Five Minute Friday: Sunrise

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 "sunrise."

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so they could go and anoint the body of Jesus.  Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they went to the tomb. They were asking one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb?”

-Mark 16:1-3 (Berean Study Bible)

Just after sunrise. It was the third day, and the details of the resurrection were falling into place. Exactly what Jesus said was going to happen, was happening, except these women didn’t seem to know that.

Jesus was crucified on Friday. He breathed his last at three o'clock in the afternoon, and they took his body down and buried him quickly, before the Sabbath would begin. The women didn’t have time to prepare his body appropriately. The next evening when the Sabbath was over, it would have been dark and hard for them to see, so they had to wait until the next day.

Sometimes, we have to wait too. It might be because of circumstances beyond our control, but God is still working while we are waiting, just like He was here.

The next morning, on a Sunday morning, the women took the spices they had prepared to anoint Jesus’ body. Why would they take spices to anoint his body? They thought He was still dead. They didn’t hear, or believe Him when He said he would rise again. We can tell by the conversation they were having with each other,

Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb?

-Mark 16:3

Sunrise. I love that time of day. Everything is fresh and new. It reminds me of the Scripture,

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

-2 Corinthians 5:17 (English Standard Version)

The old had gone. The Son had risen, but they did not know it yet. But they were about to find out.

All four Gospel writers include this event. Some give more details than others. Only Mark and Luke mention the spices. Different amounts of women are mentioned. Details about the stone are different. But you put them together, and you get a complete picture of what happened there that day. And no detail is without purpose.

God has a plan for each word.

If you read further into the story, you find that the women have conversations with angels. They get to see an empty tomb. And eventually, they are the first ones to see Jesus risen. They are the first eyewitnesses to the Resurrection.

This account just says so much to me about Jesus’ character. How much He must love women to make them a part of those events. How much compassion He must have to meet them where they were in that hour. They didn’t believe He was risen. They thought He was dead. But still He chose to make them a part of His story in those moments.

Blessings to you today as you grow in grace and the knowledge of Him,


Beth

31 Days of Jesus: Why Did He Come?

Today's word prompt for the 31 Days Five Minute Friday Writing Challenge is Why.


Why did he come?

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.-John 3:16-17

Read that again.  Let it wash over you.

Jesus came to save you.  He came to save all of us.  If you are in the world, you are a part of that scripture.

The only requirement, according to the above Scripture, is to believe in Him.  That's when you put your faith and trust in Him.

He came to save the world.  That word "save" is a big word.  It is the Greek word "sozo" and in the original language it means to save, heal, preserve, rescue, and deliver as from danger into safety.

As we will see in the Gospels, Jesus did these things during His earthly ministry.  He saved, healed, and delivered many people from danger into safety.

And ultimately, He did the same for you and me through the scourging he endured, being nailed to the cross, and his resurrection from death.

He did not come to condemn you.  And accuser is one who condemns.

In John chapter 8, there is a story of a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery.  Here's her interaction with Jesus.

"Woman, where are those accusers of yours?  Has no one condemned you?"

  She said, "No one Lord."

And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."-John 8:10-11

He is the same always, so He is not condemning you either.

Anytime a voice of condemnation rises up again you, whether another person, or the accuser of our souls, or even our own voice, it is not Him.

He came to give us everlasting life.  Some translations say, "eternal life."

Eternal means age long, unending, as opposing to brief and fleeting.  It never ends.

The word life in that passage is the Greek word "zoe."  That means the God life.  

So, everlasting life is eternal life, never-ending with God.  It was a restoration of what man lost in the Garden of Eden with the fall of man.

He came because God loved us.  Jesus came to demonstrate that God loves us.  

God loves us.  I need to hear this every day.

That is why He came.

 To read more in the series, please go to 31 Days of Jesus.

Jesus' Conversations With Women: Martha and the Resurrection

Jesus had many theological conversations with women. For the last few days, I have been thinking about his dialogue with Martha in John 11. Martha gets a bad rap sometimes. We first see her in Luke 10, verses 38-42. In this chapter, she is making preparations for a meal, while her sister Mary sits at Jesus’ feet.

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed 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 (NKJV)
Luke's Gospel tells us she is distracted by much serving. The word distracted makes me think at some point she had been doing what Mary was doing, or perhaps it means that she also should have been sitting with her.

The next time we see her is in John chapter 11 after her brother Lazarus has died. She and Mary send a message to Jesus that Lazarus is sick, but he doesn’t make it there before Lazarus dies. When Jesus is getting ready to enter the village, Martha hears he is coming, and goes out to meet him. This is the dialogue that follows:

So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”-John 11:17-27 (NKJV)

This is an amazing conversation and foundational to our lives as Believers. At the beginning of their dialogue, Martha expresses her pain that Jesus was not there when Lazarus was sick, but she goes on to demonstrate her faith in him.

