Approaching Easter ~ Jesus is Annointed

With Holy Week starting tomorrow, I thought I'd dedicate the posts into the story line of the build up to Easter.


Jesus had some close friends based in Bethany. Mary, Martha and Lazarus. They were brother and sisters.


John 12
Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. (Earlier in John we read about how Jesus raised Lazerus from the dead.)

Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him.

Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. (Mary took the expensive perfume and apoured it on to the feet of Jesus. Was she annointing him in preparation for death?)

But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected,
"Why wasn't this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year's wages." He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. (a thief and yet one of Jesus' disciples)

"Leave her alone," Jesus replied. " It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. (Jesus predicts his death)
You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me."

Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. (Lazarus has become famous among the Jews for being raised from the dead. He's a bit of a celebrity)
So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, (He was known to the cheif priests)
for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in him.
(Lazarus was spreading the news about Jesus being the son of God and people were listening and changing).