September 10, 2026
Thursday, September 10
As I said on Tuesday, this week we’re looking at two stories Christians (including at least one pope!)often get conflated. The second story is found in John 12:1-8. Click the link and check it out.
It’s easy to see why people get the two stories mixed up. Both take place at a dinner party hosted by a man named Simon. Both involve Jesus being anointed with expensive oil by a woman. But there the differences end. Luke’s story takes place in Galilee, Jesus’ home region, in the northern part of Israel, probably early in His ministry. His host is a Pharisee. The woman who anoints him is unnamed, but is described as a “sinner.” And the host condemns Jesus for allowing such a woman to touch Him.
John’s story happens in Bethany, a little town just two miles from Jerusalem, and it happens much later, six days before His arrest and crucifixion. His host is a leper, presumably one who Jesus has healed. The woman who anoints Him is an old friend, Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus. Far from having a poor reputation, she is known for her devotion to Christ. And the only criticism Jesus receives this time comes from one of His own disciples. But more on that in a moment. The point is, this is clearly a second incident.
Mary anoints Jesus with nard, an herb that grows in the Himalayas, thousands of miles from Israel. He also tells us its cost: 300 denarii, which is about a year’s salary for a working man. I looked this up: In the United States, the average blue collar worker earns between $42,000 and $54,00 a year. Do you have anything in your house that is worth around fifty grand? If you did, you would keep it closely guarded. Mary, as far as we know, has no husband. One scholar I read speculates that the ointment was her dowry, in hopes of attracting a husband someday. Either way, this is more than the most expensive thing Mary owns. It is her financial security. Yet she pours it out on Jesus.
This story is a three person drama too: Jesus, Mary and Judas Iscariot. Judas complains about this waste of money, masking his greed with a phony concern for the poor who could have benefited from this treasure. Jesus says “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.” It reads confusingly because of the translation from the Aramaic Jesus spoke to the Greek that John wrote, and then to the English we read, but essentially, He’s saying, “She’s been saving that to bury me with.” In other words, Mary somehow knows that Jesus is about to die, and that His death will save her. She is offering her thanks to Him by giving Him the best she has.
Then Jesus says something that has often been misunderstood: “The poor you will always have with you, but you do not always have me.” I have heard Christians quote that to imply that Jesus doesn’t want us to try to lift poor people out of their poverty. That’s not only wrong, it’s utter heresy. God holds us accountable for taking care of the poor, the orphan, the widow, and the immigrant. There are over 2000 verses in the Bible that talk about this. Jesus simply said we will never run out of poor people to help, but Mary had only one opportunity to prepare her Savior for His atoning death.
When I preached on these two stories a few years ago, I titled my sermon, “A Tale of Two Sinners.” Why? Not just because it sounded clever and literary. Here are two people who couldn’t have been more different: One woman cloaked in shame, and another who was one of the Savior’s closest friends. One who sat in the spiritual equivalent of first class, while the other was shoved in the back of the plane with the rabble. Yet both came to Jesus in exactly the same way. Both gave their highest and best to show Him gratitude. Both had been forgiven by amazing grace.
“Lord, I thank you for the amazing grace by which I am saved. Create in me the kind of gratitude that leads me to offer you anything and everything you require, with nothing held back. In your name, amen.”
Senior Pastor
First Baptist Conroe
More from Pastor Jeff at his website: jeffbergerwriting.com
