2022-02-08 “It was that Mary”

John 11:2  “(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

There are several women named “Mary” in the Bible, but this “Mary” is the one that “took … a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment” (John 12:3).  And when “Judas Iscariot” complained about it, our Lord said, “Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.” (John 12:4-7).  I’m sure that “Mary” was acting out of an overwhelming desire to worship her Lord and to show her deep and sincere love for Him as Her Lord and Master; but, the Lord intended it as a prophetic preparation for His burial, which would happen in only a few days.  John obviously wrote this Epistle after all these events occurred, so he could easily refer to this event that happened later so that we could properly identify this precious Sister in Christ Jesus our Lord.  We should take note that “Mary” lovingly and freely gave of her wealth to serve and glorify our Lord, she gave that which was most pleasant unto her Lord, with utmost humility and respect she approached His feet to worship Him, and she took her glory (“her hair”) “and wiped his feet with her hair”.  Her worshipful love toward her Lord was clearly known as it spread around “the house” as it was “filled with the odour of the ointment”.  So great was Mary’s loving respect for her Lord that she would not approach His head but remained in the servant’s position at His feet; furthermore, she brought the best she had of her wealth and her glory and applied it to her beloved Lord’s feet.  This is the “Mary” “whose brother Lazarus was sick” and the Lord used this faithful family to teach us these Holy Lessons.  Oh, what a blessed joy it must have been for “Mary” to, all the remaining days of her life, remember those precious moments in which she was so wonderfully blessed to hold her Lord’s “feet” in her hands!