Missing Jesus in all the drama

 

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.  --James 1:14-15

We are coming up on Easter.  Historically, Easter Sunday is the one Sunday when church pews are full.  The good news is that more people hear the Gospel from the pulpit on this one day than any other Sunday.  The bad news is that more people are distracted, too.  

They may watch their children sing in the kiddy choir, then sleep through the sermon.  They may be looking to see how all the other people are dressed--either looking down on those dressed more casually or looking with jealousy of those who may be dressed more nicely.  They may be thinking of the effort it took to get everyone up and dressed in time for church, or of the argument they had with their spouse in the car on the way to church and completely miss the message of Jesus.

In the twelfth chapter of John's Gospel, we see one of the greatest acts of true worship ever.  The disciples, however, may have missed it because of some drama going on.  Let's read it together.

Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead.  There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.  Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair.  And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?"  This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.  But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial.  For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always."  Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead.  But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.  --John 12:1-11

The remarkable act of worship

While Martha served, Mary bowed at the feet of Jesus.  This is reminiscent of the first time we met the two sisters, as recounted in Luke 10:38-42.  You probably know the story.  Martha was busy serving, but Mary sat at the feet of Jesus to learn.  Martha complained, and Jesus said that Mary had made the better choice.

Here in John's narrative, Martha was again expressing her spiritual gift of service, but Mary expressed her own spiritual gift of giving.  Here's what WJ Erdman wrote:

“The life of Mary is painted for us, in three memorable pictures, in each of which she is at the feet of Jesus.” 

Luke 10:39: Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and learned.

John 11:32: Mary fell at Jesus’ feet and surrendered.

John 12:3: Mary anointed Jesus’ feet and honored Jesus.

David Guzek in his Study Guide for John says this:

In the midst of the supper, Mary gave a remarkable gift to Jesus. It wasn’t unusual to wash the feet of a guest, but it was unusual to do it during the meal itself, to use very costly oil of spikenard to do it, and to wipe the feet with her hair, using the hair as a kind of towel.

• Mary’s gift was remarkably humble. When a guest entered the home, usually the guest’s feet were washed with water and the guest’s head was anointed with a dab of oil or perfume. Here, Mary used this precious ointment and anointed the feet of Jesus. She considered her precious ointment only good enough for His feet. “To attend to the feet was the task of the most lowly slave. Thus Mary’s action denoted great humility as well as great devotion.” (Morris)
• Mary’s gift was remarkably extreme. She used a lot (a pound) of a very costly oil of spikenard. Spices and ointments were often used as an investment because they were small, portable, and could be easily sold. Judas believed this oil was worth 300 denarii (John 12:5), which was worth a year’s wages for a workingman.
• Mary’s gift was remarkably unselfconscious. Not only did she give the gift of the expensive oil, she also wiped His feet with her hair. This means that she let down her hair in public, something a Jewish woman would rarely do.

The Distractions

She was showing out, unbecoming of a lady.

Not only did Mary sit at Jesus's feet, but she made an outrageous gesture.  NT Wright in his commentary John for Everyone says this about an observant Jewish woman of the day letting her hair down in a public setting: "That's roughly the equivalent, at a modern polite dinner party, of a woman hitching up a long skirt to the top of her thighs.  You can imagine the onlookers' reaction.  Had she no shame?  What was she trying to say--to Jesus, to the onlookers?  All sorts of disturbing thoughts must have been flying round the room."

She was being wasteful.

We are not told that the disciples confronted Mary about this brazen display.  We are told, however, that Judas excoriated Mary for wasting perfectly good perfume.

Come again?  That's what was wrong with this picture?

The perfume was apparently very costly.  Judas valued it at about a year's wages for a common laborer.  That Mary poured it out on Jesus's feet, and then dried His feet with her hair, so that the fragrance filled the house--this galled Judas.  She could have sold the perfume, he said aloud; that money could have been given to the poor.  As an aside, John explained that the disciples later understood that Judas, who was the group's treasurer, was skimming money from the offering box.  He wasn't so concerned for the poor as he was his own pockets.

Jesus stepped in to the controversy but was misunderstood (again).

Jesus tells Judas and the other disciples to calm down.  "Leave Mary alone," He told them.  "She is using the perfume to prepare Me for My burial."  This particular prophecy concerning His imminent death apparently went over everyone's head at the time.  What they likely heard was the next statement, that the poor would always be with them, but He would not always be there.  Again, Jesus was speaking of His death and burial, but the disciples likely took it to mean after Jesus was gone (at some point in the very distant future), then they could worry about the poor.

