declared that wherever the gospel is preached, her act of worship would be remembered. What the world called waste, Heaven called beautiful.
Extravagant love will always look foolish to those who do not understand the worth of Jesus. But when you have sat at His feet, when you have encountered His mercy and heard His voice, the cost no longer feels like sacrifice; it feels like worship.
The same invitation stands before us today. Will we keep our alabaster jars sealed, protecting what we believe is ours to hold onto? Or will we break them open and pour out our lives for the One who first poured out everything for us?
The world may mock your devotion. Some may question the cost of your obedience. But Heaven recognizes the fragrance of a surrendered life.
So come again to His feet. Take the jar in your hands and break it. Let the fragrance of your life be poured out in worship to the One who is worthy of it all.
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