Based on her words, it seems as though Martha has been transformed. No longer do we see the huffy woman in Luke 10 who is perturbed about all her serving. She is a new Martha. It seems as though she has been doing some sitting at Jesus’ feet as well, and she has become the Martha that she was always meant to be.

What caused the change in her? Maybe the answer is found in the conversation itself. They start out talking about Lazarus, but then switch to talking about who Jesus is!

When we first see her in Luke 10, she has her eyes on herself and all that she has to do. In John 11, she has her eyes on Jesus. He even goes on to teach her more in this moment. He switches her focus from in the future, to right now. Jesus says,

I am the resurrection and the life.

He is the resurrection (in the future) and the life (right now). Right now. In this moment. He is “I am.” The word life in that sentence is the Greek word “zoe.” Strong’s Concordance defines it as meaning “life, both of physical (present) and of spiritual (particularly future) existence.”

And then Martha confesses what ever person who has ever entered or will enter the kingdom has said in their heart and with their mouth,

Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.-John 11:17

She focuses her attention on Jesus now. In the moment. And then she receives a miracle. Jesus raises her brother from death.

Something else interesting to note is this event took place shortly before Passover. In John 12, we get to see Jesus and Martha together in Bethany again. Jesus would soon be entombed just as Lazarus was, and he would also be raised again! To prepare for this, Mary anoints Jesus’ feet, and we see Martha serving again. This time there is no protest to Mary being at the feet of Jesus again, just the accomplishment of peaceful service.

As we get ready to celebrate Resurrection Sunday, and always, let us remember to focus our attention on Jesus in the now. In our everyday lives, in each and every situation we face, may the words that He spoke to Martha, go deep down in our hearts,

I Am the Resurrection and the Life.

Many blessings to you as you continue to grow in the knowledge of Him,
Beth

Women in the Life of Jesus: Women at the Resurrection/Mary the Evangelist

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.  Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.  So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.  And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.  Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,  and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.  Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.  For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.  Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.  And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.  Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.  Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.-John 20:1-18 (NKJV)

There was a flurry of activity amongst the disciples on the day of Jesus’ resurrection!  As I was reading, I noticed that each account by all four Gospel writers gives different details.  There was lots of running back and forth it seemed like, with the women and the men.  It was like putting a puzzle together, but way more fun.  If you want to read all four accounts you can go to Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20.  

Apparently there were many women there that day.  Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, Salome who is the mother of James and John, Joanna, and the other women (as told to us by Luke.)  They had all come bringing spices to anoint Jesus’ body. Now, why would they do that?  Because they all still thought He was dead.

Even though Jesus had told His disciples repeatedly He would rise from the dead, apparently nobody believed Him.  After the women see the empty tomb, and hear the angel’s message, they go and tell the men.  But they think they are speaking “nonsense.”  Human frailty was on display that day, but nevertheless Jesus was still bringing comfort, truth, and encouragement to them all.

The first person Jesus appeared to was Mary Magdalene, so I want to spend a little time talking about her.  She actually gets to have a conversation with Him.  And He gives her a message.  

Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.-John 20:17 (NKJV)

 Some have said that Mary Magdalene was an evangelist. The Greek word for evangelist means “bearer of good tidings.”  The Bible doesn’t refer to her as an evangelist, but it seems to me on that day she qualifies.  She was the first female to share the good news of the resurrection of Jesus.  She gets to tell the apostles that Jesus is alive and He is ascending to God.  

In Ephesians 4, there is a list of ministry gifts, but there is also a mention of His ascension as well.

But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.  Therefore He says:

“When He ascended on high,

He led captivity captive,

And gave gifts to men.”

(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?  He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, -Ephesians 4:7-12

According to Strong's Concordance, the Greek word for "men"  in Ephesians 4:8, And gave gifts to men, is the word "anthrōpos."  It means "man, human, mankind."

HELPS-Word Studies says "anthrōpos " relates to both genders (male and female) as both are created in the image of God – each equally vested with individual personhood and destiny.

In Great Truths to Live By, Kenneth Wuest explains, "There are two words in the Greek which mean man, anēr, which refers to a male individual of the human race, and anthrōpos, which is the racial generic term, and which has the general, generic idea of mankind.

The Lord has given these ministry gifts to women as well as men.  There is no distinction in this passage of scripture about whether men or women gets specific gifts.  It just says that the Lord gave “some.”  Just like the Lord privileged Mary Magdalene that day by giving her the opportunity to serve Him with that message, so He gives other women the same opportunity.  The ministry gifts listed in this passage are for serving.  We are all called to service in some way.

