John 12:1-11

The week leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross is full of conflict and betrayal and agony and confusion. But at the beginning of all of that, Jesus has a meal with his friends, Mary and Martha and Lazarus. 

Lazarus is alive! This is a celebration of the power of Jesus over death (read John 11 for the backstory here). Lazarus is eating with Jesus and his disciples at the table, a living miracle. Martha, of course, is serving (see Luke 10:38-42). And the joyful atmosphere is suddenly interrupted, as Mary walks in (possibly weeping for her sins, if this Mary is the same woman mentioned in Luke 7:38). 

Suddenly “the house was filled with the fragrance of perfume” (John 12:3). Everyone watches as she takes the broken jar of expensive perfume, pours it over Jesus’ feet, and wipes them with her hair. An uncomfortably intimate act of adoration to watch. (Our attention is quickly drawn away from this exquisite moment toward Judas’s judgmental attitude and secret greed in verses 4-6; we know he’s the villain). 

“The house was filled with the fragrance of perfume.”

John 12:3

Mary is making an extravagant show of her love for Jesus. It costs her the value of the perfume, and the use of it, and even her dignity. And she doesn’t care. These things are not worth comparing with the beauty and goodness of Jesus (Philippians 3:8).

And the fragrance of her worship and love fills the entire house. 

Is your adoration and worship of Jesus evident in your bearing and in your speech, like fragrant perfume?

“For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”

2 Corinthians 2:15

We are disciples of Jesus making disciples. And we do this out of sheer love for Jesus, who loves us. Others may look on our adoration of Jesus with judgment or confusion, but we know what he has done for us. We know what his sacrifice for us cost him. So we respond like Mary, and we exude our worship and love of Jesus, so that others will know.  

Beautiful Jesus,
You have loved us fully, perfectly, extravagantly.
You poured out your life to make us your own.
As we worship you, make us “the aroma of you,” living reminders of your love to the world,
So that the people who know us would be drawn to know you.
Through your name, O Christ,
Amen.

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