In the heart of the Bible there is a love song. In this love song there is a picture of the King seated with His friends at a banquet. “While the King sits at his table, my spikenard gave forth its fragrance” (Song of Songs 1:12). The one beloved by the King responds to his love by filling the air with the fragrance of her perfume. What is spikenard? It is a lowly herb, the emblem of humility. In the Songs of Songs, the King has chosen a humble shepherdess upon whom to lavish his love.
The gospel is also a love story. Not only had Jesus come declaring that the kingdom was near, He had also come as a bridegroom to declare His love for His bride. To establish the kingdom, Jesus had to first break the curse that had given Satan dominion. To claim His bride, the church, He had to break the curse of sin and set her free.
Mary had chosen to sit as Jesus’ feet. She had been listening. During the last week of Jesus’ life He had spoken in clear terms and plain words about the sacrifice He would make. What could she do? How could she respond? She took her most precious possession, an alabaster flask filled with spikenard, worth almost a year's wages. With sweet abandon she broke the flask and filled the room with fragrance of her worship.
Spikenard has a very powerful fragrance, and its scent will linger for days. It is used in hospice as a calming oil. Spikenard is used as an effective means of managing the distress that comes at the end of life. When Jesus sweat drops of blood as He contemplated His death, the aroma of her gift comforted Him. During His mock trial, when they pressed the crown of thorns deep into His brow, the fragrance of Mary’s worship was present.
The alabaster jar had been broken, and its content had been poured out and used up as Mary lavished her love on Jesus. She had given her most precious possession to express what she was unable to say with words. On Friday of that same week, Jesus would spread His arms wide on the cross and, with abandon, pour out His love.
Check out my podcast at anchor.fm/sarah-jones.30
No comments:
Post a Comment