The Jews were there to see Lazarus, the "flavor of the day."

The crowds followed Jesus and His friends, mainly to see the miracles.  In this instance, they weren't there to see Jesus, but to catch a glimpse of Lazarus, who had been dead for four days then was brought back to life.  Yeah, yeah, we know: Jesus was the One who brought him back to life, but wow, look at Lazarus.  Doesn't he look healthy?  He doesn't look like a corpse at all, does he?

How many times do we travel to a distant city to see a famous preacher, but miss his message?  Like, we saw Billy Graham before he died; it was great.  Really? What did he preach about?  Well, I don't really remember, but it was really great to see him and hear him preach.

The Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus, and Lazarus too.

The chief priests saw the crowds around Jesus and Lazarus, and they felt threatened.  Remember what they had said in the previous chapter:   In John 11:48 they said, "If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation."  So they added Lazarus to their "hit list", as one who needed to be taken out of the picture, so that sanity could be restored and they could go back to their status quo.

Distractions from this passage even today.

There is disagreement among biblical scholars of whether this event is the same as is found in Mark 14:3-9 and Luke 7:36-38, or if it is a totally different event.  There are similarities between the two accounts--the costly perfume poured out on Jesus, the cost estimate of 300 denarii that should have gone to the poor, and Jesus's response that the woman did the right thing, and that the poor would always be with them.  There are also marked differences between John's narrative and that of Mark--the one says it was at the house of Lazarus, the other at the home of Simon the leper (whom Jesus had healed); the one says it was six days prior to Passover, the other says two days; the one says the woman poured the perfume on His feet, the other says it was poured on His head.

These differences lead some scholars to believe that they were two separate events.  The similarities lead others to think that they were the same event given by two witnesses with different perspectives.  Atheists and skeptics will use passages like this to say that the text is unreliable, that the stories contradict one another.

Just like the disciples missed the significance of the anointing of Jesus when they were distracted by Mary's actions and Judas's complaint against her, we sometimes miss the point of the Gospel.  Just like commentators argue about whether there was one event or two, we sometimes get caught up in insignificant details and forget the One who died for us and rose again on the third day.

We need to take our eyes off the drama going on around us and focus solely on Jesus.  Are we, like Mary, willing to do outrageous things for our Lord, or will we get distracted by the drama of controversies, complaints, and catcalls?  Are we willing to give up our pride, our reputation, and our standing in the community for the sake of the Savior?

Jesus asks that we follow Him, no matter what society says.

Isn't that ironic?

 

No doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!  --Job 12:2

In the movie The Princess Bride, there is an iconic dialogue between Vizzini, played by Wallace Shawn, and Inigo Montoya, played by Mandy Patinkin.  Vizzini has used the same expression throughout the film, saying, "Inconceivable!" when something unexpected happens or whenever his plans go awry.  At one point, Vizzini has cut a rope that the hero Westley is climbing up.  But when he reaches the edge and peers over, Vizzini sees Westley climbing up the cliff face.

"He didn't fall?" Vizzini says incredulously.  Then he exclaims, "Inconceivable!"

Inigo Montoya, who has heretofore been a loyal henchman to Vizzini, innocently says, "You keep using that word.  I do not think it means what you think it means."

In the Gospel of John, there is a scene involving the High Priest Caiaphas as he addresses the Sanhedrin that drips with irony when he says, "You know nothing at all!"  John was not a member of the Sanhedrin, so he probably heard about this council meeting from Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea (members of the Sanhedrin who later became Christians) after the fact.  Likely it was after the resurrection of Jesus, which made the exchange all the more ironic. Let's read about it, starting in John 11:45 and following:

Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.  But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things that Jesus did.  Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, "What shall we do?  For this Man works many signs.  If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation."  --John 11:45-48

 After Jesus had opened the eyes of the man born blind and then raised Lazarus from the dead, many peopled believed that Jesus was the Messiah.  There was simply no other conclusion that could be drawn.  Commentator David Guzik points out that everyone in the council believed it, too.  Ironically, they had changed their opinion of Jesus, but it did not change their disdain of Him.  "First they opposed Jesus because they weren’t convinced He was the Messiah. Now they opposed Jesus because they were convinced that He was the Messiah. They admitted the miracles, but look how they treated the Miracle-worker:

• They denied Him.
• They opposed Him.
• They were afraid of His influence over the people."

