Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus’ feet with it, wiping his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance. John 12:3 NLT
Put yourself in Mary’s place. It hadn’t been that long since she was weeping at Jesus’ feet for her dead brother, Lazarus. Jesus raised him from the dead, and now the family was giving a dinner party in Jesus’ honor. How could she ever find a way to thank Him?
Martha thanked Jesus through cooking and serving the dinner — that was her gift. But Mary wanted to do something else. She brought out a treasure — a flask of pure nard, a fragrant ointment, which was probably the most expensive thing they had in the house. The amount that Mary used was worth a year’s wages. She poured it on His feet then wiped them dry with her hair — unthinkable for a Jewish woman.
Why do this? Anointing was a custom used to honor guests. It was also the way priests were ordained and kings were installed as rulers. The very name “Messiah” (or “Christ”) means “the Anointed One.” Perhaps all these things were in Mary’s heart as she honored Jesus.
When we think about what Jesus has done for us, we find ourselves in Mary’s dilemma and wonder how can we adequately thank Him for what He has done? He sought us out, called us to be His own, laid down His life to save us, rose from the dead to give us everlasting life — how can we ever love Him enough? When words fail us, we look around for some action, some way to say “Thank You. I love You.
Jesus has given us ways to express that love. He has given us Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. He has directed us to love and serve our neighbors, even the lowliest, and promised that “….. whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40) NIV
John tells us that the house was filled with the fragrance of the nard. As we seek to love the Lord like Mary loved Him, may the world be filled with the fragrance of our own thank offerings.