 Many blessings to you as you grow in the knowledge of Him,

Beth

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

Women in the Life of Jesus: The Women at the Cross

All four writers of the Gospels mention the women at the Cross the day Jesus was crucified. Some give more details than others, but they all four mention that women were there.

Matthew’s Gospel says,

And many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.-Matthew 27:55-56 (NKJV)

Mark says,

There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.-Mark 15:40-41(NKJV)

Luke gives the least amount of detail. His Gospel reads,

But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.-Luke 23:49 (NKJV)

John’s Gospel has the women up close.

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple who He loved standing by, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ The He said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.-John 19:25-27 (NKJV)

There were a lot of woman at the Cross the day Jesus was crucified, some of them named and some of the unnamed. One of the noticeable things about the women that day is many were named Mary. I don’t think there are any coincidences in the Bible, or with God, so this must be significant.

The Hebrew word for Mary means “obstinacy” or “rebellion.” I have also seen the definition “bitter.” So there was a lot of rebellion surrounding Jesus on the Cross that day.

In John’s Gospel, he describes a scene between Mary and John.

When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold your son!’ The He said to the disciple, ‘Behold your mother!’ And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.-John 19:25-27 (NKJV)

I have always found this scenario very interesting. Why would Jesus tell John to care for His mother? He had at least 5 other siblings. Should they be responsible for the care of Mary? She was also not an old woman when this took place. Jesus was only 33 when He was crucified. She had him at a very young age. If she was 18 when Jesus was born, which scholars estimate she was much younger, she would still have only been 51 at Jesus’ death. I am 45 and do not need to be cared for. How could a woman so young, with other children, need to be cared for by John? 

I don’t think that was the point of this particular passage.

The name John means “Jehovah is gracious.” So Jesus asked a man whose name means “Jehovah is gracious” to care for a woman whose name means “bitterness, rebellion, and obstinacy.” John and Mary were a picture of what was happening in the spiritual realm.

There at the Cross that day grace came to care for rebellion. That is what happened with Jesus’ death. His grace came to care for our rebellion.


May you grow in the knowledge of His love,


Beth






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

Women in the Life of Jesus: The Wife of Pontius Pilate

While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.”-Matthew 27:19 (NKJV)

She is often referred to in tradition as Procula or Claudia or Claudia Procula.  She was the wife of Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor in Judea during the time of Jesus, and was presumably a Roman.  

She has only one sentence in all of scripture that is devoted to her found in Matthew 27:19.  It may be only one sentence, but it actually can tell us quite a lot.

It seems as though she was a brave woman.  She obviously felt confident enough to send Pilate a message, and at a very tense time.  He was sitting on the judgment seat with a lot of people screaming at him, an odd time to receive a message from your wife.

She could have also felt very safe in her marriage to send him the message at such a time.  Pilate has been described as being ruthless.  He made many ruthless decisions during his time as prefect in Judea, but his wife felt confident and/or safe enough to send him a message.

Or she could have also been motivated by panic.  We could determine that because of her state of mind described in the message.

It was very early in the day, and she had probably just recently woken up from sleep, and had been dreaming.  I have had dreams before and woken up and still carried them with me, to the point that they did effect my morning. But she was very shaken up, enough to send her husband a message.

In the message, she says she has "suffered many things today in a dream because of Him."  I used to think, why would God give her a dream to make her suffer?  That seems very out of character for God.  But recently after reading this passage a few times, it occurred to me that she could have quite possibly had a dream about what was actually going to happen to Jesus, both physically and spiritually.

Physically, He would suffer a lot. He would be beaten,  and have a crown of thorns forced into His head.  Jesus would also be flogged at the order of Pilate. (See John 19:1)  Peter tells us later on in the epistles what this flogging was for.  

who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.-1 Peter 2:24

He would also be crucified by being nailed to a cross.  But while He was there, there were things happening spiritually that you couldn’t see with the physical eye.  He would spiritually be taking on sin for all mankind. In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist says about Him,

“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!-John 1:29

His body would be beaten.  His blood would be shed. I believe now that is why Pilate's wife suffered in a dream because of Him.

Because she was Roman, the fact that He was the Son of God was probably outside of her belief system.  I don’t believe she was given the dream to stop the crucifixion of Jesus, because that was part of His purpose.  But in sending the message to Pilate she was another testifying about Jesus, even though she did not know.

She was like the high priest in John 11, who unknowingly prophesied about Jesus’ death.

Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, “You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.”

