In The Word
Read: John 11:45-12:19
45 Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.
Conspiracy to Kill Jesus
47 Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council meeting, and they were saying, “What are we doing in regard to the fact that this man is performing many signs? 48 If we let Him go on like this, all the people will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take over both our place and our nation.”49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor are you taking into account that it is in your best interest that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish instead.” 51 Now he did not say this on his own, but as he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation; 52 and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.
54 Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.
55 Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country prior to the Passover, in order to purify themselves. 56 So they were looking for Jesus, and saying to one another as they stood in the temple area, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might arrest Him.
Mary Anoints Jesus
12 Therefore, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they made Him a dinner there, and Martha was serving; and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the tablewith Him. 3 Mary then took a pound of very expensive perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, the one who intended to betray Him, *said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the proceeds given to poor people?” 6 Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he kept the money box, he used to steal from what was put into it. 7 Therefore Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. 8 For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”
9 The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not on account of Jesus only, but so that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also,11 because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.
The Triumphal Entry
12 On the next day, when the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, indeed, the King of Israel!” 14 Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: 15 “Do not fear, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” 16 These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things for Him. 17 So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him. 18 For this reason also the people went to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not accomplishing anything; look, the world has gone after Him!”
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Because of the great miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead after being gone for four days, many of the Jews believed in Christ. The religious leaders of that day were so jealous and blind that they could not see. It seemed to them that the whole world was being drawn to Him instead of them. Caiaphas, the high priest, made a statement that he did not realize was a prophecy. The disciples were even doing things that they did not realize were fulfillments of prophecy. (The disciples’ eyes and understanding were open through Christ after His glorification and their salvation.) Many people have been used in the bible, both godly and ungodly, to bring about God’s will and purpose on the earth.
Judas Iscariot began to show his true colors in this story. Mary honored our Lord by being worshipful and thankful for all that God had done in her family. Judas was upset and justified himself by saying the perfume could have been sold and given to the poor. However, he was only concerned about putting some of that profit in his pocket. He was skimming from God.
I wonder how many times we get jealous of people looking to Christ and not to us. Maybe that is why we prefer to let people know it was us who blessed them instead of being anonymous. Selah. Are we those that give generously to God giving the whole tithe to the local church, or are we those that rob God by taking the tithe and using it for our own use? Only you can answer this, and hopefully, you are not blind.