Sermon: Mary’s Extravagant Worship of the Messiah Matthew 26:6-16Sermon:

Truth Taught- Jesus is worthy of extravagant worship

Occasionally the Gospel writers will stop reporting events chronologically and drop accounts in theologically at a place where the meaning of certain events become even more clear to us the reader.  Here before us today is such an account.
This event, according to John’s Gospel took place two days before.  The anointing of Jesus in Matthew takes place two days before Passover in the town of Bethany at Simon the leper’s home.  This would prove to be a very special time for Jesus, His followers, Lazarus, Mary and Martha and the others present there in Simon’s home celebrating Jesus.  This was a meal in His honor.

Each night during the last week of His life Jesus is staying in Bethany, a village about an hour’s walk from Jerusalem (Matt. 21:17), probably because the Holy City, filled to the brim with Passover worshippers, has few vacancies. According to John 12:1–8, the event described in today’s passage takes place in the home of Simon the Leper.  Lazarus, Mary, and Martha are present, they also lived in Bethany and friends of Simon the leper. 

Here’s John’s account…

John 12:1–8 (ESV) 

12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. ² So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. ³ Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. ⁴ But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, ⁵ “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” ⁶ He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. ⁷ Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. ⁸ For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.” 

Matthew places it here for a very important reason.  Mary understands, perhaps better than anyone that Jesus in a few short days is going to the cross.  Her act of extravagant worship will serve as anointing the King and anointing Jesus for His death.  Matthew places it here in between two evil acts.  The leaders of Jerusalem are seeking to kill Jesus and Judas also seeking to be rid of Jesus especially after this extravagant event.  

Now, before we get to the text this morning, I’d like to share what the early church believed about the identity of Mary of Bethany.  She was, of course the sister of Lazarus whom Jesus raised from the dead and of Martha.  The ancient church also believed that Mary of Bethany and Mary Magdalene were one and the same person.  If this is true, and I think it probably is, there is no issue in having all the anointing accounts fit together perfectly.

Mary was the woman whom Jesus cast out seven demons.

Luke 8:2 (ESV) 

² and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 

Mary and the other women mentioned were somewhat wealthy because they were the ones to support Jesus and the other financially as they traveled.  Mary was also a harlot prior to meeting Jesus.  Once she met Jesus she was forever changed.

Early in Jesus’ ministry she entered the house of Simon the Pharisee…

Luke 7:36–50 (ESV) 

³⁶ One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. ³⁷ And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, ³⁸ and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰ And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” 

⁴¹ “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³ Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴ Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. ⁴⁷ Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸ And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” 

So, Mary has already used some of her perfume to wash Jesus’ feet and show Him great kindness and love.  She had been forgiven much so she loved much.  

If the early church had it right this Mary also was witness to the raising of her brother Lazarus.  She was also the one who sat at Jesus’ feet to listen to Him teach when He visited their home on occasion with His disciples.

Jesus returns to Bethany and He and His disciples stay there at night because there is not much room in Jerusalem.  Bethany is where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus live.

Remember the flask of ointment that Mary has and we will see what she does next….

Matthew 26:6–16 (ESV) 

⁶ Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, ⁷ a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. ⁸ And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? ⁹ For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” ¹⁰ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. ¹² In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. ¹³ Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” 

¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him. 

1.  Mary’s Extravagant Worship

⁶ Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, ⁷ a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table.

As we read the various accounts from all four Gospels, we discover that this unnamed woman is Mary the sister of Lazarus and Martha.  They are friends of Simon the leper.  One evening while Jesus was staying with Lazarus and his sisters, they received an invitation from Simon.  

Now, Simon was one of the lepers that Jesus had healed at some point in His three-year ministry.  At some point and we are not told exactly when but Jesus had healed Simon of his leprosy.  

Simon the Leper could not have been leprous at the time Jesus visited his home. According to Leviticus 13:46, 

Leviticus 13:45–46 (ESV) 

⁴⁵ “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ ⁴⁶ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp. 

lepers were considered unclean and “must live outside the camp.” They were to live alone and could not dwell inside the house. Anyone who attended a meal with a leper would have been considered unclean also. Thus, many scholars believe the Lord had healed this Simon of leprosy, and, in an act of gratitude, the cured man welcomed Jesus and the disciples into his home for a meal.
So, the host of the dinner party was a cured leper showing his gratitude for what Jesus had done for him.  What a picture the Gospel writers portray before us!  No more is this man shunned by the town’s people.  No more does this man have to stay outside the city.  No more does this man have to live alone.  No more does this man have to let his hair hang ragged.  No more does this man live with nothing.  Now, after Jesus had healed him, he can have friends around him.  He can eat with them in his own home and serve as host to a meal in Jesus’ honor.  What a time this man is having!  Isn’t the Gospel amazing?  

