She Did What She Could

by Stephen Bastin

contact writer

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, he knew that he had entered the last week of his life.  Before the week was over he would be crucified.  There had been threats for a long time.  On several occasions he had talked with his twelve disciples about what would happen.  They refused to believe him.

Sunday had been a glorious day.  The crowds had shouted his praises.  The ride into Jerusalem had been a victory parade.

The rest of the week had been filled with difficulties.  Jesus had purged the temple of those who were buying and selling animals.  The money changers tables had been overturned and their business driven from the temple.

Pharisees, Sadducees and lawyers had come to Jesus with “trick” questions.  They had sought to embarrass him or worse.  That had not worked out well for the enemies of Jesus.

The highest council of the Jewish nation had reached an agreement that Jesus must die.  But “not during the festival, lest there be a riot of the people.”  Passover must be allowed to pass without the arrest.  They would find and arrest Jesus after Passover.  Then he must die.

What they did not understand was the plan of God.  Jesus would become the “passover lamb.”  He would die on the Passover for the sins of the people.  And not for the sins of the Jews alone, but for the sins of the whole world.

Two days before the Passover, Jesus was in the home of Simon.  Simon’s home was in Bethany, a small village just over the Mount of Olives from Jerusalem.  It was not safe for Jesus to stay in Jerusalem at night.  Perhaps that is why he had chosen the home of Simon.

One evening, as Jesus was reclining at the table, a woman came “with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume of pure nard; and she broke the vial and poured it over His head.”

Some of the disciples were indignant.  One suggested that it would have been better to sell the perfume and give the money to the poor.  They scolded the woman for her wastefulness.

Jesus responded, “Let her alone; why do you bother her?  She has done a good deed to Me.  For the poor you always have with you, and whenever you wish, you can do them good; but you do not always have Me.  She has done what she could; she has anointed My body beforehand for the burial.”

Have you ever done something you thought was good only to be yelled at by others who did not like what you did?  Have you ever tried your best and then been told that you were worthless?  If so, you know how this woman must have felt when she had done her best to give comfort to Jesus.

On the one hand are the disciples who did not believe him when he told them he was going to die.  On the other hand you have a woman who wants to prepare his body for burial and does not consider the cost in doing so.

There were probably all sorts of possibilities that presented themselves to the woman as she considered what she might do for Jesus.  Perhaps she might have baked him a special loaf of bread.  She might have prepared a special bowl and towel to wash his feet as he reclined at the table for a meal.  Perhaps there was some gift that she might have purchased, a special robe or pair of sandals.

What we do know is that she chose to break the jar of perfume and pour the contents on Jesus head.  His body would be prepared for burial.

There was no law that the woman obeyed in pouring the perfume on Jesus.  She had received no instructions from Jesus nor the apostles that she should perform such a duty.  She decided.  She bore the expense.  She did what she could.

Imagine how much better life would be if everyone just did what they could.  It is not the opportunity for great deeds for which we need to wait, but it is the daily opportunity for good deeds that we need to consider and apply to our self.

Consider what had motivated the woman to make the sacrifice of her alabaster jar of perfume.  She lived in the village where Lazarus lived.  In fact, we learn from the gospel of John that the woman is Mary, the sister of that same Lazarus.  She knew the power of Jesus to raise the dead.  On another occasion she had sat at the feet of Jesus to listen to his words while her sister was busy preparing their meal.  When her sister, Martha, appeared and asked Jesus, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone?  Then tell her to help me.”  Jesus replied, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

But perhaps most importantly of all, the woman understood that Jesus was going to die for what he believed in.  Threats of force and displeasure of the authorities could not dissuade Jesus from the work that God had assigned him.

If Jesus could die, then what was the loss of a jar of perfume in comparison.  The woman gladly parted with her perfume in order to do a good deed for Jesus.  His body would be properly prepared for burial when he had died as he predicted.

You do not need permission from a human authority in order to do good.  You do not need to wait to be told.  And you can expect opposition from those who do nothing.

The ancient physician’s creed said, “First of all, do no harm.”  That is a good place to begin, but it is not the place to end.  Not only must followers of Jesus “do no harm,” but they must do good.  That is the Golden Rule, that is the essence of what Jesus taught.

The woman did not pour the perfume on Jesus to be praised by men.  She was not.  She did not do it for financial reward.  She received none.  Why was the deed done?  The scriptures give no answer, but let me hazard a guess:  she loved Jesus and wanted to help him.

Jesus went to the cross because that was the will of God.  He loved people and he willingly laid down his own life as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.  He calls all men to follow him.

Those who follow Jesus do what they can to make this world a better place.  They do good expecting nothing in return, not even a, “Thank you.”  They prepare, plan and sacrifice.  They understand their obligation:  “Offer your bodies a living sacrifice to God.”