Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. John 12:3 NABRE
Jesus is invited to the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary for a dinner party. The family is celebrating the return of Lazarus from the dead, facilitated by Jesus. Lazarus was dead and is now alive, of course they celebrate and of course Jesus is invited. At the event Mary brings an expensive, fragrant oil and anoints the feet of Jesus, the fragrance fills the home. This of course is symbolic in a number of ways. The first significance is Jesus is the anointed, the word Christ means anointed, and Jesus is the Anointed of God. Mary understands Jesus is the Anointed and makes a gesture that affirms His anointing. Anointing is also what Jews do to a body after someone dies. Jesus will die by the end of the week, placed in a tomb without anointing, Mary’s gesture is significant to Jesus. Mary is foreshadowing what we will learn about Jesus in death and His transformation into the Christ.
We know Jesus is fully human and fully divine but it is after His resurrection that He is free from His embodiment so He can be everywhere all the time. It is how Christ can be where two or more are gathered in His name. It is how Christ can be with every person at the same time, every church, every retreat, every home where He is called to be present. Christ the anointed is no longer contained in a body that restricts, He is Spiritual and available to everyone, everywhere. Mary’s anointing of Jesus, with oil whose fragrance fill the entire home envisions Christ’s filling a room and the world with His beautiful fragrance.
Do you sense the anointed filling you when needed? Are you able to breathe in Christ?
Christ is no longer contained in a body that restricts, He is Spiritual and available to everyone, everywhere. Mary's anointing of Jesus, with oil whose fragrance fills the entire home envisions Christ's fragrance filling every room and world. Share on X#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #anoint #Christ #John #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #gospels #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways