Mark 14:1-21
"Leave her alone; she has done a beautiful thing to me." 6
* Contents of value
In the account of the events that took place at the house of the Simon the Leper in Jerusalem, Mark presents a rather dramatic action of a woman: offering to Jesus a very 'expensive' perfume - all and every drop of it in the alabaster jar!
In so doing we see the words like 'expensive' or 'money'. We also see Jesus using the word 'beautiful', which in Greek has the meaning of value (valuable, honorable, etc.)
The contents of the value are Jesus himself (as is seen in the statement, 'she has done a beautiful thing to "me"') going to the cross to suffer and die as the Passover Lamb.
In what respect is this (the Lamb) valuable (or beautiful)? The answer is obvious: it is to restore the broken relationship between God the Father and the fallen men back. Put on man's side, it is to restore God the Father back to our life.
Likewise Jesus said, "Spirit gives life to men; flesh counts for nothing"; "God is spirit".
* Confusion in value
Mark presents two differing views of value: the woman seeing Jesus' sacrifice as the most valuable, with one of his disciples seeing the other way around, that is, seeing money as more valuable than Jesus going for the cross, so he ended up selling Jesus for a few coins.
* Cause of confusion
Why is there such confusion on value? Why does one go for that which is not valuable, selling what is valuable for what is not?
Matthew indicates in the account of Judas Iscariot's death (Chapter 27) that Judas was deceived by the evil one.
Likewise in the Garden of Eden Eve was also 'deceived' into believing that which is not valuable as valuable, so in exchange for that which has eternal value (the relationship with God the Father - His Word) she went ahead and ate the forbidden fruit.
Deception is commonplace. Today's edition of the Record Searchlight reports (quoting Detroit Free Press) a teenage boy (11) hanged himself in his room after seeing social media posts indicating that his girlfriend had committed suicide. The posts turned out to be a prank. Click here for the full story.
* Consequences of falling for the deception
At the Passover Table, Jesus said of Judas Iscariot, "It would have been better if he had not been born." This indicates that the consequence of falling for the deception on value in regard to Jesus is suffering for eternal loss (in addition to losing the eternal life in the Lord).
"Leave her alone; she has done a beautiful thing to me." 6
* Discussion
* Contents of value
In the account of the events that took place at the house of the Simon the Leper in Jerusalem, Mark presents a rather dramatic action of a woman: offering to Jesus a very 'expensive' perfume - all and every drop of it in the alabaster jar!
In so doing we see the words like 'expensive' or 'money'. We also see Jesus using the word 'beautiful', which in Greek has the meaning of value (valuable, honorable, etc.)
The contents of the value are Jesus himself (as is seen in the statement, 'she has done a beautiful thing to "me"') going to the cross to suffer and die as the Passover Lamb.
In what respect is this (the Lamb) valuable (or beautiful)? The answer is obvious: it is to restore the broken relationship between God the Father and the fallen men back. Put on man's side, it is to restore God the Father back to our life.
Likewise Jesus said, "Spirit gives life to men; flesh counts for nothing"; "God is spirit".
* Confusion in value
Mark presents two differing views of value: the woman seeing Jesus' sacrifice as the most valuable, with one of his disciples seeing the other way around, that is, seeing money as more valuable than Jesus going for the cross, so he ended up selling Jesus for a few coins.
* Cause of confusion
Why is there such confusion on value? Why does one go for that which is not valuable, selling what is valuable for what is not?
Matthew indicates in the account of Judas Iscariot's death (Chapter 27) that Judas was deceived by the evil one.
Likewise in the Garden of Eden Eve was also 'deceived' into believing that which is not valuable as valuable, so in exchange for that which has eternal value (the relationship with God the Father - His Word) she went ahead and ate the forbidden fruit.
Deception is commonplace. Today's edition of the Record Searchlight reports (quoting Detroit Free Press) a teenage boy (11) hanged himself in his room after seeing social media posts indicating that his girlfriend had committed suicide. The posts turned out to be a prank. Click here for the full story.
* Consequences of falling for the deception
At the Passover Table, Jesus said of Judas Iscariot, "It would have been better if he had not been born." This indicates that the consequence of falling for the deception on value in regard to Jesus is suffering for eternal loss (in addition to losing the eternal life in the Lord).
* Prayer:
"Oh, Lord, give your servant a discerning heart to know what is valuable, in exchange for what is not." (cf. 1 King 3:9)* Hymn song to sing: The Old Rugged Cross
Lyrics:
On a hill far away, stood an old rugged Cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old Cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
Oh, that old rugged Cross so despised by the world
Has a wondrous attraction for me
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary
Has a wondrous attraction for me
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary
So I'll cherish the old rugged Cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged Cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
In the old rugged Cross, stain'd with blood so divine
A wondrous beauty I see
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above
To pardon…
A wondrous beauty I see
For the dear Lamb of God, left his Glory above
To pardon…
No comments:
Post a Comment