This chapter is long - 75 verses. The individual events happening in rapid-fire momentum are many - at least 9. I plan to organize thoughts around character studies. Therefore, we may jump around a bit in the text rather than read straight through. As an overview ... it may serve you well to read Matthew 26: 1 - 27: 10 in its entirety to keep the events in sequence. Then let's focus ... first on loves extravagance.
Matthew 26: 1 - 13
The plot is on from the chief priests and the elders of the people. They plan to kill Jesus to rid Palestine of this troubling Rabbi.
About chief priests: In the Old Testament, the office of chief priest was an hereditary post and lasted for the life of the man. However, under Roman occupation, Rome had been assigning persons for the position of chief priest and replacing them at will. Between 37 BC and 67 AD (remember the Temple was destroyed in 70 AD and the post of high priest was eliminated) there were no fewer than 28 high priests. So you can tell that tenure was short lived. The high priest at this time in history was Joseph Caiaphas. He served the post of high priest from AD 18 - 36. That was extraordinarily long for that post! Does that suggest anything to you? I think it tells us that Caiaphas was very good at appeasing the Roman government. One thing Rome hated was civil disobedience. Caiaphas knew how to pacify and please Rome. Hence, his plan was to eliminate Jesus AFTER Passover ... too many people in Jerusalem at Passover ... too much potential for riots and demonstrations. Rome wouldn't like it.
God had other plans. Jesus' death had to be AT Passover ... that's the only time in the entire year that fit the plan ... the plan that began when Adam and Eve broke covenant with God, the creator. So at Passover ... it would be.
Bethany was a small town right outside of Jerusalem. It was more peaceful there. Jesus had friends there (Mary, Martha and Lazarus). He often stayed there when needing to be in Jerusalem. And so as the dark clouds of humiliation and death build on the horizon ... Jesus goes to Bethany ... and for a fleeting moment is washed in love.
Mark and John both tell of this encounter with the woman in their gospel writings. Luke tells of a similar encounter. We can't know for certain if they all are telling the same event ... of if there were two. While we cannot know that for certain ... there are some things we can know for certain.
We can know ...
1. Love is extravagant. Estimates are that this little vial of perfume would have represented an entire year's wage for a working man in Palestine. This gift was extravagant. It was a precious gift ... precious to her ... and poured out freely.
Barclay writes:
Love never calculates; love never thinks how little it can decently give; loves one desire is to give to the uttermost limits; and, when it has given all it has to give, it still thinks the gift too little. We have not even begun to be Christian if we think of giving to Christ and to his Church in terms of as little as we respectably can.
2. Love claims the moment - the opportunity. There are times when common-sense and reason don't always serve us well. This was not "reasonable" ... this was an outpouring of love. And it ministered to our Lord's heart. So often opportunities present themselves only once. And when we fail to respond ... or when we over- think it ... or when we just can't make up our mind ... or when we ignore a heart stirring ... opportunities that would have been precious, lovely, gracious moments fly past and they are forever gone.
So we must ask ourselves some questions ... are you passionately in love with Jesus? How do you choose to "anoint" him in your life? Has the Lord placed an opportunity in front of you right now to pour out love? What are you waiting on?
One of my favorite songs of all time is: "Broken and Spilled Out". Close your time with me today by meditating on these lyrics ... can you sing this song? pray this prayer?
Broken and Spilled Out
VERSE 1
One day a plain village woman
Driven by love for her Lord
Recklessly poured out a valuable essence
Disregarding the scorn
And once it was broken and spilled out
A fragrance filled all the room
Like a pris'ner released from his shackles
Like a spirit set free from the tomb
CHORUS 1
Broken and spilled out
Just for love of you Jesus
My most precious treasure
Lavished on Thee
Broken and spilled out
And poured at Your feet
In sweet abandon
Let me be spilled out
And used up for Thee
VERSE 2
Lord You were God's precious treasure
His loved and His own perfect Son
Sent here to show me
The love of the Father
Just for love it was done
And though You were perfect and holy
You gave up Yourself willingly
You spared no expense for my pardon
You were used up and wasted for me
CHORUS 2
Broken and spilled out
Just for love of me Jesus
God's most precious treasure
Lavished on me
You were broken and spilled out
And poured at my feet
In sweet abandon Lord
You were spilled out and used up for Me
In sweet abandon, let me be spilled out
And used up for Thee
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