Also seated around the table at Simon’s house was Lazarus whom Jesus had raised from the dead.  Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days and then Jesus spoke the words, Lazarus, come forth and life entered back into him and he walked out of the tomb.  Now, this former dead man was eating dinner with Jesus!

We also see Mary who had been demon possessed now, pouring perfume on Jesus anointing Him.  This perfume was very expensive as Judas and the others will tell us.  It was valued at about a year’s wages for the avg worker.  Perhaps in today’s money about 100,000 dollars or so.  What she did, whether she knew it completely or not, was to anoint Jesus for His burial in a few days.  

Mary’s worship was extravagant.  It was in many ways spontaneous.  Mark’s account gives us a very important detail.  Rather than taking the cork from the flask’s neck she broke it and poured it on Jesus’ head and then again washes His feet as an act of worship and adoration.  She was not thinking about how much the perfume was worth.  All she thought of was how much Jesus was worth.  Again, if the early church was right, Mary who had been demon possessed was sharing a meal and worshipping Jesus with everything she had.  She pours out her affection as she pours out her perfume.

The Bible tells us the room was full of the fragrance of this pure perfume.  When Jesus was arrested the guards could smell the aroma, When He stood before Pilate, Pilate could smell the aroma of worship, When He was beaten and as the Roman soldiers nailed Him to the cross…there it was, that fragrance, they too could smell this wonderful extravagant worship of Mary.  As His followers removed Him from the cross and began to prepare Him for burial, they could still smell the fragrance.  Mary’s worship was still there. 

To do this great act of worship, Jesus said that there was another meaning.

2.  The Disciple’s Wrong Focus

⁸ And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? ⁹ For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” ¹⁰ But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. ¹¹ For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me.

John’s account tells us the spearhead in this grumbling about what Mary did was Judas.  John also tells us that it wasn’t really because Judas was concerned about helping the poor.  

John’s account…

⁴ But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, ⁵ “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” ⁶ He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it.

Matthew relay’s the unfortunate reality, the disciples chimed in with Judas.  It seems everyone wants to tell others what they should do with their stuff.  It belonged to her and she did a wonderful thing for Jesus.  In some way she understood something more about Jesus’ death than most did.  Her worship was not waste.  If Judas and the others were so concerned about the poor, nothing was keeping them from giving some of their possessions away to help them.  

A worshipper who loves Jesus supremely does not ask, what does it cost?  Do I have the time?  Jesus has so encompassed their heart that it’s almost like they forget everything else. 

My encouragement is that we give Jesus our best not our leftovers.  He is worthy.  He is the treasure.  He is the Pearl of Great Price.  He is worth giving all away to acquire if need be.  

3.  Anointing Jesus for His Death

¹² In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. ¹³ Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” 

Mary’s act of selfless worship went past the event.  As the fragrance of the perfume went on so to, Jesus promises that whenever the story of the cross and His death to save sinners is told, Mary’s act of adoration and love too would be told.  The Gospels include this account just as Jesus told them that day.  what she has done will also be told in memory of her.” 

Mary has become an example to all Christians of unselfish, sacrificial adoration.  She held back nothing when it came to worshipping Jesus.  

Now, in complete and stark contrast, in the midst of such amazing and extravagant love comes the horrendous act of greed and hate of Judas.  

4.  Judas’ Betrayal

¹⁴ Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵ and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶ And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.

While Mary was giving all she had, Judas was trying to get all he could.  

Do you see what Matthew was doing by placing the Mary event where he did.  We see the most complete contrast.  Mary’s love for Jesus shown in her extravagant worship and Judas’ hatred shown in his calculated betrayal of Jesus for 30 silver coins.  If the truth were told he probably would have done it for less. 

Since he missed out on the money they could have gotten when they sold Mary’s perfume, Judas is done.  He also senses something is about to happen.  A dead leader does not add up to fame and fortune.  So, he’s getting what he can out of Jesus while he can.

To Mary, Jesus is worth everything.  To Judas, Jesus is worth just what he can get.  A little silver will be okay.

For the price of 30 pieces of silver Judas turned his back on Jesus.  Money was worth more than Jesus and worth more than salvation.   This is probably the example of the biggest wasted opportunity the world has ever seen.

¹⁶ And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.

Conclusion

As we conclude, we must ask ourselves, what does extravagant worship look like for me?  How can I love Jesus and worship Him for His true worth like Mary did?

Is my love for Jesus aligned with Mary or am I simply using Jesus to get other things that I love more?  Judas simply was using Jesus to get money and when it looked like the opportunity was nearing the end he sold Jesus for money.  Judas loved money not Jesus.

Is Jesus worthy everything we have or is Jesus worth only what we can get?

Resources Used:

Matthew by RT France

Matthew by John MacArthur

Matthew by William Hendriksen