He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. -John 11:49-52 (NKJV)

One last thought.  She was a Roman.  Surely she had seen beatings and many crucifixions before.  What made Jesus’ so different?  I believe it hinges on one word. When she sends the message, she calls Jesus a "just” man.  Different translations use the words “righteous” or  “innocent.”  That word in the Greek is "dikaios."  It occurs 80 times in the New Testament, and is found in Galatians 3:11 where it says, "The just shall live by faith."  Jesus was innocent.  And His death would make way for those who believe to be just too.  He was the first of many.

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

Women in the Life of Jesus: The High Priest's Servant Girl

While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.  When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him.

“You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said.

 But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.

 When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” Again he denied it.

After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.”

 He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.”

 Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.-Mark 14:66-72 (NIV)

When writing the series about Women in the Life of Jesus, I came across this girl's story many times. Because tomorrow is Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified, I started thinking about these women again.  I never finished writing the series, and there were quite a few women involved in the days that surround Good Friday and Resurrection Day.  The high priest's servants girl was one of them.  

 I didn't really want to write about this girl because she wasn't one of Jesus' followers. Her story always bothered me.  What could she have to contribute to the series I was writing?  Today this thought crossed my mind, and is a message for others- Don't be like her.  But hidden in this story is also a message for the Church.

If we look closely at the passage of scripture in Mark 14, we can see a few telling details about her.  She was the high priests servant girl.  It doesn't say she was a woman, but a girl.  When I looked up the definition for "girl" in Strong's concordance, it gave me the definition for servant girl as being, "female slave, maidservant, maid, young girl."  That tells us even more.  

The high priest was part of the group of people who were getting ready to convict Jesus and sentence Him to death.  They represent the Law and religion.  The girl was a slave to that.  She was most like influenced by their opinions, being in their presence much of the time.

But notice in Mark 14 verse 67 it says , "she looked closely" at Peter.  And then she identifies him.  How would she know who Peter was, unless she had seen him before?  Now the Bible doesn't say this, but if she had seen him before, she had most likely already been around Jesus. This girl breaks my heart.

Here we have a young girl, who probably had been around Jesus, but because of religion and the Law chose to reject Him!  What does that say to us?

We, as the Church, should closely inspect our message.  Are we preaching the grace, goodness, mercy, love and forgiveness of God?  Or are preaching it, get it all right, do the right thing and you will be accepted?  

I think I used to be like her. I was afraid of God much of the time because I didn't know Him.  I didn't know Jesus.  I still have to watch my thought life, because of my history, and make sure my thoughts stay on the truth of who Jesus is.  

So, don't be like her.  Don't let religion keep you from the one who loves you so much.  Don't let religious people keep you from the one who loves you so much.  

For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.-John 1:17

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

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.

Women in the Life of Jesus: Mary Magdalene

Scripture where she is found: Matthew 27-28, Mark 15-16, Luke 8 & 24, John 19-20

Her story:

Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him,

and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities-Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons,

and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.

And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:

“A sower went out to sow his seed.  And as he sowed…”

-Luke 8:1-5

My thoughts:

Mary called Magdalene is mentioned mainly throughout the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  But I want to focus on the beginning of her story.

There are many misconceptions about her.  People have taken her and combined her with other women who were called sinners in the Gospels. She has often been portrayed as a prostitute. But the Scripture is very clear and simple about what was going on with her.

In Luke 8, we are told that Jesus healed certain women of evil spirits and infirmities, one of which was Mary Magdalene. The writer of this Gospel, Luke, was a physician. He says that out of Mary came seven demons.  Now, he was a physician and he would know if she had another illness.  I believe he would have specified it.

She was demon possessed.  

If we look at other characteristics in the Bible, we can pinpoint some things about demon possession. Further down in Luke 8, Jesus encounters a demon possessed man.  The demon made the man very violent and very strong.

In Acts 19, a demon possessed man, overpowered the seven sons of Sceva, and beat all of them up.

In Matthew 12, a demon possessed man was blind and mute.  

In Matthew 12 and in Luke 8, in the instance of Mary, the Bible says that Jesus healed them of the evil spirit.  In Luke 8, with the man with the legion of demons, he cast them out.  He had authority over all of it. And they left immediately.

Both Mary and the man in Luke 8 both wanted to follow Jesus after they were healed and set free.

I think it is important to note that once a person is born again, by believing on Jesus and confessing Him as Lord, an evil spirit cannot take up residence in a person.  The Holy Spirit will be residing on the inside of the born again man or woman, and He isn't going to share.

The freedom for Mary is where her walk with Jesus started.  She became one of His most faithful followers.  But that is another post.

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