Wednesday – Day of Anointing
According to the Biblical record
On this day almost 2000 years ago
What is the significance of anointing the feet of Jesus?
There are two cases where a woman anointed the feet of Jesus.
“Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume.” Luke 7:36-38, (NASB)
This unnamed woman, who is simply called “a sinner,” was compelled to enter into a Pharisee’s house in order to anoint the feet of the Savior of sinners. It was a display her love and affections for the Lord who had forgiven her, for Jesus said,
“For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” Luke 7:47 (NASB)
She “loved much” because she had been “forgiven much,” and she was willing to lavish upon her newfound Savior a whole box of precious perfume to show to all in the house her appreciation and gratitude for being forgiven.
The second case of a woman anointing the feet of Jesus is found in three passages: Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; and John 12:1-8.
“Therefore, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they made Him a dinner there, and Martha was serving; and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. Mary then took a pound of very expensive perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” John 12:1-3 (NASB)
In the first case noted above, the anointing took place in the house of a Pharisee, but in Mark 14:3 we learn that the other anointing happened “in the house of Simon the leper.” The former was done by an unnamed sinful woman; this was done by Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. The anointing by the unnamed sinner was to signify the love of a newly forgiven soul, but with Mary there was another reason that constrained her to empty her box of costly ointment upon the Savior’s feet.
“Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. ” John 12:7, (NASB)
Mark is even more specific,
“She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.” Mark 14:8 (NASB)
She anointed Jesus’ feet in view of His impending death and burial! She was no doubt expressing her love for her Savior, as in the case of the sinful woman in the home of the Pharisee, but she had also entered into the truth that Jesus was on His way to the cross to die for her and this was her chance to anoint Him in anticipation of His burial. I have always admired Mary for she seems to have been the only disciple that truly believed Jesus when he announced that He would be crucified, buried and then rise from the dead the third day. Mary BELIEVED HIM and expressed her faith by anointing His feet! Jesus was so moved by her faith that He declared,
“Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached in the entire world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.” Mark 14:9 (NASB)
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