Jn. 12:1-11 Bl. John-Paul II "A liter of costly perfumed oil" - Blogspot

Bethany 

Blessed John-Paul II   "A liter of costly perfumed oil"  - Blogspot

An interest inquiry into  

MaryWhoAnointsJesus?

JESUS’ ANOINTING IN BETHANY

                                               GOSPEL ACCOUNTS 

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: DGO ...
Sent: Sunday, 24 March 2013.
Subject: The Daily Gospel

John 12:3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive ...

bible.cc/john/12-3.htm

Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of ...Then Mary took three quarters of a pound of expensive aromatic oil from .... The other six days before his last passover, at Bethany; the account of whom is ...

 

Blessed John-Paul II, Pope from 1978 to 2005 
Apostolic Exhortation « Vita Consecrata », § 104 (trans. © copyright Libreria Editrice Vaticana)                                        
                                                                                       "A liter of costly perfumed oil"

Many people today are puzzled and ask: What is the point of the consecrated life? Why embrace this kind of life, when there are so many urgent needs... to which one can respond even without assuming the particular commitments of the consecrated life? Is the consecrated life not a kind of "waste" of human energies which might be used more efficiently for a greater good, for the benefit of humanity and the Church?... But such questions have always existed, as is eloquently demonstrated by the Gospel episode of the anointing at Bethany: "Mary took a pound of costly ointment of pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment". When Judas, using the needs of the poor as an excuse, complained about such waste, Jesus replied: "Let her alone!"

This is the perennially valid response to the question which many people, even in good faith, are asking about the relevance of the consecrated life... "Let her alone!" Those who have been given the priceless gift of following the Lord Jesus more closely consider it obvious that he can and must be loved with an undivided heart, that one can devote to him one's whole life, and not merely certain actions or occasional moments or activities. The precious ointment poured out as a pure act of love, and thus transcending all "utilitarian" considerations, is a sign of unbounded generosity, as expressed in a life spent in loving and serving the Lord, in order to devote oneself to his person and his Mystical Body. From such a life "poured out" without reserve there spreads a fragrance which fills the whole house. The house of God, the Church, today no less than in the past, is adorned and enriched by the presence of the consecrated life... The consecrated life is important precisely in its being unbounded generosity and love, and this all the more so in a world which risks being suffocated in the whirlpool of the ephemeral.
   

   

Messiah Communications

http://messiahcommunications.blogspot.co.uk/p/mary-of-bethany-vs-mary-magdalene.html

MaryWhoAnointsJesus?

By Alan John Meister

                                    JESUS’ ANOINTING IN BETHANY
                                               GOSPEL ACCOUNTS

                                                  COMMENTARY

 Although each of the Gospels relate this event and its circumstances a little differently, when all the Gospels are taken together, we get a composite picture of the account. Moreover, when we examine the inclusions or omissions of each Gospel, we get a good picture of the thematic approach of each Gospel writer. So lets begin by looking at some of the major variations.

First, the timing of the scene. The Johannine Gospel indicates this scene took place six days before Passover, "Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany (John 12:1)." This places it on the Monday (six days from the Passover) before the crucifixion of Jesus. Matthew and Mark seems to indicate it took place only two days before the Passover, "You know that in two days' time it will be Passover (Matt. 26:2)," or "The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were to take place in two days' time (Mark 14:1)."  But, the literary style of Matthean and Markan Gospels appears to reflecting on a prior event (they are in the past tense). Consequently, the Matthean and Markan texts reflect on the event “after” its occurrence, i..e, having previously occurred in the order of the gospel events. Furthermore these gospels moved the account in order to stress the event as an anointing to prepare Jesus for his death and burial.

The next variance is the location and occurrence of this passage. Matthew, Mark, and John indicate this scene took place in the town of Bethany, which is about two miles for Jerusalem. This was the hometown of Martha and Mary, and Lazarus. And it was in Bethany that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead shortly before Jesus' triumphal arrival in Jerusalem. "Now a man was ill, Lazarus from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha . . . When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days . . . he cried out in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out (John 11:1,17,43)!”

Bethany was the place where Jesus most frequently stayed during his trips to Jerusalem. Most likely during the last week of his life, he stayed at the home of Martha and Mary. "And leaving them (Jerusalem), he went out of the city to Bethany, and there he spent the night (Matt. 21:17)." "He entered Jerusalem and went into the temple area. He looked around at everything and, since it was already late, went out to Bethany with the Twelve. The next day as they were leaving Bethany he was hungry (Mark 11:11-12)." As such, both the Matthean and Markan Gospels are in agreement with Johannine location, placing this scene as well during the last week of Jesus life, i.e., Holy Week. But the Luke seems to differ, placing it in Galilee before Jesus went to Jerusalem. Still interesting, though most scholars believe all four Gospels discuss a similar event or events because of the many similar details of the accounts.

