Mary of Bethany, Part 2

She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. Mark 14:8 (nasb)

The second time we see Mary and Martha is in John 11. Their brother Lazarus was sick and the sisters sent for Jesus. The Bible tells us that Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus (see verse 5). But Jesus delayed His coming that “the son of God may be glorified by it” (verse 4, nasb). At His arrival, Lazarus was dead and had been in the tomb for four days. The sisters were grieving. Martha went out to meet Jesus on the road. She said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died” (verse 21, nasb). Jesus responded with a beautiful theological statement.

Mary stayed in the house and didn’t move until she was given word that the Teacher was calling for her. Then she got up immediately and went out to meet Him on the road. Mary fell at His feet, saying the same thing her sister said, yet she received a very different response—Jesus wept. Why did He weep? There may have been many reasons, such as sin, suffering, and death, but I also believe it had something to do with the woman at His feet who had lost her protector and provider and yet was still trusting her Lord. Mary didn’t understand what had happened, but her posture was a picture of her heart.

It is in the very next chapter of John that we see Jesus enjoying a meal with the resurrected Lazarus and others when Mary took a pound of very costly perfume and began to anoint Christ’s head and feet (see Mark 14:1-11; John 12:1-8). The disciples rebuked her for “wasting” the perfume, which could have been sold for a year’s wages and given to the poor. But once again we see Jesus defending Mary. He told the disciples she was anointing His body beforehand for burial. How did she know? Jesus had been telling His disciples that He was going to the cross. They didn’t believe, because they didn’t want to. But Mary, the one who had chosen to sit at His feet, understood. Consequently, she did the most extravagant thing she knew to do—she broke the alabaster vial and lavished the perfume upon Christ.

Oh, Father, may I have the heart of Mary—a heart that chooses to stay at Your feet, listen to Your voice, and trust You above all others! May I love You as extravagantly and fittingly as she did. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.