Before the crucifixion of Jesus, the chief priests were thinking of every way they could to kill Jesus and end His reign on earth. What Jesus was doing was causing a rift in their teachings and they had enough. Mark 14 reads, 2“after two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.” They did this because their hearts were hardened before God and could not see that He was the true Messiah. If there eyes were opened and their hearts were softened, then they would have believed, much like Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus did. 4Joseph and Nicodemus both helped prepare Jesus’s body for burial, after He was crucified. 4Joseph, being in the counsel of the Jews and a disciple of Jesus. 3Where Nicodemus, a Pharisee, also sought after Him and even did so at night, while Jesus taught Him about being born again. Now, as Jesus was to die for our sins, the scribes that wanted to kill Jesus, played a role in that, even though it was not for the good. As we learn in the Bible, things that are destined must and will come to pass. However, it does matter what place we stand on behalf of God when that happens.
In speaking of this time that the chief priests were trying to find Jesus and kill Him, Jesus knew this was happening, for it was all coming to pass as He foretold. They did not know that they would simply be playing a role in that. For in Mark 8, Jesus said, 1“and he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” And what was interesting about this, was that Peter began to rebuke Jesus for saying these things. Jesus then said to Him sharply, 1“get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.” He then went on and taught Peter and the disciples something very important about our salvation. Jesus said, 1“whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.” Therefore, he taught them about continuing on their discipleship to Jesus, even after He died and is resurrected. In saying this, He also taught them that being persecuted and even losing their lives for His sake shall also save their lives. For this is true love and devotion to God.
Now at this time that the scribes were counseling against Jesus, there came a woman to Jesus, that had 2“an alabaster box of ointment”. She then used this to anoint His head, while in the house of Simon the Leper. This was a true act of kindness, in order to anoint Jesus’s body before His death and burial. She believed in Him and anointing Him was showing Jesus that same love. At this time, some people in that room were not happy with her and said, 2“Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.” But Jesus said, 2“let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.” You see, they could not see the love that this woman was showing towards Jesus. Surely, her love was far greater than the scribes religious acts before God. Now speaking of this woman, Jesus said, 2“verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.” Truly, what she did was out of her whole heart towards the Lord God. That is why this act meant so much to Jesus. I pray that you may also love Jesus the same way. May you follow Him as the disciples did.
Let us pray:
Lord, through Your words, it is made known to us that religious acts aren’t always a sign of our devotion to You. It is, however, the way we seek after You through prayer and in Your words, that we show that we care. The icing is then when we follow You and do as You say. Doing so, shows true love and devotion to You. I am truly grateful to know this, for I would be so wrong if I did not serve You in the right way. For my desire is to know You personally and to love You with my whole heart. You are my God and I always wish that You know this. For You have come and saved my soul from death. Because You died for my sins, I am born again. Your death on the cross means more to me then I will ever know. For Your blood has covered my sins and now I am forgiven. Thank You Jesus. And because of Your resurrection, I have new life and hope for tomorrow. As Your disciples did, while You were on earth, I will also lay down my life for You. I will not back down from proclaiming Your good news to all the world. No matter how hard persecution may be, I will go out victorious, for I am not ashamed of You, Jesus. Till the ends of this earth will I follow You. You are my love and my devotion. Come inside of me each and every day of my life and do what You will for me. Use me for Your greater good. I trust in You, Jesus. In Your holy Name. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Mark 8:31-38 (KJV)
31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.
32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.
33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
2Mark 14:1-9 (KJV)
1 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
3John 3:1-7 (KJV)
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
4John 19:38-42 (KJV)
38 And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
39 And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight.
40 Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid.
42 There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.