The next variance between the Gospels is the disclosure of the participants. Matthew, Mark, and John mention Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Luke doesn’t mention Bethany, or Martha, Mary, or Lazarus. Due to the seemingly different time and place, and different inclusions and exclusions, it has been difficult to figure out “how” the Gospels exactly fit together. Still, Luke mentions the same name of the Pharisee who invited Jesus to his home for dinner, and it has many of the same features within its account as the other Gospels. Therefore, when all the Gospels are put together like a puzzle.

We need to get a composite picture of this gospel account. Moreover when this is done carefully, we find no contradictions between the accounts, other than possibly time and location, which are due to theological arrangements. Importantly, the details outlined within the Gospels are quite similar (see following chart):

 

So lets first take a look at the time and location of the event. Matthew, Mark, and John explicitly relate this scene took place in the town of Bethany. It is meaningful that the Lukan Gospel doesn’t state where it took place. Yet, the other events in Luke Chapters 7-8 all took place in Galilee, which is where we find this event in the Lukan Gospel. Still, we placed it along with the other following episodes in the last week of Jesus’ life:
    •  Parable of the Marriage Feast (Luke 14:15-24)
    •  The Great Commandment (Luke 10:25-28)
    •  The Woes to the Pharisees and Scribes (Luke 11:37-54)
    •  The Prophesy of Jerusalem’s Destruction Luke 13:34-35

In doing so, we consider that Luke may have moved this event up earlier in his Gospel. Why? For thematic reasons. Perhaps, the cure of the woman occurred in Galilee and the anointing in Bethany. The primary application of the account is that it centers around repentance and Jesus as faith itself. The anointing of the sinful woman is an account of repentance and faith and the Lukan Gospel places it after two incidents that showed a lack of faith. One of these incidents was about the lack of faith of two disciples of John of the Baptist. Jesus had worked many wonders and miracles, "At that time he cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; he also granted sight to many who were blind . . . the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them (Luke 7:21-22)." Yet, these messengers of John the Baptist did not believe and left Jesus, "When the messengers of John had left, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John (Luke 7:24)."

The other incident about a faithless generation, refers to the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time. They rejected Jesus because of his association with sinners,"The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, 'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners (Luke 7:34).'" This disbelief is summed up by two verses contained in Luke 7 that are about faith.

The first verse indicates the happiness of ones who see Jesus as faith itself,"And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me (Luke 7:23)."  These are the ones who see Jesus as faith itself – and they are sinners. The second verse indicates God’s ways (“wisdom”) are seen by those (“children”) of faith, "But wisdom [God] is vindicated by all her children (Luke 7:35)." Who are these children of faith who see Jesus as the Messiah and Christ? Sinners. Consequently, this account of the anointing of Jesus by the sinful woman fit the thematic approach of chapter 7 in the Lukan Gospel - repentance and faith. The sinful woman believes in Jesus as faith itself, and she anoints him with her repentance.

So, she became the symbolic image of the sinful children of God called to repentance. This image will become important as we proceed with our commentary.

Lets look the Pharisee in the account and who he represents. The Lukan Gospel states he invited Jesus to dinner, i.e., to feast with him. And all the synoptics give his name as Simon (Matt. 26:6; Mark 14:3; Luke 7:40,43). Yet, we also know from Matthew and Mark that he had been a leper. Who healed him from his leprosy? Jesus, of course. Note the words in Luke 7:28 “lepers are cleansed.” Now lets consider where Simon the leper was cured? Lets say for the moment his cure occurred in Galilee, and that his home was in Bethany (we realize there is no Biblical indication of this). Still, this would account for Luke linking the incident to other Galilean events and placing this “thank you” dinner, in the same place where the Pharisee’s cure occurred, i.e., Galilee. Therefore, the other Gospels would be historically correct, his home was in Bethany. Yet, the Lukan Gospel still would be theologically accurate in using this literary technique.

Still up to this point, the Pharisee, Simon the leper, did not know actually who was Jesus. But did think of him as a prophet and teacher, "If this man were a prophet . . . Tell me, teacher (Luke7:39,40)." Moreover, the Lukan Gospel at the dinner includes Jesus’ parable (7:40-43) of two people in debt and the debt “he forgave it to both.” It seems apparent the two debtors in the parable represented Simon and the sinful woman. Otherwise, why would Jesus have told this parable of two people?

Now an important question is ‘who is the sinful woman?' Using the Johannine Gospel, it seems she was Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, who also were present, "Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him. Mary took a liter . . . ."  Moreover, see the fidelity of her sister Martha who does serving herself. Luke’s Gospel previously referred to Martha as the server with Mary at the feet of Jesus,"Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary (who) sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving . . . . (Luke 10:38-40)." This is the same arrangement we find in this anointing scene in the Johannine Gospel. Mary did not help in serving the guests, for she gave all her attention to our Lord Jesus, treating him not as mere man, but as God, "Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus."

Furthermore, notice the purity of the perfume, i.e., genuine, non-adulterated substance, which symbolizes the purity and sinlessness of Jesus. Moreover in this account of John 12, the woman is referred to as ‘Mary,’ and this chapter also is directly after to the raising of Lazarus in John 11. Consequently, this confirms the raising of her brother Lazarus. The resultant application in John is that Lazarus is seated at the table with Jesus and Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus’ feet.

