Title: Mary's Perfume (John 12:1-11)
Contents
What is Faith? Even though they claim to believe in Jesus, in practical terms, I see a lot of them appearing as a religious figure that has nothing to do with faith. When that happens, I always want to ask. "What really is faith?" The representative figure I want to ask that question again is the fact that it is tied to the external appearance. As for the church, these are things.
The Lord does not require us to be entrusted with worldly glory, but He said that His own crucifixion brings glory to God, and that also brings glory to His Son, Jesus Christ. Then, the church and faith should be viewed in relation to the cross that Jesus went to. What is the basis of our faith? In other words, whether the root of our faith is in the Lord. We do not care here, we are concerned with the fruits and flowers. Of course, the fruits and flowers are nothing more than a worldly point of view.
Jesus wants to go back to Lazarus's house and show him the image of God. What kind of God is that God? There was a feast at Lazarus' house. Jesus is sitting at the banquet table with Lazarus. Jesus showed that he was the resurrection by raising Lazarus. This is the world of resurrection, where the risen Lord and the risen one feast together. However, the greatest emphasis of the text is that the resurrection world must be preceded by the crucifixion. That is to say, it is impossible for Lazarus to sit down at a banquet with Jesus Christ without the death of Jesus.
It shows that the pouring of perfume on Jesus' feet is just that. For Mary, what is the use of money and what is the need for perfume when Jesus is dying? Therefore, Mary's act was a confession that 'There is nothing in this world more valuable than the death of Jesus', and that confession was demonstrated through her actions. In other words, Mary poured herself out on Jesus. This is the face of a person whose sins are forgiven.
But Judas Iscariot was a real person. So we are looking at this situation as a practical problem. In other words, selling perfumed oil and distributing it to the poor would be more effective and realistically reasonable. But Judas Iscariot's intentions lied elsewhere. He didn't think of the poor, but rather just trying to fill his stomach with them as an excuse. “I do not say this for the sake of the poor, but because he is a thief and has the money box and steals what was put there” (verse 6). This is what the sinless person looks like.
Therefore, the figure of Judas Iscariot is the figure of all sinners today. All human beings do not commemorate the Lord's burial by breaking their money box. All human beings are only dreaming of their own advancement by using Jesus. Therefore, it is impossible for humans to glorify the Lord with money. Impossible. It is only possible by killing yourself on the cross of the Lord.
Jesus acknowledged and accepted Mary's deeds. “Jesus said to him, “Leave him alone, that he may be saved for the day of my burial” (verse 7). The meaning that Jesus received this means that the human concern now is not about the poor, but about why Jesus died. Jesus revealed that he was the resurrection by raising Lazarus. Because of that, the Jews want to kill not only Jesus but also Lazarus.
But Mary's act became an act of acknowledging and accepting Jesus' death on the cross. Mary wasn't interested in the value of the perfume she had, but she knew the Lord's forgiveness and poured the perfume on Jesus with a heart that knew the forgiveness. He knelt before Jesus and wiped his feet with his hair. Even the most precious thing of a human being is nothing in the sight of the glory of the Lord on the cross.
To enter the world of the Lord's resurrection is death to this world. In other words, if you have regrets for the things of this world and do not let go of the things of the world, the resurrection of the Lord has nothing to do with you. To participate in the heavenly feast means to live with the Lord again.
Thus, our death is our entry into the world of Jesus, the resurrection. With our daily death, we must enter a new world every day. Because thousands of times a day we say that we became Mary and then Judas Iscariot. Jesus is calling us out of this world of darkness and into a kingdom where human greed cannot exist. Therefore, to believe in Him is to immerse yourself in His world. Nevertheless, in today's world full of greed, we are wondering whether we can get anything.
Do we have material abundance? Do you want to show off your education, talent, and honor? Do you know that it is detrimental to serving the Lord? It is wisdom to regard the things of the world as harmful. The Bible says that wisdom that does not come from above is worldly, lustful, and devilish (James 3:15). Stacking up a lot of excrement doesn't make it useful later. In the end, these are things you have to throw away.
'What is the benefit of believing in Jesus Christ?', 'What can I benefit from the church?' Please do not follow this. There is no profit. If Jesus and the church were no good for me, would I throw them away? What I want to gain is not the attitude of a believer in Jesus. I need to think about what I can give to reveal Jesus more properly. God gave Himself as a sacrifice on the cross. God threw all of Himself on the cross.
He asks us to give ourselves up. That is, the Lord is asking us for our dead life. And then He gives us immortal life, that is, eternal life. There is no other glory than this work of believing in Jesus Christ and honoring Him. Knowing that you are a sinner and kneeling at His feet is the greatest glory to the Lord.
Now, please be satisfied with Jesus alone. I hope that you do not seek any glory in the world and live contentedly by giving your body to the Lord. Those who present worldly honor, material things, and glory and proclaim the glory of God are spreading fake Jesus.