Five Minute Friday : She

Today I am participating in Five Minute Friday, where a group of writers get together and free write about a one word prompt for 5 minutes. Today's word is "she."

"She has done what she could to anoint My body in advance of My burial. And truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”-Mark 14:8-9 (Berean Study Bible)

She did what she could. That was the phrase that was part of one of the very first blog posts I wrote about a woman in the Bible. I was a guest blogger on another blog for women and I submitted a post about Mary of Bethany. Funny enough, her story in Luke 10:38-42 has become the basis for the title of my blog.

She. There are a lot of us “she’s” in the Kingdom of God. I love to talk about us. And I love to talk about the women in the Bible.

Have you ever read Romans 16? There are so many women in that passage of Scripture, a lot of “she’s..” I like to think that so many of our names are being continued in that passage of Scripture. If Paul were writing that list today, there would be so many more women’s names.

As a She in the kingdom of God, you are a royalty. The Bible calls us “kings and priests.” We are builders, co-laborers, like Shallum’s daughters in Nehemiah 3.

What was God’s original purpose for She? Go look at Eve before the fall. He created her to be a helper “like” or “suitable” to Adam.

What are we going to be when Christ returns? What will She be doing then?

Will she get her own sword? Will she get her own horse?

And the armies in Heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

-Revelation 19:14

She.

Five Minute Friday: Distraction

Today I am participating in Five Minute Friday, where a group of writers get together and free write about a one word prompt for 5 minutes. Today's word is "distraction."

Some of you might already know this, but some of you might not. My blog title is based on the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10 where Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to him, but Martha is not.

In the story in Luke chapter 10, the Bible says Martha was distracted. What does that mean?

To me, distraction means letting other things occupy your attention. And in recent years, it means to turn away from something you were already doing.

Both of these definitions would make sense in Martha’s situation. She was definitely letting other things occupy her attention. She was trying to serve the house, which was a noble thing, but it was distracting her at that moment from the most important thing. JESUS was in her house. The Lord was in her house y’all.

Her motivation might have been correct, but he was in all essence just telling her to sit down, which leads me to my other point.

Maybe she had been sitting down listening to him. Maybe she had been in the posture of a disciple at one point, but had gotten distracted by something, and gone back to do things women were regularly supposed to do.

During the time of Jesus, and before women were not really considered disciples. In fact, they weren’t even allowed to speak to religious leaders in public. Shocking, I know. Nevertheless that is the way women were treated.

And then here comes Jesus, and flips all that on its head. So, Martha may have been distracted by what others thought of her, and she went back to doing what she thought she was “supposed to do.”

I think that can happen to all of us. Instead of going with what Jesus is really like, and what he says, we can let pressure from other people distract us from our mission.

Just a note, when we see Martha later, she has a super important theological discussion with Jesus. You can read about that here. She was no longer distracted, and she was the Martha the Lord meant her to be.

For more information about the stories in my post, check out Luke chapter 10:38-42 and John chapter 11:17-28 in the Bible.

Names in the Life of Jesus

There have been quite a few times that I have heard people speak about women in the Bible and try to combine the different personalities, like the woman who was a great sinner, or Mary Magdalene, or Mary of Bethany. But, I think they were all individuals. I have a couple of reasons why.

The first reason was the authors were specific. They called them the names of people to whom they were connected, or linked them to the name of a specific region. Like, the mother of James and John (John 20:20) or Mary and her sister Martha (John 11:1). Mary Magdalene was most likely called that because she was from a region called Magdala. And the Syrophoenician woman was called that because that is where she was from.

Second, if something changed about them, usually the writers let us know. Like when Jesus renamed Simon. The author would state different names for one person., and Simon, who was also named Peter (Acts 10:18).

Finally, and this is opinion, I feel like we short change the ministry of Jesus when we combine persons. I believe that a lot of those people were all very interconnected, more than we know. But Jesus touched so many lives. How do I know that?

John 21:25 says, "There are many more things that Jesus did. If all of them were written down, I suppose that not even the world itself would have space for the books that would be written."

He's a great Jesus, and we want all their stories to be told. Because in them, we find ours.

