Larry D. Alexander Weekly Sunday School Lesson

WEEKLY SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

An international Sunday school lesson commentary

For Sunday April 14, 2019

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CALLED TO REMEMBER

(JESUS anointed at Bethany)

(Matthew 26:1-13)

Matthew 26 records events from the last week of JESUS’ physical “human life” here on earth, and is known as part of the “Passion Narratives” of the Holy Bible. In the biblical Greek, the word used for “passion” is “pascho” (pas-kho). It is used only one time in Scripture (Acts 1:3) and it means, quite literally, “experiencing the sensation or impression of pain”. In that instance, it refers to the suffering and death of CHRIST JESUS by crucifixion on the cross, by Roman method. Each of the four Gospels, thereby, contains narratives concerning “the Passion of CHRIST”.

This chapter opens up in Bethany just as JESUS is completing HIS, now famous, “Mount Olive Discourse”, with HIS lecture concerning HIS “final judgment” of man. Here HE reminds HIS disciples of the upcoming Passover feast, which was only two days away. Matthew now records that, at this time, in nearby Jerusalem, there is plot being hatched by the High Priest, Joseph Caiaphas, and the other religious leaders, to secretly arrest, and subsequently, have JESUS nailed to a cross with the help of the Roman official (Governor), Pontius Palate.

In verse 6, the story shifts back to Bethany, just east of Jerusalem, near the slopes of Mount Olive, where JESUS is now a guest in the home of Simon, a leper, whom everyone else would normally take care to avoid. We see in this passage however, that, as far as JESUS was concerned, this deadly disease was such a nonfactor that it is not even mentioned again in this passage. This is because when JESUS shows up, it is understood that all sickness and disease has to vacate that space. Remember also that, in all of New Testament Scripture, there is no instance where a person even died while JESUS was around.

And so the story now moves on to the supper table where suddenly a woman enters into this all male gathering, and boldly pours a bottle of expensive perfume over the head of JESUS. The Gospel of the Apostle John describes this same event in greater detail in chapter 12, verses 1-8 of his account. There he actually gives us the names of the individuals involved. He tells us that the woman was Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, close friends of JESUS’, who also lived in Bethany. He also tells us that the disciple who objected so strongly and verbally by saying, “What a waste of money. She could have sold it for a fortune and given the money to the poor”, was Judas Iscariot (Matthew 26:8-9 - NLT).

However, Judas’ objection was not motivated by his concern for the poor. In verse 6 of chapter 12 of John’s account, he tells us that Judas was a thief, and he wanted the money to put into the disciple’s treasury, which himself controlled. JESUS steps into this mood of indignation by HIS disciples, and asks them, “Why berate her for doing such a good thing to ME?” (v.10). Then HE tells them here in verse 11, that, “You will always have the poor among you, but I will not be here with you much longer. She has poured this perfume on ME to prepare MY body for burial. I assure you, wherever the Good News is preached throughout the world, this woman’s deed will be talked about in her memory”.

Here JESUS tells us that this action by Mary, prepared HIM for HIS burial, which at that time, was only a few days away. It is the story of a lovely thing that contains several very special truths. First we see the extravagance that true love must contain. Mary’s alabaster jar contained perfume that was valued at an average year’s wage for a common working man. She gave it because it was the most precious thing she owned. However, true love never calculates, it never considers how little it can decently give, but rather, it desires to give the utmost it can possibly give, and then, still doesn’t feel it has given enough.

Secondly, with true love, the commonsense view of things, fails us, because true love only obeys the dictations of the heart. Thirdly, love shows us that some things must be done when the opportunity arises, or we may never have the chance to do them again. And while some things can be done any old time, this anointing of JESUS could only be done once, and for Mary, it could only be done at that precise moment.

And finally, it is said that the fragrance of a lovely deed will last forever, and a lovely deed done in a world full of darkness is exactly symbolic of what JESUS’ life was here on earth. HE was a lovely deed done by GOD, with the intention of lighting up a world that had long ago been rendered dark by the sins of man.

A Sunday school lesson by,

Larry D. Alexander