The Pharisees were determined to hold on to their elevated place in society.  Even while under the rule of Rome, the Pharisees enjoyed semi-autonomy as leaders in the Jewish nation.  They wanted to keep it that way.  N.T. Wright, in his commentary John for Everyone, says, "Obviously, they thought, He was gathering support for some kind of prophetic or even messianic action, perhaps a march on Jerusalem itself.  Once that happened, if the Romans got wind of it they would call up the troops.  And that would be the end of any national hope they might still have.  As likely as not, it would be the end of the nation itself."

Ironically, this very thing would happen a generation later.  There would be a Jewish uprising in 70 AD that would result in the destruction of the Temple and would leave Jerusalem a smoldering ruin.  Reading the text 2000 years later, we know that this was not Jesus's intent at all, but the Sanhedrin's attempt to maintain the status quo was driving their decision making.

And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish."  Now he did not say this on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.  --John 11:49-52

Clearly, Caiaphas thought that killing Jesus would maintain social order and avoid the wrath of Rome.  Little did he know that he was prophesying that the death of Jesus, the Messiah, would in fact become the way of salvation for all people, not just the Jewish nation. Remember what John had recorded Jesus saying to Nicodemus back in chapter 3?  "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  2 Peter 3:9 underscores this notion, stating that God "is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Alas, the Jewish leaders did not repent.

Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.  Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.  And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves.  Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, "What do you think--that He will not come to the feast?"  Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.  --John 11:53-57

This was the beginning of the end.  The Sanhedrin had issued an all-points bulletin, that if anyone saw Jesus they should report it to them, so that they could arrest Jesus.  

You will remember that John's entire Gospel centers around the feasts of the Jews. Jesus had always showed up in Jerusalem during the important Jewish feasts, even when He had told His brothers that He would not (see John 7:3-15).  So when the Jews started gathering in Jerusalem in the week leading up to the Passover, they wondered where and when Jesus would appear during this important feast. 

Little did they realize that this particular Passover would be the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant; that Jesus would become the Passover Lamb sacrificed for our sins so that the Angel of Death would not consume us.   He would be lifted up like the bronze serpent in the wilderness so that "by His stripes we are healed."  

All the Messianic prophecies point to Jesus alone.

The irony is that people don't see it. Or, like the Pharisees, they see it and reject it for personal reasons. They don't realize that rejecting the salvation offered by Jesus condemns them to everlasting punishment, which is not in their own self-interest at all.

When expectations are changed, then exceeded

 

He (Abraham) did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.  And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness."  --Romans 4:20-22

The Bible is full of narratives that have unexpected twists.  Things don't always go as we think they should.  One example of this is Abraham.  He and his wife Sarah were old and childless.  Abraham was all ready to leave his estate to his nephew Lot.  Then God appeared to Abraham and told him that he would have a son.

Abraham and Sarah did finally have their miracle baby and called him Isaac.  But then God told Abraham to offer his son Isaac as a burnt offering.  Abraham obediently built the altar, stacked the wood, and raised the knife to slay his son, when God stopped him.  Abraham had proved himself faithful, and believed God would somehow work it all out for His glory.  Isaac was a miracle child after all, and Abraham believed God would raise his son from the dead.  

I often wonder what I might have done in that situation.  If God had given me a miracle baby to carry on my family name, and God had promised to make his descendants as numerous as the stars in the heavens, would I have obeyed God's command to offer my miracle baby as a sacrifice?

Probably not.

Often that's the way we sometimes approach stories we see in the Bible narrative.  We try to see the situation through our own eyes.  Sometimes we may judge the characters, saying things like, "Well, I would never have done that--Jesus was right there!  For the love of God, man, have faith!"  Other times we may approach the story line in humility.  We may bow our heads and admit, "I could not imagine myself in that situation.  I would not have trusted God the way they did.  God forgive me!"

Bearing that thought in mind, let's continue in our study of John.  You will recall that early in chapter 11, Jesus hears that His friend Lazarus is sick.  He takes that opportunity to teach His disciples a lesson on glorifying God.  Later in the chapter, we see Jesus interact with Martha and Mary.  It is a very emotional scene, as the sisters believe Jesus came too late to save their brother.  Even Jesus is moved to tears.

Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb.  It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.  Jesus said, "Take away the stone."  Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days."  Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"--John 11:38-40

Let's stop right here.  Jesus is still emotional.  He is groaning audibly.  When they approach the tomb, Jesus wants the stone covering removed.  Perhaps Martha thinks that Jesus is overcome with grief and wants to see his friend Lazarus one last time, maybe even hold him close like a friend and brother who had missed an opportunity to say goodbye.

