"Anointed" *sermon for 5 Lent 4/6/25*
Anointing was common custom in the Ancient Near East. The Hebrew Scriptures tell us that monarchs and prophets were anointed. The oil signified that they had been set apart for the community. For example, Aaron is anointed for his ministry as God’s priest. The prophet Isaiah is anointed to speak God’s word.
In the Gospels, Jesus appears to be anointed 3
times. Once by an unnamed woman in the
home of Simon the Leper (Matt. 26:6–13, Mark 14:3–9). A second time by a “sinful woman” in the home
of Simon the Pharisee (Luke 7:36-50). And
here, in John, by Mary of Bethany in the home she shares with her sister Martha
and their brother Lazarus.
You may remember Mary.
She is the slacker who sat as Jesus’ feet as He taught. Her sister, Martha, is left to offer
hospitality by herself. Martha’s
complaint to Jesus brings Martha a mild rebuke.
Jesus tells those gathered that Mary has made the better choice by
listening to Jesus as He teaches (Luke 10).
Here Mary offers
the best that she has. She takes a jar of
costly ointment and pours it on His feet.
Mary then loving wipes Jesus’ feet with her hair. A wonderful and lavish act of both worship
and love for the one who raised Lazarus from the dead. In this moment, Mary has again chosen “the
better part.”
Jesus defends
Mary’s actions by pointing to the days ahead.
Holy Week and the final journey to Jerusalem are drawing near. Suffering, betrayal and death await
Jesus. Mary’s anointing, Jesus declares,
is fit preparation. She is anticipating
the burial to come, when the women will bring spices to the tomb.
Scholar Brian Peterson observes that Mary is
also foreshadowing Maundy Thursday’s foot washing. Peterson writes: “Even though Mary’s
action here is not described as “washing” Jesus’ feet, we should see her as an
image of the discipleship and the love that Jesus will model and command for
his followers as he washes their feet in John 13. The verb for “wiping” the feet is used in John
to describe only these two scenes (12:3; 13:5). Mary engages in this kind of service even
before the command is given.”[1]
Peterson goes on to quote another Biblical
scholar, Gail O’Day. O’Day concludes “The
power of the witness of Mary’s discipleship in this story is that she knows how
to respond to Jesus without being told. She
fulfills Jesus’ love commandment before he even teaches it.”[2]
Those who are baptized in the Episcopal Church
are anointed with oil after the baptism.
The oil is oil that has been blessed by the bishop. Just as prophets and monarchs are anointed
for their ministries, so the Church anoints each individual as a sign that
they, too, are set apart for God. They,
too, have a ministry.
What do you have
to offer? What do I have? I talked before about how each of us has
gifts and skills. Those special somethings
only we can do. You are I are not meant
to keep them for our selves. To hoard those
gifts is selfish. God intends that we
should freely share what has so freely been given to us.
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