Faithfulness is the key but what is the key to faithfulness? The key to faithfulness is wisdom,
understanding and appreciating God's way as the best way, the way of eternal
life. This passage is similar to Jesus'
teachings on the kingdom of heaven as the pearl of great price, the treasure
hidden in a field. We must perceive it
as of surpassing worth and beauty in order that we not be allured to chase
after some other treasure or fancy that catches our eye. What a wonderful extended metaphor this is in
personifying the way of sin and death as an adulteress dressed as a prostitute
to allure us from the Lord. The promise
of fulfillment of desire, no prospect of being caught by her husband who is
away with plenty of money to keep him busy, we can indulge ourselves in this
fantasy without fear, without consequences.
Right, good luck with that one.
Passover was one of the highest holy days, a time when all
Jews were either in Jerusalem or wanted to be there. Crowds were coming into the city for the
festival and Jesus was the hot topic of discussion for those outside the city,
from the country. Would He make an appearance at the festival? What would happen if He did? The Pharisees had put out the word that if
anyone knew where He was they were prepared to arrest Him. Jesus does return, to Bethany, the home of
Mary, Martha and Lazarus. There, Mary
does something truly extraordinary and extravagant in anointing His feet and
letting down her hair to wash them. Women
didn't let down their hair for anyone but their husbands and certainly not for
this purpose. She, in essence, declared
herself to be fully committed to Jesus, to the exclusion of all others,
recognition of His true identity. Judas shows
his stripes as well, sneering at her sacrifice.
Did Mary have any idea what was coming?
The Son of God has come and given us understanding. How does Jesus give us understanding? Two essential ways. He reveals the Father, makes Him known to us
by His teaching and by His works. We learn
of the Father and His love for us in the incarnation, the divine condescension
to take on flesh, and in the crucifixion, His willing sacrifice of love for us,
and everything in between but also in His ascension and continuing work of
intercession for us, a ministry to which John calls us in praying for our
brothers who sin. The second way Jesus
gives us understanding is by giving us His Spirit to guide and direct us,
dwelling not only among us but within us.
To be born of God is to be born of the Spirit, we are not only
admonished to keep His ways but we are also enabled to do so by the
Spirit. The Spirit reveals the beauty of
the kingdom and kingdom life to us so that we can grow in wisdom and
understanding. He also reveals Jesus to
us as He did to Mary, that our love, devotion and service to Him may be equally
extravagant.
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