It's a reasonable assumption.  From a human perspective, they knew that Jesus loved Lazarus.  They had already gotten on His case about not coming earlier, perhaps to heal Lazarus and keep him from dying; or, as an alternative, to be able to say a proper goodbye before he had passed away.  Martha may have misinterpreted Jesus's tears as tears of grief along with some shame or regret.  So when Jesus asked that the grave be opened, she spoke to Him, maybe to bring Him back to reality.  "Jesus, Honey, you don't really want to do that.  Four days in the ground is a long time.  There's going to be a smell."

Jesus's response whips Martha out of the physical reality of unbelief back into a spiritual reality of faith.  He had just told her in verse 23, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.  And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?"  

Moments before, Martha had expressed faith.  She told Jesus that she knew whatever He asked of God, that God would do it.  Now that they were at the grave, however, the reality of death sunk in, and her faith was shaken.  Jesus had to remind her that she needed to keep the faith, to believe and to glorify God.

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying.  And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.  And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." --John 11:41-42

Another plot twist.  Martha had indeed expressed some measure of faith before, saying that she knew that whatever Jesus asked of the Father, it would come to pass.  If Jesus was going to pray, He would certainly ask God to raise her brother from the dead.

But that's not what Jesus prayed.

Jesus said, "God, thank You for hearing Me."

Remember back in verse 6, when Jesus had received the news that Lazarus was sick?  It says He stayed there two more days.  Some commentators think that Jesus spent those two days in prayer, either asking the Father's guidance in this situation, or more probably, that God would be glorified in this situation.  Jesus likely knew that Lazarus would die, and that he would be resuscitated.  His prayers for this miracle may have happened in the two days that Jesus delayed His coming.

Today we may wonder why Jesus has delayed His second coming.  Our hearts' desire is to be with Him in His glory.  Romans 8:34 says, "It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."  Jesus is praying for us even now.

Other commentators say that when we see that Jesus was groaning in verse 38, that He was praying even then.  We are reminded of Romans 8:26, "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses.  For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."  When Jesus prayed, "Thank You, God, for hearing Me," we can take heart.  God also hears our prayers.

Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice," Lazarus, come forth!"  And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face wrapped with a cloth.  Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."  --John 11:43-44

Jesus had the authority Himself to raise the dead.  When He called Lazarus, Lazarus came out, either hopping or penguin walking because of the graveclothes that bound him.  Jesus commanded those who were with Him to unbind Lazarus.

We were dead in our trespasses and sins.  Jesus called out to us, and we responded in faith.  We could only take baby steps because of the remnants of the grave still clinging to us.  We must rely on others who follow Jesus to free us from what binds us.  That's why we are encouraged to go to churc.  And when Jesus calls someone new out of the sepulcher of sin, we should not make fun of them; we should heed the call of Jesus to release them from the cloths (or chains, if you will) that bind them.  We should remind ourselves that where they came from, where they were when Jesus called them, we were there, too.  This is the ministry that Jesus calls us to.

Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.  But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things that Jesus did. --John 11:45-46

You may recall that when Martha and Mary were sitting shiva in their house, that many Jews were with them.  The passage hinted that those same Jews were enemies of Jesus.  They knew about His past miracles, and whispered among themselves, "Could not this Man who had opened the eyes of the blind have kept Lazarus from dying?"

Jesus heard their murmurings against Him, which added to His emotions.  We don't like to think of Jesus as being angry at anyone, but He certainly was.  Part of what made Jesus so emotional perhaps was the specter of death that followed Him.  There was foreshadowing: 

• Lazarus was buried in a cave with a stone sealing the entrance.  Jesus was likewise buried in a carved rock enclosure with a large stone set in place at the entrance.
• The stone at the entrance had to be removed.
• Lazarus came out with the graveclothes still wrapped around him, and his face covered.  Jesus came out with the graveclothes still sitting in the tomb, and the face covering neatly folded and placed apart from the rest.

How could anyone who witnessed the miracle of Lazarus being raised up from the dead by Jesus not believe in Him?  Some did, but others went back to the Pharisees to tattle.  The Pharisees clearly did not believe.

How could anyone hear about the resurrection of Jesus and not believe in Him?  Some do, but others deny Him and even persecute those who believe.  Those who choose not to believe must have whiplash from all the, "wait, what?" moments in Scripture.  Their expectations are not met in the narrative, and they do not have faith to adjust their expectations.  For those of us willing to adjust our expectations, Jesus continues to exceed them.