Now, there is the question of as to whether Mary (of Bethany) is this same woman to whom the Lukan Gospel later refers in Luke 8 or Mark 16, i.e., Mary Magdalene, "Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out (Luke 8:2)." "When he had risen, early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. (Mark 16:9)."

Some see four reasons for Mary of Bethany being different from Mary Magdalene. Lets review them. First, the sinful woman in Luke 8:2 waspossessed by seven demons. This would seem to indicate she had been a demoniac woman, which is hardly the type of woman represented in this present dinner scene. Secondly, if she was previously cured, Jesus would have forgiven her sins as well. In this scene, Jesus forgives the woman her sins (Luke 7:48). Thirdly, it is difficult to understand that if she is the same person as Luke 8:2 why she is not referred by name as in the Johannine (current) passage. And fourth, Mary Magdalene (Mary of Magdala) was from the town of Magdala, which was near the Sea of Galilee ahis is about one hundred miles from the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus in Bethany. So it is difficult to connect Mary of Magdala to Mary of Bethany for these four reasons.

Lets explore these further, first discussing the woman, Mary of Bethany. The timeline of Matthew, Mark, and John places this scene shortly before the death Jesus and the woman in those Gospels has no apparent illness or sinfulness at this time. Still, it is clear from the parallels of other Gospels to the Lukan account that all four Gospel passages are referring to the same woman, i.e., Mary of Bethany. Yet, the Mary in Luke was a sinful woman. Even earlier, John’s Gospel had associated Mary of Bethany to one who had anointed Jesus, "When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died (John 11:32)." "Mary was the one who had anointed the Lord with perfumed oil and dried his feet with her hair; it was her brother Lazarus who was ill (John 11:2)."

Therefore, Mary was healed of her condition not only prior to the resurrection of Lazarus, but more succinctly prior this scene as well, for the risen Lazarus is now present. Consequently with the composite information, two conclusions can be reached. First, Mary of Bethany WAS cured prior by Jesus to this Jerusalem scene. Accordingly, the Lukan account is a composite of two scenes, one where the woman Mary comes for healing and washes the feet of Jesus, and the other where she later anoints of the head of Jesus in Bethany. Secondly, this supports the Lukans text that the “cure” of the woman was in Galilee. Thirdly, if this cure occurred in Magdala, and it also was how she became known as Magdalene, "Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out (Luke 8:2)." Therefore, this is the reason why Luke records the entire scene in Galilee because Galilee was the place where Jesus cured both the Pharisee and Mary, but the anointing as described in this passage occurred later in Bethany. Consequently, there is support for equating Mary of Bethany to Mary of Magdala.

In the Johannine Gospel, Mary (of Bethany) is referred to nine times before the crucifixion, but, none after the crucifixion. In the Johannine Gospel, Mary of Magdala is not referred before to the crucifixion, yet after the crucifixion, she is referenced three times by John. Moreover, Jesus had a strong affection for Mary and dearly loved her, "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister [Mary] and Lazarus (John 11:5)." So, why would Mary not be mentined after the resurrection? The answer: she was, but she was referred to as Mary of Magdala (Magdalene). Certainly, she is mentioned as being present at the crucifixion and resurrection. Therefore, John changed the way he referenced this “Mary,” who looked upon Jesus in his death and in his glory. Mary of Magdala was the symbolic image of the repentant children of God called to repentance as she looked upon Christ upon the cross, "Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala (John 19:25)."

And though this repentance she saw him in his glory, "On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb . . . But Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb . . . Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher (John 20:1,11,16)." This is why Mary Magdalene plays such an important role within the Gospels.

Through her image of repentance, Jesus is made known to his disciples,"Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord. (John 20:18).'" This deference links the cure of this sinful woman to the cure of humanity.

Now we are able to look into the thematic approach of all the Gospels. In Matthew and Mark, Mary pours the perfumed oil upon the head of Jesus in anticipation of his death and burial. This is why both Gospels place this scene close to the Passion of Christ. Notice the breaking of the flask in the Markan Gospel. As such, the last drop flows out, and parallels Jesus’ redemption of “all” humanity and the breaking (death) of his human body. In Luke, Mary bathes Jesus’ feet with her tears, literally “moistens his feet with her tears,” and then anoints them with the perfumed oil. The Lukan emphasis is on the repentance and faith, and as such the Lukan account recalls the cures of both the Pharisee and Mary. In John, Mary anoints the feet of Jesus with the perfumed oil, and dries them with her hair. Interestingly, only the feet of a dead person were normally anointed, not a living person. Consequently, John portrays the woman as sin, the prophetic action causing his death.

Incidently, the Hebrew word for Messiah means anointed. Therefore, this anointing in all the Gospels also underscores Jesus as the Messiah who came into the world for salvation of all people. This is the fragrance that fills the house, "As a pleasing odor I will accept you, when I have brought you from among the nations and gathered you out of the countries over which you were scattered; and by means of you I will manifest my holiness in the sight of the nations (Ezek. 20:41)." And we also see it fulfills the OT verse, "For the king’s banquet my nard gives forth its fragrance (Song 1:12)."