Fragrance of Kings and Queens

Jesus was at Bethany, a guest of Simon the Leper. While he was eating dinner, a woman came up carrying a bottle of very expensive perfume. Opening the bottle, she poured it on his head. Some of the guests became furious among themselves. “That’s criminal! A sheer waste! This perfume could have been sold for well over a year’s wages and handed out to the poor.” They swelled up in anger, nearly bursting with indignation over her.


But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why are you giving her a hard time? She has just done something wonderfully significant for me. You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives. Whenever you feel like it, you can do something for them. Not so with me. She did what she could when she could—she pre-anointed my body for burial. And you can be sure that wherever in the whole world the Message is preached, what she just did is going to be talked about admiringly.”-Mark 14:3-9



I love Mary of Bethany. She is who I named my blog after. She has several stories in the Bible, each filled with their own unique goodness.

One of the stories has to do with the anointing of Jesus. Matthew, Mark, and John all tell the story about anointing Jesus for his burial. Each Gospel writer gives different details, but they all tell the same story.

She is not the same woman as in Luke 7. That is a completely different story filled with its own treasures. But Matthew, Mark, and John tell the story of Mary anointing the feet of Jesus with the perfume, which would have been spikenard.

Now, if you haven't ever smelled spikenard, it is strong. One little drop is very fragrant. The Bible says, she took an entire jar of alabaster, which equaled a pound of spikenard, broke it, and anointed him with it, starting at his head.

Every time I hear or think about this story, I think about how everyone in that room, or in that house came out of there smelling like spikenard that day. They had the fragrance upon them.

I just read that this particular perfume is used to anoint royalty. Jesus says in that passage of scripture that she is anointing him for his burial.

In the Old Testament, kings were anointed on the head with oil to prepare them to be king. What if, in anointing him for his burial, she was also anointing him to be king?

When he was crucified, Pontius Pilate had a sign placed above his head.

"And Pilate posted a sign on the cross that read, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.""-Joh 19:19

The same things that happened to Jesus, happened to us. The fragrance of the spikenard that anointed him, also covered us that day.

Now, consider these scriptures...

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.-Romans 6:8

And having been buried with Him in baptism, you were raised with Him through your faith in the power of God, who raised Him from the dead.-Colossians 2:12

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.-1 Peter 2:9

And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.-Revelation 5:10

But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.- 2 Corinthians 2:14

we have boldness through him, and free access as kings before the Father because of our complete confidence in Christ’s faithfulness.-Ephesians 3:12 (The Passion Translation)


Grace and peace to you.


In Him,
Beth

A Foundation of Grace: A Place of Rest

Now it happened a they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcome Him into her house.

And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word.

But Martha was distracted with much serving and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?  Therefore tell her to help me."

And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.

But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part which will not be taken away from her."-Luke 10:38-42


I love the story of Martha and Mary.  You will probably hear me say that a lot about many stories, and it is always true.  Stories communicate so much to us.  We can use our imaginations, see ourselves in their shoes, and learn truths that reach us in our hearts.  I think that is why Jesus used stories to teach.

Martha and Mary lived in the town of Bethany.  According to two different sources, the word Bethany means "house of affliction, house of dates, or house of depression or misery."  I also found one source that said it means, "house of figs." I find that very interesting because the first place we find figs in the Bible is with Adam and Eve, when they tried to cover their sin themselves. 

We have two women, sisters, and their brother Lazarus, living in this place.  And then Jesus comes.  

The two sisters are very different in their approach to Jesus.  Eventually this changes, and it is oh so beautiful!  But now, in this moment, they are very different.  

Both believe Him to be Lord.  Martha calls him Lord, and Mary is sitting at His feet in the posture of a disciple.  But they both respond to Him very differently.  I believe this to be a picture that God has given us of law and grace.

The Bible says Martha is distracted with much serving.  It is as though this is how she believes she can please the Lord.  She even goes to Him, obviously embarrassed or burdened by her sister's lack of concern, and points out all she is doing...for Him.  Jesus even tells her she is worried or troubled about many things.

Mary, on the other hand, is sitting, resting, at His feet.  She is not flustered, but at peace, just enjoying Jesus' presence.

The Law was given to make people do.  Grace came so we could rest.  

Hebrews 4:9-10 says,

There remains therefore a rest for the people of God.  For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Jesus doesn't want us to live in the house of Bethany, a place of misery and depression, a place where we have to do something to receive approval.  He wants us to receive His grace, cease from our works, like Mary, and enter into His rest.




