He Defends The Poor
Public Meeting, Week 1 Semester 1, 2022
Our passage today comes in a cool little package. It’s a distinctive style in Mark’s gospel. You can actually read v. 1 and 2 and then jump straight to v. 10. The plot doesn’t change much at all. In fact, let’s read it again now together.
14 It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, 2 for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”
10 Then Judas Iscariot, who was one of the twelve, went to the chief priests in order to betray him to them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad and promised to give him money. And he sought an opportunity to betray him.
These two sections obviously flow into each other, both talking about betraying Jesus. But in between that, Mark tells us about a woman with a jar of perfume. Like a good burger right, it’s what’s in the middle that’s key. If you just eat the bun or the bread, you’re missing the point. And the point of our passage is really interesting.
Jesus Unmasks Self-righteousness
Verse 1 tells us it’s two days before Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is the biggest event of the year in the Jewish calendar, and every time Jesus goes to Jerusalem, he ends up fighting with the chief priests and the scribes. He’s gone from just debating them to outright calling them out for stuff. So they really don’t like him but they can’t do anything because Jesus is so popular. His approval rating is through the roof and so they know if there was an election during Passover, not that they have elections, but if they did Jesus would win without question. If Jesus were to make a move, the Passover would be the perfect time. And so the solution – let’s try to get rid of Jesus quietly.
And so when we get to verse 3, there is a deliberate contrast being drawn here. You have all the chief priests and powerful people in Jerusalem, and you have Jesus at a house in Bethany. Anyone know where Bethany is? Exactly. It’s a small rural village outside Jerusalem. Not just that, Jesus is in the house of Simon the leper. Imagine how sad your life must be that you are actually named after your affliction. That’s all you are known for. Simon the leper. It’s not just a low socio-economic description, he is an outcast that by law cannot go into any towns or cities. And Jesus was reclining at table in his house. Jesus wasn’t just visiting, he was probably staying there. And I don’t need to tell you to imagine what that house smells like.
Then a woman comes. As bad as being called Simon the leper, at least you have a name right. But this is an unnamed woman. I think that’s on purpose. She comes out with an alabaster jar. I reckon at first people assumed she’s brought water from the kitchen. Until she breaks it open. She doesn’t unscrew the lid and pours out a little bit and keeps the rest. She smashes the whole thing and straight away the smell would have filled the room. This is pure nard, very costly. It’s expensive stuff. 300 denarii will be like a $50,000.
Can you imagine a $50,000 bottle of wine? I can’t – I buy my wine from Aldi. Even if I had, imagine someone just taking it and using it to cook spag bol, and any leftovers down the sink. Calling it a waste doesn’t even come close. That’s what the people there thought. Verse 4.
4 There were some who said to themselves indignantly, “Why was the ointment wasted like that? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they scolded her.
Why would you use it here, and why would you use it all, and why everything on one single person? And so they scolded her. We would too if we were there. It’s only because we know now who Jesus is, that we think this is ok. But I think if we were in that room at that time, we would also question in our hearts. I know of a few non-profit charities that really could use a 300 denarii donation. But then Jesus defends her. Look at verse 6.
6 But Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. But you will not always have me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
First of all, Jesus isn’t saying don’t help the poor. All throughout the Bible, we are called to do just that. What Jesus is doing is defending her choice. What do I mean? If you look at what the people said, why was the ointment wasted like that, it could have been sold, they’re not condemning the act itself. There’s nothing wrong with putting some perfume on Jesus. In fact some of us here could probably use it ourselves. That’s not it. Rather they think there was a better use for it. She should have done it my way, so says every man on the planet. He shouldn’t be doing that or if I were her I would…
That would explain what Jesus says when he defends her. Leave her alone, why do you trouble her? And then verse 7 is key.
7 For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them.
Did you notice what Jesus does? He shifts the focus to the people there. He unmasks their hypocrisy. They are not angry because of a genuine concern for poor people. Because it’s not like this woman is doing anything to stop them from helping the poor. You get it? For you always have the poor with you, and whenever you want, you can do good for them. Jesus knows they don’t really care about the poor. They’re just angry at the woman for doing something they didn’t approve of. In other words, they get angry that the woman chose Jesus over the poor. So then, Jesus says, what would you choose then? You can go help the poor right now if you want. See what Jesus is doing?
Jesus Defends The Poor
He’s defending the woman. This woman without lands or title, not even a name, who gets heckled for choosing to honor Jesus with what must be the most expensive thing she owns. They are judging her for it and Jesus defends her. It’s ironic isn’t it? Them judging her. But Jesus defends her. But that’s what Jesus does. He defends the poor, the weak.
Why did the woman do what she did? We don’t know exactly. Did she know he was going to die that weekend? We don’t know. All we are told is that in showing her love for Jesus and honoring him, she has done a beautiful thing. And Jesus defends her. That’s all we’re told. Jesus defends the poor.
So then the question is: Why is that the point? Why does Mark insert this event between v.1 and v.10? Like we said earlier, it’s the part in the middle that makes a burger.
A Picture of The Gospel
The reason is actually there in what Jesus says in v.8-9.
8 She has done what she could; she has anointed my body beforehand for burial. 9 And truly, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
Jesus knew what was going to happen. The chief priests and scribes are going to kill him. What should he do? Run as far away as you can? Warn his followers to get ready for a fight? If you knew people were coming to kill you, what would you do? But what does Jesus do? He allows himself to be prepped for burial and he defends the poor.
That’s what verse 9 means. Wherever the gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her. It doesn’t just mean people will read about it 2000 years later at ECU Joondalup. It’s not that at all. Rather, this is what the gospel is. In other words, when the gospel is proclaimed, this story is being proclaimed. This is a picture of the gospel.
This anonymous person chose to honor Jesus in spite of judgement, in the midst of persecution, even when everyone else on campus thinks you’re part of that weird Christian group, or when your own family thinks you’re stupid for continuing to go to church, when you honor Jesus, he defends you.
When you chose Jesus over your own life, Jesus choses you over his own life. When we honor Jesus rather than save ourselves, Jesus will defend us to the point he sacrifices himself. That’s the gospel – that’s this passage, don’t you see? He defends us.