To read more in the series, please join me here, at A Foundation of Grace.

What's Your Fragrant Offering?

And being in the Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly spikenard.  Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.-Mark 14:3

Spikenard was very expensive. John's Gospel records Mary as pouring a pound of the oil on Jesus' feet.  Mark says she poured it on His head.  Maybe it was both since they both recorded different locations of the anointing.  However, John tells us how much that spikenard was worth.  

Judas Iscariot is offended by the "waste"  of expensive oil on Jesus.  He is the one to identify its worth at being 300 denarii.  300 denarii was about a year's wages.  One usually earned about 1 denarii for 12 hours work. So this oil must have been very precious to her, but Jesus was of greater value.

Just like Mary, there will be people in your life who will criticize what you give to Jesus.  Whether it be your heart, your time, your money, your gifting, some will not understand and criticize you and tell you to use your gifts for something else, something that will profit you. Like Judas, they might think what you are doing is a "waste."

But just know that what you give to Him is never wasted.  Mary didn't see what she was doing as a waste.  Jesus didn't see what she was doing as a waste.  In fact, He commended her.  He is saying the same thing of you that He said of Mary, 

 She has done a good work for me.

-Mark 14:6

John's Gospel also says, "And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil."  I don't know if you have ever smelled spikenard before, but it is very woodsy, and a little goes a long way.  I can imagine what the house smelled liked if she poured a pound of it on Jesus.  It would have been very strong.  Not only would Jesus have smelled of the spikenard, but every other person in the house would have walked out with the scent of it on their clothes and themselves.

It is the same with what you have to give to the Lord.  Not only will it bless you and Him, but it will get on other people as well.  They will walk away fragrant with the odor of the life your offering to Him provided.

Don't let your life be dictated by other people's ambitions for you, but let it be dictated by your love for the Lord. Your heart will be fulfilled.  Other people will be blessed.


Prayer:

"Lord, please help our lives not to be dictated by the thoughts of others.  Help us not to be afraid of men, but only to be moved by our love for you.  In Jesus' beautiful name we pray.  Amen."

Women in the Life of Jesus: Mary of Bethany

Scriptures where she can be found: Mark 14, Luke 10, John 11-12


Setting: Bethany


Her story:


Mark's Gospel-

And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head. But there were some who were indignant among themselves, and said, “Why was this fragrant oil wasted? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii and given to the poor.” And they criticized her sharply.

But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. For you have the poor with you always, and whenever you wish you may do them good; but Me you do not have always. She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her. -Mark 14:3-9


John's Gospel-

Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.

But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.

But Jesus said, 'Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.'-John 12:1-8

My thoughts:

I wanted to share both accounts of this story. While I was studying this out, and thinking about this account of Mary of Bethany anointing Jesus with the spikenard, I learned a few things about the story and the writers. They have some similarities and some differences.

One of the accounts is written by Mark, often referred to as John Mark. He was not present during this event. The events in his Gospel account have been said to relayed to him mainly by the apostle Peter.

In Mark's account, we are told whose house everyone is in, Simon the Leper. But Mary is not referred to by name. We know it was her because John tells the same story. In John's account, we are not told whose home the disciples and Jesus are in, but Mary, Martha, and Lazarus are all named as being there.

Mark tells us that "the woman" breaks the flask and pours it on Jesus' head. John tells us how much of spikenard she has, "a pound", and that she anoints his feet and wipes them with her hair. John also tells us that the whole house is filled with the fragrance of the oil.

Mark says that what she did made "some" indignant. John identifies the "some" as being Judas Iscariot, although there could have been others as well since Mark uses a plural pronoun. In both accounts though, we are told of Jesus' response. He defends her, and tells them to "let her alone."

I especially like the detail in Mark's account because he tells us that Jesus says, "She has done what she could." Doesn't that just warm your heart? Mary did what she could for Jesus. She gave Him something of great worth, something to honor Him.

Maybe you think you have nothing to give. The Lord sees you, and sees your heart. When you give to Him, doing what you can, He May recall that to you someday.

He honors Mary even more by saying,

Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.

And its a story that will continue to be told until His return!










To read more posts in this series, go here to Women in the Life of Jesus.